Ian Johnson, Out Now
June 1, 2007
A few years ago there was a very bad public relations nightmare that was largely created by Sandals Resorts in the UK gay market.
Sandals decided their "couples only" resorts were for heterosexual couples only, and said as much in their mainstream advertising in the UK mainstream market.That did not go down well in the UK, least of all with the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone. "It is not acceptable for a company with such an openly discriminatory policy to advertise on public transport in this city," Livingstone said in 2003 when introducing a ban on London Underground metro tubes and buses.
The PR nightmare for Sandals got even worse when advertising was subsequently banned from London black cabs.
Eventually there was so much bad press and PR for the Sandals brand that the previous *Conditions Apply - Heterosexual couples only tagline in their PR and advertising materials had become such a public relations and business liability that the brand eventually reneged, and gay couples can now frolic to their hearts' content at Sandals' "couples only" Resorts.
History does seem to have a bad habit of repeating.
eHarmony - a US online dating service - has instituted a similar policy and Reuters announced today that a lawsuit in California is being launched by a lesbian refused matchmaking dating services by eHarmony.
A few weeks ago, Chemistry.com started running a series of anti - eHarmony advertisements in mainstream US media that specifically poke fun at eHarmony for being such a "nanny" brand as to not allow lesbian and gay people to access eHarmony online dating services.
eHarmony was founded in 2000 by evangelical Christian Dr. Neil Clark Warren and had strong early ties with the religious conservative group Focus on the Family. This group has in the past targeted corporations that choose to direct marketing, advertising and PR efforts to the gay market, so it seems ironic in many ways that a company associated with them is now being sued by a lesbian for discrimination in the provision of goods and services.
Take a look at the current US TV Chemistry.com - Rejected by eHarmony advertisement, with its tagline - "Come as you are".
A fun start to your weekend. But perhaps not so much PR fun this weekend for the folks over at eHarmony.
Bookmark GayMarketNews.com to check back here, or subscribe to our RSS feed, and we will keep you updated on latest gay marketing, gay market research, gay PR and gay advertising developments.
Gay market insight is Out Now: Gay Marketing. Solved.Helping brands marketing & advertising to gays and lesbians.
Successfully reaching the lesbian and gay consumer market since 1992.
To reach our main site for lesbian and gay market research, gay advertising, gay PR, GayComfort(TM) training and gay marketing strategies, visit OutNowConsulting.com. All content on all Out Now websites (C) 2007 - Out Now. Successfully reaching the lesbian and gay consumer market since 1992.
Out Now Gay Market News -- Gay Marketing 101 gay market updates site. Gay PR. Global gay PR marketing, gay public relations strategy, PR, training, gay advertising, lesbian and gay market research leaders. Gay Market News is Gay Marketing 101 - Out Now Gay Marketing, Advertising, Gay PR, Market Research. Travel Market. Training.
gay market gay advertising gay marketing gay tourism gay travel pink dollar pink pound gay agency advertising marketing travel tourism gay lesbian gay and lesbian market research
0 comments:
Post a Comment