Jaguar Launches Campaign Targeting Gay Consumers

U.S. Newswire ^ | December 17, 2002

[new cruelty]

IRVINE, Calif., Dec. 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Jaguar North America today announces that it is launching an integrated marketing and advertising campaign to specifically reach gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) consumers. The Jaguar campaign is part of a comprehensive strategy developed by Ford Motor Company's Global Marketing organization. The campaign will target GLBT consumers in the New York and Los Angeles metropolitan areas.

Jaguar and Ford Motor Company are actively pursuing this niche market of more than 14 million consumers, with a buying power estimated to be more than $450 billion, by developing a tailored message to speak directly to this consumer segment. This campaign builds upon previous Jaguar marketing initiatives towards the GLBT community, which include past sponsorship of the Gay and Lesbian Against Defamation (GLAAD) Media Awards in 2001 and 2002.

"In recent years, Jaguar has targeted gay consumers on a smaller scale and found the brand is very appealing to this segment," said George Ayres, vice president of Marketing for Jaguar North America. "We look forward to expanding our outreach by establishing more of a presence in this community and earning the consumer's loyalty."

Jaguar, Ford's Global Marketing organization and Witeck-Combs Communications, a strategic marketing and public relations firm specializing in the GLBT market, developed the comprehensive strategy. Consumer insights gained through a proprietary online market research study of more than 1,000 GLBT and 1,000 general population consumers formed the basis of the strategy.

"Ford Motor Company is proud of its commitment to its diverse customer base, which includes gay, lesbian, and bisexual consumers," said Jan Valentic, Vice President of Global Marketing at Ford Motor Company. "This commitment is evident in our corporate policies, benefits, and employee programs and should also be connected to the consumer marketplace in a meaningful way."

The campaign features print advertising and marketing programs tailored to this consumer. Print ads were created by Prime Access Inc. of New York and will run primarily in national GLBT publications, including "Out" magazine and "The Advocate." Print ads will start to run in December 2002 and continue until April

[July 4th]

Seriously...the next time I see a Jag on the road, I'll have to wonder.

[new cruelty]

heterosexual off topic bump:

"Stuff Names the 'Sexiest Women in the World for 2003'

Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani
Among Those Who Top Stuff Magazine's Annual List

New York, Dec. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Actress Monica Bellucci has been named the "Sexiest Woman in the World for 2003" by men's magazine Stuff. Bellucci, who will next be seen in the Matrix sequel, beat out Jennifer Lopez, Gwen
Stefani, and last year's #1, Britney Spears, for the top spot. The annual Stuff supplement is included with the magazine's January 2003 issue on stands
now.

Stuff's top 10 "Sexiest Women in the World for 2003":

10) Gwen Stefani (No Doubt)
9) Krista Allen (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind)
8) Cameron Diaz (Charlie's Angels)
7) Shakira (singer)
6) Britney Spears (singer)
5) Shannyn Sossamon (The Rules of Attraction)
4) Jennifer Love Hewitt (singer/actress)
3) Jamie-Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos)
2) Jennifer Lopez (singer, Maid in Manhattan)
1) Monica Belluci (Matrix Reloaded)

Other sexy women named to the list include Pink (#100), Kelly Clarkson(#91), Kylie Minogue (#82), The Women of The Real World: Las Vegas (#79), Lucy Liu (#65), Halle Berry (#49), Carmen Electra (#42), Rebecca Romijn-Stamos
(#41), Christina Aguilera (#31), Brittany Murphy (#29), Pam Anderson (#17), Kelly Hu (#15) and Jennifer Garner (#11).

Stuff is the second largest men's lifestyle magazine in the country behind brother publication Maxim. Stuff speaks directly and humorously to men about the stuff that matters in their lives -- entertainment, technology, fashion, sex, money and relationships. Plus, they have great recipes."

http://www.prnewswire.com/news/

[aruanan]

Remember Mr. Garrison's vehicle?

[Tax-chick]

I've also noticed a LOT of car commercials where the chick is driving, as the guy sits meekly in the passenger seat....what's up with that ??

Maybe the guy's having a drink on the way to dinner? My dad appreciated having me drive to the club, and also drive home!

Since I got married, I always drive, unless I'm having a baby or a migraine. It's a motion sickness thing.

[weegee]

If they are specifically targeting transvestites, then won't they be encouraging more farding behind the wheel?

This is not a responsible move by automanufacturers.

[AppyPappy]

Don't you have a Jag?

[weegee]

Well when you have a hybrid of Ford and Jaguar...

[weegee]

Will advertisers play up the leather seats?

Do cars drive differently for people of different sexual preferences?

[Publius6961]

Jaguar North America today announces that it is launching an integrated marketing and advertising campaign to specifically reach gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) consumers.

Wonderful!

So now Subaru station wagon is firmly established the low end pervertmobile, Jaguar just volunteered to be the high end?

Can't help wondering which carmaker/model will volunteer to be the intermediate sized car of choice.

[over3Owithabrain]

Now I'm no expert on the gay community, but Jaguars do seem to be a popular choice with my gay male co-workers in Midtown Atlanta. In fact, one time I had a guy drive me in his Jag convertible to pick up theater tickets at lunch! It was a very "gay" moment for me, I made it a point to hoot and holler at the pretty girls walking by!

[weegee]

You forgot the gay orange juice ad with Popeye and Blutto riding a bicycle built for two.

As to men in the passenger seat, it is just more of tv's way of saying heterosexual adult males are idiots (see all father figures in sitcoms and commercials). The mother/wife is the wise one, but children are made to be the wisest of all.

Putting the men in the passenger seat is more about shaping passive/feminine males.

I'm seeing more ads with no father at all (yet the cast is at breakfast, dinner, etc.). "Empowerment" for women does not have to come from emasculization of men.

[Junior]

If you're a fag, drive a jag...

[weegee]

The car is all about image. If it were about performance, the manufacturer wouldn't be interested in appealing to a niche of sexual abberants. Put the car's spec sheet out and consumers who are interested will buy it.

If the sales pitch that "Jaguars are sexy cars" requires more explicit language (showing the actual couple in the car), then it must not be true.

Go broad with the ads: "Hey, we know we'll never have to deal with life's 'accidents', that's why a 2 seater like our's makes sense!" (while they are passing by an SUV or mini-van with soccermom and kids).

[KevinDavis]

Since Ford owns Jaguar, I'm no longer going to buy anything that is Ford, Mercury, or Jaguar.

[weegee]

How does Jaguar plan to market a car that is sold to men with small penises to homosexuals?

[Desdemona]

That ad is particularly annoying (maybe even galling...sorry

Do you mean Gauling?