VW Acknowledges Gay Drivers
By Lisa van der Pool
Monday, September 13 2004
Monday, September 13 2004
Published on AllBusiness.com
Volkswagen will make its first attempt to reach gay and lesbian consumers with new print ads that will run in national publications targeting those audiences. The campaign, via Arnold, Boston, is an effort on Volkswagen's part to acknowledge its longtime gay clientele for its support.
Print will break in October magazines including Genre, Out and Advocate. Internet supports. Spend will be under $1 million, according to John Gasloli, multicultural marketing leader at Volkswagen of America, Auburn Hills, Mich.
One ad depicts a Provincetown, Mass., beach at sunset. Copy reads, "This summer, we set out to capture those moments in life when everything gels. When you can be exactly who you are. And express it any way you want." The work retains VW's tag, "Drivers wanted."
VW is following such competitors as Subaru and Volvo, which have crafted ads targeting gays. This year, gay and lesbian buying power is estimated at about $580 billion, per MarketResearch.com.
"VW has always had a gay following," said Todd Turner, president of consultancy Car Concepts, Thousand Oaks, Calif. "Why they were so late to embrace their own market is beyond me."
Said Gasloli, "We've always recognized the gay community as being an important, treasured part of the VW family. We wanted to take the next step."
Print will break in October magazines including Genre, Out and Advocate. Internet supports. Spend will be under $1 million, according to John Gasloli, multicultural marketing leader at Volkswagen of America, Auburn Hills, Mich.
One ad depicts a Provincetown, Mass., beach at sunset. Copy reads, "This summer, we set out to capture those moments in life when everything gels. When you can be exactly who you are. And express it any way you want." The work retains VW's tag, "Drivers wanted."
VW is following such competitors as Subaru and Volvo, which have crafted ads targeting gays. This year, gay and lesbian buying power is estimated at about $580 billion, per MarketResearch.com.
"VW has always had a gay following," said Todd Turner, president of consultancy Car Concepts, Thousand Oaks, Calif. "Why they were so late to embrace their own market is beyond me."
Said Gasloli, "We've always recognized the gay community as being an important, treasured part of the VW family. We wanted to take the next step."