Philadelphia airs one of first commercials to attract gay travelers

Timesleader.com Worldnetdaily.com ^ | 06-02-04 | JASON STRAZIUSO

[Kentucky]

Philadelphia airs one of first commercials to attract gay travelers

JASON STRAZIUSO

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - A man in colonial dress waiting by Independence Hall rebuffs an interested female's pass and instead gives his bouquet of flowers to his male lover in one of the nation's first gay-targeted television commercials.

The 30-second spot, which airs for the first time Wednesday in Philadelphia and will be seen around the country, ends with the tag line: "Come to Philadelphia. Get your history straight and your nightlife gay."

"This is an invitation, that you (gays) are welcome here, because of what Philadelphia is and what Philadelphia has to offer, and because we have a strong gay community," said Meryl Levitz, president and chief executive of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, which is sponsoring the ad campaign.

"And we're not saying it's a gay destination; it's a gay-friendly destination."

The man in the commercial is seen writing a letter by candlelight to his "dearest beloved" and asks to meet at Independence Hall. After an interested woman passes by without even a nod, the man's male partner appears.

As the scene plays out, a narrator says: "Philadelphia and its countryside has a long history of making everyone feel welcome and free." The word Philadelphia is shown in a rainbow of colors.

The commercial will play on channels such as Bravo, MTV, VH1 and Style in Comcast Corp. cable markets nationwide.

The commercial is the first by a destination - such as a city or resort - to target a gay audience, said Mike Wilke, executive director of the Commercial Closet Association, a nonprofit group that tracks gay representation in ads.

It is also only the fourth gay-targeted television commercial, he said. The first two were for cruise lines in the late 1990s; the third was last year by the travel Web site Orbitz, Wilke said.

"It's still unexpected on television to see a general advertiser reach out to a niche group like the gay community, so I think it will stand out," Wilke said. "What's nice is they're not trying to sell themselves like other destinations have (in print ads) by simply saying 'We're gay-friendly.' It's playing up one of its natural advantages, which is the history of the city."

Levitz said the commercial cost about $75,000 to produce, about half as much as it would normally cost. Actors donated their time and the advertising agency that produced the spot donated most of its services, she said.

The commercial is one of three the tourism agency is debuting Wednesday: one commercial is aimed at blacks, and one is for a general audience.

The tourism agency has targeted, black, Hispanic, and female travelers in past campaigns. It began a campaign to attract gay travelers in November.

ON THE NET

Greater Phila. Tourism and Marketing Corp: http://www.gophila.com

[Flavius]

apparently its a 50Billion industry...

[billhilly]

The city of brotherly love, indeed. Sisterly too, I presume.

[dasboot]

Are you GAY?

Need a CAR?

It's the TOYOTA GAY DAYS IN MAY SELLATHON!!!!

[no dems]

I Just saw the commercial on Hannity and Colmes. Just when you think you've seen it all......... Hey, maybe they'll move the Dem convention there.

[Ciexyz]

bump with no comment

[Pukin Dog]

COME TO PHILLY, "Where the Liberty Bell aint the only crack open to the public!"

[Tribune7]

ping

[Ron in Acreage]

As long as they chose PA, why Philly and not Hershey? They love the Hershey highway. Fudgepackers and such.

[Socratic]

The Philly Chamber of Commerce has many direct e-mail links. I sent the same message to them all. Bottom line? (No pun intended.) No money from my family or my business accociates.

[Crazieman]

I can see the ads now:

"Get your ass to Philly!"

[Old Professer]

Aw, $hit, and here I was looking for an excuse to visit Philadephia.

[Diddle E. Squat]

"Philadelphia, America's Anus"

A fitting motto for the city, for far more reasons than just this story. The first words of Philly babies are not 'momma' or 'dada', but rather salty 4-letter ones. Urine and feces are the official smells of downtown Philly. where it takes 6 union brothers 2 weeks to change a single lightbulb.

What a dump.

[Diddle E. Squat]

But there are a few good freepers left in that hellhole. They must feel like Lot.

[ovrtaxt]

My post, which I'm pretty proud of, from an earlier thread***

As the scene plays out, a narrator says: "Philadelphia and its countryside has a long history of making everyone feel welcome and free." The word Philadelphia is shown in a rainbow of colors.

Oh, sure! Just ask a sports fan from any other city! Philly is well known as the home of the biggest sports fan jagoffs in the country. We all know it. And if any of you Philly Freepers want to try to run your smack here, I'll have to get back to you because I'm too busy cheering on the Bolts in the Stanley Cup finals while the Flyers are busy painting their toenails.

By the way, I'll be too busy once footbal season starts too, because the Eagles will once again get emasculated by the Bucs.

But, you can always pass on a tip to Andy Reed-- I hear Kordell Stewart is a free agent, and available...

"Grab a little higher next time, big boy!

[max_rpf]

I don't get your joke... The entire porn industry is estimated @ 4 to 10bln...
(not including the black market...)

Is the media really saying that the gay market is a 50bln dollar market. Just because gays buy gas/food/clothes like the rest of us doesn't make them a special market. If so why isn't the city advertising for straight tourists. We would be a trillion dollar market.

[kcar]

Here's the pwace where we thaid: "Brities, you're weal dolls, ya weally are, but we need our own SPWACE. Be a dearie and scataddle alweady. Toodles."

Ben's woman Frank Lynn

[mathluv]

One more place to mark off my list.

[max_rpf]

Filthodelphia. I used to have to travel to filthy a few times a month, NEVER found a clean hotel room, didn't matter how much my company paid... Actually considered bringing my own sheets after I found...

[zencat]

While they're at it, might as well go ahead and change the name from Philadelphia to Sodom.