Brands Should Be Embracing LGBTQ Consumers, and This New Research Proves Why
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Why wouldn’t a brand want to advertise its wares to the LGBTQ community? Well, as a recent AdWeek article points out, some are fearful of inadvertently exploiting a community that finds itself struggling in various parts of the world. Other brands feel the proper course of action is to maintain political neutrality at all costs. But the tides are turning: New research conducted by Hornet in conjunction with Nielsen proves LGBTQ-themed ads are simply more effective than their generic counterparts.
The results of this brand-new study, unveiled with an eye-popping infographic, indicate that when it comes to presenting LGBTQ representation in advertisements, the public is not just ready for it, but authentic ads fare better in terms of the metrics that count.
Hornet, the world’s leading gay social network, commissioned the study, in which 800 people from the global market research company Nielsen weighed in on the impact of various commercials. Those television commercials — some of which were LGBTQ-themed ads and others were more generic — were scored in terms of brand recall, inclusiveness, believability, intrusiveness and personal relevance.
Of the 800 respondents, 62% correctly recalled the advertised brand of the LGBTQ-themed ads. And three out of four of the LGBTQ-themed ads outperformed generic ads in terms of brand recall. (See the full results of the Hornet / Nielsen study here.)
“With this study, we hope to help brands improve their marketing and advertising as it relates to the LGBTQ community, a highly desirable consumer demographic,” says Sean Howell, Hornet’s co-founder and president. “We identified missed opportunities and areas where advertisers can increase their ROI with the creation of authentic advertising. These campaigns speak directly to this consumer, and their inclusive messaging creates brand recognition, which, in turn, influences purchasing habits.”
With this new research indicating that consumers are practically clamoring for LGBTQ representation in advertisements, high-profile brands will surely jump onboard. After all, in this day and age, the power of the pink economy is difficult to deny.
Check out this new research on LGBTQ-themed ads in infographic form here:
