EIGHT OF TEN AMERICANS SAY CORPORATE MARKETING TO GAYS AND LESBIANS HAS NO IMPACT ON THEIR PURCHASING DECISIONS
FH Out Front Consumer Outlook Survey Results Mirror 2004 Results Despite Change in National Conversation on LGBT Issues
St. Louis , MO – June 15, 2006 – An overwhelming majority of American adults say knowing that a company markets its products or services to gays and lesbians would have no impact on their purchasing decisions or attitudes about that company, according to a new national survey. While the results mirror the findings of a similar national survey conducted for Fleishman-Hillard two years ago, they come at a time of increasingly contentious debate about the rights of gays and lesbians and their role in American life.
The survey conducted for FH Out Front, Fleishman-Hillard’s gay and lesbian communications practice, also found that a majority of Americans would "do nothing" to support a boycott against companies targeted for promoting their products to the gay and lesbian community.
The survey of more than 1,000 general consumers regarding their sentiments toward marketing to the gay and lesbian community was conducted June 25 - 28 via Opinion Research Corporation's weekly telephone omnibus poll. It was conducted on behalf of Fleishman-Hillard International Communications in conjunction with the launch of FH Out Front, the firm's new communications practice dedicated to helping clients communicate with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) community. (The survey's margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.)
"We conducted the first survey in a dramatically different environment for gay and lesbian issues, yet the results from June 2004 were similar to the most current survey taken in May 2006," explained Ben Finzel, co-chair of FH Out Front and a senior vice president in Fleishman-Hillard's Washington office. "This year’s results confirm that outreach to this audience often makes good business sense. The similar results from 2004 to 2006 validate what we're seeing every day: the gay and lesbian consumer is increasingly important to corporate America, particularly as savvy marketers look for unique ways to differentiate their products and services in an increasingly crowded marketplace."
The overwhelming majority (82 percent) of those surveyed in 2006 indicate it does not matter to them if a company whose products they use on a regular basis also promotes them to the gay and lesbian community (virtually the same as 81 percent in 2004). In 2006, two-thirds of American adults surveyed (68 percent, virtually identical to the 2004 response of 67 percent) indicate that knowing a company promotes its products or services to gays and lesbians has no effect on how they feel about the company.
The FH Out Front 2006 Consumer Outlook survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) from May 4-7, 2006. A similar survey – with similar results – was conducted for Fleishman-Hillard by ORC in June 2004.
The 2006 survey also found that a majority of Americans (52 percent, up from 46 percent in 2004) would do nothing if an organization launched a boycott against companies that market or promote products and services to gays and lesbians.
Although 7 percent of 2006 respondents said they would participate in such a boycott, more than double that number, 15 percent, said they would speak out against the boycott. In 2004, 9 percent of respondents said they would participate in a boycott, and 19 percent said they would speak out against the boycott.
In 2006, the survey also measured consumer sentiment about boycotts leveled against companies that "support causes or organizations related to or affiliated with gays and lesbians." Although the question was new this year, the survey results are nearly identical to the other boycott question: 7 percent of respondents would participate in the boycott, 14 percent speak out against the boycott and 53 percent would "do nothing."
"The consistent survey results on boycotts indicate that despite often significant media coverage, boycotts don't really affect consumer purchasing behavior," Finzel added. "This survey result is good news for the increasing number of companies focused on reaching the gay and lesbian community."
More than three-fourths (78 percent) of respondents in 2006 indicated they personally know someone who is gay or lesbian (similar to the 76 percent response in 2004). The survey also found that those who personally know someone who is gay or lesbian are more likely than others to support companies that market to the gay and lesbian community.
Consistent with the 2004 results, the 2006 survey included cautionary results that indicate that gay and lesbian consumer outreach must be considered carefully: 22 percent of respondents indicated they would have a lower opinion of a company that specifically markets to gays and lesbians, down slightly from the 24 percent number cited in 2004. And while 69 percent of 2006 respondents (up from 65 percent in 2004) indicated that it would not matter to them if a company used gays and lesbians to market or promote a new, everyday product, less than one-fourth (22 percent, down from the 24 percent figure cited in 2004) indicated this would make them less likely to purchase the product.
Other research estimates the buying power of the lesbian and gay community at $641 billion annually. Common population estimates assume that as much as 10 percent of the U.S. population is either lesbian or gay, a community recognized as one of the largest untapped audiences remaining in the communications marketplace. The 2000 U.S. Census found self-identified gays or lesbians in 99 percent of the nation's counties.
The survey of more than 1,000 general consumers has a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. Complete survey questions and results are available upon request from Fleishman Hillard (www.fleishman.com).
FH Out Front, launched in November 2004, is the first global gay and lesbian communications practice within a major global public relations firm. This growing capability draws on FH professionals in offices across the globe from a variety of practice groups. FH Out Front helps clients design and implement communications programs to reach the nation's gay and lesbian population through a variety of online and offline channels. The team offers communications services in three target business areas: corporate communications, consumer marketing, and medical/healthcare communications. FH Out Front is the official public relations firm of both Europride London 2006 (June 16-July 2, 2006) and Gay Games VII in Chicago (July 15-22, 2006).
Fleishman-Hillard Inc., one of the world's leading public relations firms, has built its reputation by using strategic communications to deliver what its clients value most: meaningful, positive, and measurable impact on the performance of their organizations. The firm is widely recognized for excellent client service and a strong company culture founded on teamwork, integrity, and personal commitment. Based in St. Louis, the firm operates throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia, and South Africa through its 80 owned offices. For more information, visit the Fleishman-Hillard Web site at www.fleishman.com.
Fleishman-Hillard is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional marketing, public relations, and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
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