Homosexual-Focused Ad For Chevy Volt Viewed 11 Million Times
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Last month, General Motors ran a gay-themed advertisement for the Chevy Volt in Detroit. With the trademark gay rainbow colors across the print ad, the text reads, “Whatever revs your engine, we support you 100%.” Adding some tongue-in-cheek flair is a caption above the Volt that proclaims, “Mom, Dad: I’m electric.” The ad was first published for $750 in the Motor City Pride edition of Between the Lines, a Michigan gay and lesbian newspaper. It then went on to be viewed 11 million times on social media channels.
“This was a good omen,” said Jan Stevenson, co-publisher of Between the Lines, in referring to the Volt ad. “They put their toe in the water, and it worked out really, really well. If anyone’s really paying attention to it, they would say, ‘Wow, this is an untapped market’.”
Gay and lesbian consumers prefer fuel-efficient cars and, unbeknownst to many, account for 5 percent of new car purchases; they also have an average household income in the six figures, which is higher than that of heterosexual households, according to a recent survey.
Automakers usually advertise to the gay community using niche methods, but the gradual acceptance of the community and the success of the Volt ad could signal more marketing is on the way — especially if the goal is to attract wealthy, educated, younger customers.
“The Volt ad “told us that this was something worth undertaking when the opportunities present themselves,” said GM spokesman Tom Henderson.
Perhaps more significant is the fact that the popularity of the Volt ad could signal a gradual return of gay-themed automotive advertising, something that was nearly abandoned since the 2009 financial crisis. Yet even if gay-focused advertising does make a comeback, customers still must purchase their vehicles at the final frontier — the dealer.
To the dismay of many, a recent Maritz Research survey found that nearly 8.3 percent of gay and lesbian car buyers were not satisfied with their experience at the car dealership, compared to 6 percent of heterosexual car buyers, signifying that advertising alone won’t lead to increased sales; instead, it’s about improving the entire sales process.
Did you see the Volt ad in question? If so, what did you think about it?
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Why categorize a car as gay?? So what if gays are on average a little bit richer? They only make up like 8% of America! If you categorize a car as something, then people of other “categories” don’t really want to buy it anymore. And I don’t really care for gays either. It’s wrong…..
Actually the general consensus is 1-2% of the population is gay. Pop media and activism just makes it seem like every other person on the street is gay.
Exactly. I just said 8% because if I said 1%, these people would get angry.
I say good for GM and Chev. Ads tageted at homosexuals are nothing new, nor are ads targeted at other social minorities.
As for the bigots, I’ll give them a tip that’ll get them out of the bigotry the way it did for me nearly 12 years ago:
Once your identify the source of your bigotry, you’ll be amazed how easy it is to turn it off.
I don’t know how US car companies will compete with imports from China. There are about 50 Chinese car manufactures not counting the non Chinese companies like VW and Toyota.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_cars
It seems to me that they will be forced to move their factories to China to stay in business. How else can Gm compete with Detroit labor around $50 per hour and Chinese labor around $1 to $3 per hour? The electric car industry is predicted to grow at 25% per yer for the next decade.
wow, this thread deteriorated quicker than i thought it would.
jzEllis “wow, this thread deteriorated quicker than i thought it would.”
This isn’t a useful contribution in a discussion thread.
Neither were many of the comments in this thread, so what’s your point?
“Neither were many of the comments in this thread, so what’s your point?”
My point is that you need the courage to defend a point of view if you post in a discussion thread.
Personally, I thought it was a worthwhile commentary on the state of the discussion. If JzEllis’s comment served no other value than preventing another bigotted comment from appearing then it had value in keeping the discussion on topic.
I think his comment has more value than those from Jo, Santo27 or Jose Lopez (who haven’t defended their comments) – none of which you responded to, btw.
Actually, I think JzEllis’ comment had as much value or more value than your comment on his observation. (courage? on the internet? haha!)
The subject of the article is undoubtedly polarizing, and warrants some healthy discussion on the merits of minority targeted advertizing. Maybe I’m having trouble following your grammar, but I don’t see how, chinese production or electric corvettes are relavent to this discussion on advertizing.
Back on topic, I think producing ads that target demographics who are more/most likely to purchase the product is a wise move and good use of ad dollars. Now if they published a Volt ad in west Texas targeting oil field roughnecks, that would be a waste. Properly focused ads probably have a greater effect than some mass media publications, as it is easier and probably cheaper to create multiple specific ads distributed to a small group than a few large circulation ads that only apeal to a small percentage of the viewers.
Here’s a useful contribution. Who thinks it’s time to bring back Pontiac? LOL
@ 99VetteGyrl you will have to send a photo so I’m sure that it’s you.
I think that adds targeting new possible customers including gay people are good idea for GM
I think advertising has been found to be of decreasing value generally by corporations because of long term changes in the way people get information towards sources that are more reliable and useful for consumers than advertising.
GM has some homophobic owners but there is little difference for me between this outlook and denying the Holocaust or burning crosses outside people’s houses. It belongs in the past.
My thinking on Pontiac is that GM had too many vehicles that were re branded clones of other vehicles that led to the company competing against itself. Over 100 models each with 10% of the deign budget that Toyota sends on far fewer models with meaningful differentiation. If Pontiac was really different and attracted new and different customers then it might have value.
The relationship of China to this discussion is that GM needs to make important strategic decisions about how they will be competitive. This is more important and more pressing than advertising to them. I think that it is likely that they will move away from commodity passenger cars towards luxury brands like Cadillac and differentiated models like the Corvette that they can charge more for. Models like the Chevy Malibu have a short future I think.
Ok. So this thread has gone way off topic. Why the crap are you talking about China or Pontiac??? But as I stated before, I don’t like gayness or anything to do with it. Sorry if I offend any of you. But I’m actually not too worried about this, because, luckily, the Volt is the only car in Chevys lineup that can be “classified” as gay (however they do that). So I really don’t think this advertising will pass on. And if they do, it will be in small numbers and in “gay” magazines. I just wish that GM wasn’t taking the lead in such stupid segments. I would be very happy if they just let Ford start this gay advertising. Haha then I’d get to laugh at them. GMs already closely tied to Obama, I don’t need to see any other connections.
“because, luckily, the Volt is the only car in Chevys lineup that can be “classified” as gay (however they do that).”
Since when has a car, ANY car, EVER, been considered ‘gay’?
As far as I know, cars have never been engineered with a sexual orientation, and never will.
It means that mostly gay people buy the car idiot
Yes, Josh….a lot of very sad comments on this subject…let’s move along
Yes Eric, we should move along. Will never understand what makes a man hate another man – but that negative energy really hurst themselves the most.
Back to our common love of cars!
Stanto, it is good that you have come out of the closet with you homophobia. How many gay men or women have you known?
Who cares about anyone’s personal life….I just want to get a nice new GM car
I don’t like gay people. I’m sorry I don’t agree with everyones beliefs. But being gay is just wrong. To ME!!! Its my opinion. Now I agree with Dan, lets get off this stupid subject and back to cars.
Stanto27 whenever anyone condemns a who group of millions of people without knowing them it is wrong. I don’t accept that you can dislike people that you don’t know. It was wrong when Hitler said he didn’t like Jews and it is just as wrong when you say that you don’t like Gays. Some people hide behind Christianity to justify such bigotry but I don’t believe that sort of intolerance was ever supported by Jesus. I think that you should talk about it rather than running away when it is raised. I think that you know also that it is wrong.
Nope. I fully unsupported gays. I think it’s morally wrong and I don’t usually like people that are openly gay.and not just because I’m Christain. As I said before, it’s just plain wrong.
I don’t think intolerance of gays comes from the Bible. It comes from the dark heart of man like all intolerance. Gays were born gay and like all other people who are born different to the majority I believe that we must accept them. You can get back to discussing cars. I have made my point.
I really don’t think gays are born homo
I recently saw a documentary that suggested that there is evidence that gay men have a gene that come from their mothers. There is a high incidence of gay me in families with unusually socially active mothers and very large families. It suggested that there is an evolutionary purpose in gayness. They were credible university researchers. If it is connected to a gene then discriminating against gay people is similar to discriminating against a race of people.. I can say that a gay man who I worked with said that he believed that he was born gay and that he considered it to be a burden in conservative and discriminatory US society. They are not out to get you. It is just the way that they are.
Well us ford owners can now confirm, chevy coming out the closet! LOL