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Household Income Exceeds $100,000 for More Than One-Fifth of Respondents:
- Discretionary Spending
Shows High
- 89% Respond Strongly to Gay-Targeted Ad
Campaigns
The following is a recent article on the affluence and
psychographics of the Gay Market, published by PR Newswire, February 3,
1998
According to the first-ever Gay and Lesbian Market Study
conducted by Simmons Market Research Bureau, 28% of the nearly 4,000
respondents reported personal income that exceeds $50,000. In addition,
21% reported household income that surpasses $100,000 per year. 58% of
the Gay and Lesbian community also hold management positions; 48% are
college educated (22% hold graduate degrees); and, within the past 12
months, 6l% have taken a foreign trip, according to the
study.
"This study confirms the affluence and spending patterns for
which there previously has been only anecdotal evidence," said Rebecca
McPheters, president and chief executive officer of Simmons. The study,
conducted in conjunction with Mulryan/Nash, a New York based advertising
agency that specializes in reaching Gay consumers, surveyed 3,896 Gay men
and Lesbians across the nation through a self-administered questionnaire.
Qualified respondents indicated their usage and/or purchase of: cars,
apparel, electronic equipment, banking and financial services, real estate, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), computers, food, and
travel -as well as media (magazines, newspapers, television, radio).
Information on leisure activities and pursuits was also collected.
Due
to Simmons' reputation as a researcher and the specific Gay-market
expertise of Mulryan/Nash, the Gay and Lesbian Market Study is believed to
be the first advertiser-driven study of its caliber which offers
off-the-shelf research for this growing consumer group.
Attitudes
of Gay Market:
The Study also asked attitudinal/psychographic
questions to determine how Gays and Lesbians make purchasing
decisions. According to Dave Mulryan, partner at Mulryan/Nash, "the study
revealed a decided preference among Lesbians and Gay men for marketing
efforts targeted specifically towards them." Mulryan pointed out that 89%
of the survey's respondents said they will "go out of their way to buy
products that advertise to Gay consumers;" 90% said they are "more likely
to visit a country or city that is known as Gay and Lesbian friendly;" and
77% said they "seek out Gay and Lesbian hotels and restaurants when on
vacation."
"When you consider those statements in relation to the
spending patterns of this demographic - for instance, in relation to
shopping and travel (38% spent more than $500 on mail-order purchases, and
91% have taken a domestic trip) - a very clear marketing incentive begins
to emerge."
He asserted that, "the results are already in for such
consumer categories as liquor and sport-utility automobiles. In these
areas, advertisers - such as Absolut, Tanqueray and Subaru - have promoted
their brands aggressively within the Gay media, and the study shows that
Gays and Lesbians have responded with their purchasing
dollars."
Spending Patterns Compared With Total U.S.
Population:
According to McPheters, "This is the first study that
links trends in the Gay and Lesbian population with purchasing habits.
Because the research is a companion to Simmons' SMM, it provides
measurements of specific brand consumption by this segment of the American
population, compared to total U.S. population."
Among the
findings:
- Nearly twice as many Gays and Lesbians (50%) drink
Vodka as the total U.S. adult population (26%). Do you now understand
why Absolut heavily markets to this community?
- More Gays and Lesbians
drink imported beer (46%) and regular domestic beer (51%), as compared
with the total U.S. population (imported: 21% and regular: 30%). Do
you now understand why Anheiser-Busch heavily markets to this
community?
- Also, perhaps as a reflection of their active lifestyles,
15% of the Gays and Lesbians surveyed own a sports-utility vehicle such as
a Jeep or Land Rover (compared with 7.5% of the total U.S. population).
Subaru has benefited tremendously from this market.
The study also
found that Gays and Lesbians were more active consumers than the
mainstream population in relation to theater going, movie attendance and
book reading:
- 72% of the Gays and Lesbians surveyed had attended
live theater within the past 12 months (nearly twice as many as the total
U.S. population, at 37%).
- 20% had seen at least two feature films
within the previous 30 days, as compared with only 6% of the total U.S.
population.
- 75% of Gays and Lesbians had purchased a paperback book
within the last 12 months, compared with 44% of the total U.S.
population.
Other Gay-Market Facts:
- 61% of Gays and Lesbians
swim as part of their physical fitness regimen, and 46% engage in weight
training.
- Gays and Lesbians listen to "contemporary pop vocal"
musicians, such as Madonna, 61% of the time, and "dance" music, such as
Dee-Lite, 32% of the time.
- 75% own a CD player.
- 72% have made
purchases (clothing, etc.) through catalogues, within the past 12
months.
- 62% own a personal computer.
- 52% use and/or subscribe to
online services.
- Europe emerged as the most popular travel destination
at 26%, with Canada at 22%, and Mexico at 15%.
- 89% had stayed in a
hotel within the past 12 months.
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