It seems that South Carolina is not the place for gays to vacation. The state just doesn’t want them. A UK poster ad campaign, planned to coincide with London’s Gay Pride Week, was pulled once Republican state Sen. David Thomas of Greenville heard about it and called for an audit of the advertising budget overseen by the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Ouch.
According to an article on MSNBC:
Similar ads were posted for Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Washington, D.C., none of which reported any negative backlash. But in South Carolina, reaction to the posters – dubbed “the gayest ever mainstream media advertising campaign in London” by Out Now, the Australian advertising firm that designed the promotion – was swift.
Here’s the poster art.
Similar ads were posted for Atlanta, Boston, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Washington, D.C., none of which reported any negative backlash. But in South Carolina, reaction to the posters – dubbed “the gayest ever mainstream media advertising campaign in London” by Out Now, the Australian advertising firm that designed the promotion – was swift.
The campaign was designed to “send a clear message to everyone who sees this campaign that it is long past time that ’so gay’ should be used as a negative phrase of disapproval,” said Andrew Roberts, chief executive of Amro Worldwide, the travel agency that commissioned the ads.
“From where we sit, and for all our many customers, being described as ’so gay’ is not a negative thing at all. We think it is just great to be so gay,” said Roberts, who called the campaign a success, having reached more than 2 million people in London.
The article also claims that:
Gay tourism is a $64.5 billion market in the United States, the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association estimates, and more than 75 cities around the world have gay-themed campaigns that create no controversy. But the campaign drew special attention in South Carolina because it emerged only weeks after widespread debate over gay rights in the schools.
The comments submitted at MSNBC are rife with strong emotions and homophobia.
What are your thoughts on this? What does this say about S. Carolina’s tourism board?
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Tags: ad, campaign, gay, London, poster, South Carolina, tourism
Howdy Elaine,
As a member of a company in Greenville, SC I feel it’s important to point out that this kind of behavior isn’t condoned by the masses in SC. Sure, we have our problems just like every other state – some of which are old guard thinking.
But know that this stupid act doesn’t reflect SC as a whole when it comes to attitudes towards alternative lifestyles. There are a lot of open minds here. So please don’t let this be another stereotype that’s hung around our necks. There’s probably much more disgust within the state about this campaign as there is outside the state.
It may be useful to try to flip that phrase around and see if it would also be acceptable as a slogan for a tourism campaign.
“South Carolina. Happy, but Not Gay.”
“South Carolina. More Heterosexual than Iran.”
Etc.
I think we can all agree that the same people who are now mad at South Carolina would be the same ones who would be outraged by such blatant displays of “homophobia,” (though such a charge would be specious on the evidence).
People generally aren’t amused when, in our efforts to be clever and cute, we blatantly disrespect their moral and religious scruples.
We can put the blinders on all we want, point fingers and shout “BIGOT” at the top of our lungs, but it doesn’t change the practical reality that we were the ones who played with fire.
Basing campaigns entirely on sexual preferences (in most places) is going to be wrought with difficulty. Generally speaking, even if as just a practical matter, it’s a ground I would not advise advertisers tread.
After all, does Myrtle Beach need to be “So Gay” to be beautiful enough to entice people (gay or straight) to visit? I don’t think so.
Do they need to proclaim being “So Gay” to make homosexuals feel as if they’re welcome there?
Perhaps. That’s not for me to say.
But we can ascertain from this and other events over the past 50 years that there is a cost for that, too, that goes beyond how much they spent on the advertising.
Thanks for your insight as a South Carolinian, Spike. This issue is not owned by your state alone. It seems to be pervasive in American society as a whole, and at the government level.
I don’t intend to stereotype S. Carolina, but as it was the only location to respond in this manner, what do you attribute this to? Please help us understand the mindset.
Cam, you’re a riot. Love your tongue-in-cheek taglines.
I’d like to raise a point about your comment:
“Basing campaigns entirely on sexual preferences (in most places) is going to be wrought with difficulty. Generally speaking, even if as just a practical matter, it’s a ground I would not advise advertisers tread.”
Beer and shaving ads are aimed strictly at heterosexual men. Otherwise, why include sexy, gorgeous women? Cologne ads for women often have hunky sexy males in the background. These have worked for advertisers for eons, and they’re targeted by gender and sexual preference.
As Elaine notes, lots of advertising is designed around assumptions about sexual orientation, but those assumptions are often not noticed. Or, to reduce it to a quip, “every day is straight pride day.” You’d be surprised how many ads read a little like your jokes to GLBT consumers – it’s there, between the lines.
But from a simple marketing tactics point of view, we need only consider that there’s lots of market research showing that GLBT travelers take the perceived gay-friendliness of a destination into account, and so if you would like to attract some of those tourist dollars, you need to let the people spending them know that they will be welcome. When you’re South Carolina – not known as a gay-friendly destination – the simple headline of the ad works, because it challenges assumptions about the place.
London in fact aggressively promotes itself to international GLBT travelers (though it’s not a hard sell.) In more of a stretch, Dallas has made a concerted and successful effort to attract gay tourists, including some GLBT conferences, by getting people past stereotypes of Texas.
For some good discussion of the nuts and bolts of this you might want to check out Fleishman Hillard’s OutFront blog, which is about marketing & PR targeting GLBT audiences. (http://www.outfrontblog.com/) FH actually has a practice area specifically devoted to GLBT communications.
(A minority has arrived when it’s a target demographic, I guess…)
Ian Johnson, CEO of Out Now here.
Thanks for such an intelligent place to discuss our campaign for Amro Worldwide.
One of the challenges of advertising on London Underground escalator panels is that each poster needs to grab the attention of those passing by, and communicate the key message all in about three seconds.
The fact that there are some 150+ other panels competing for attention makes it hard to achieve these things.
Out Now thinks we did a great job for this particular medium.
Your readers may be interested to view the effect the ads are having on passers-by via our YouTube channel http://www.YouTube.com/GayMarketing where you will find a video of the ads from the London Tube. You will see at the end of the video that almost all people are turned left — to read the ads as they ride the escalator. You will even notice one young man taking a couple of photos of the advertising.
This is an extremely high level of engagement with an audience in such a location.
We think that level of cut-through, in a very cluttered media environment, is a strong advertising result.
Out Now is a global specialist gay marketing agency that works with companies to more effectively target gay and lesbian consumers worldwide.
You can also learn much more on these topics at our updates site: http://www.GayMarketNews.com .
Thanks again for your article,
Ian Johnson
CEO, Out Now
http://www.OutNowConsulting.com
i’m not understanding how the state tourism boards fit into this campaign. Is this right:
- The ads were on behalf of Amro Worldwide, the travel agency targeting the gay tourism demographic
- OutNow is the marketing agency that designed the ads and/or placed them
How were state tourism agencies involved? Was their paid participation (permission) required? Do private sector marketing/tourism campaigns usually need permission from the locations they’re promoting? Were there other states approached that declined to participate?
Thanks for the clarification.
John, thanks for the link for more info on marketing to GLBT audiences.
Ian, thanks for weighing in on your campaign. From the video, it does appear that there’s quite a bit of engagement on the part of “tube” passengers. So, what was your agency’s reaction to South Carolina pulling out?
Patricia, I believe that S. Carolina tourism board staff contracted with the ad agency, but I’ll let Ian clarify.
The tourism offices (5 cities and one State) contributed a co-op payment to our client, Amro Worldwide. With these funds they paid for the advertising and for our creative services.
My reaction to SC “pulling out” (how Catholic!) is one somewhere between bemusement and disdain I would have to say.
For a start – there has never been any official request that the posters be pulled. SCPRT and the politicians in question are saying that just to appear ‘tough against gayness’ to a domestic conservative voting audience. In fact, most of the Amro Worldwide “So gay” advertising panels remain in-situ today, including “South Carolina is so gay”, on the London Underground. They will remain there until each advertising space they occupy is purchased by another advertiser.
On the one hand, this story has created more than 60,000 web references in this past 10 days. Notionally good from a PR standpoint.
The other perspective is that this is all about US politicians, most notably SC Governor Sanford and SC Senator Thomas, imposing their personal views on a Department – SC Parks, Recreation and Tourism – and interfering in the discharge of the SCPRT department’s job. Namely, to increase tourism to SC.
As for frequent reports in this story that a “low level” employee resigned, that particular phrase seems a very strange choice of words indeed from where I sit.
Out Now’s job is to sell things to gay consumers. With this UK “So gay” campaign, we proved strongly that we know precisely how to do that.
SCPRT’s job is to sell tourism to SC – and that is what the key decisionmaker there was doing. Their job.
Politicians? This little affair seems to suggest that for some in SC, perhaps their primary job is to seek re-election.
Ian Johnson
CEO, Out Now
http://www.outnowconsulting.com
How sad.
Very very very sad indeed.
Some year, diversity and acceptance will actually be mainstream!
Data points, Barbara
Ian, thanks for this explanation. It does help clarify the situation.
Barbara, agreed. It is very sad indeed.
Putting aside the cultural and moral issues, it’s not very good business sense on South Carolina’s part.
It’s long been established that in terms of disposable income, the gay community is a very desirable and affluent group (on average).
With today’s economy…it seems to me that SC (and any other state) would be happy to welcome anyone who showed up with cash or a credit card.
Drew
Thanks for explaining, Ian. American politics is an ugly business, eh? It’s embarrassing.
Dear Tourists:
Please come to NYC. We don’t care if you’re gay, straight, bi, black, white, blue, yellow, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Buddhist.
Or all of the above.
We don’t even care if you wear clothes (as evidenced by our Naked Cowboy in Times Square).
We only care that you have a great time.
And spend lots of money.
(and we really hope the rest of the world doesn’t get a clue so that we can enjoy your disposable income)
Respectfully,
CK (speaking on Mayor Bloomberg’s behalf)
Drew, you’re right. But it looks like the politicians involved are concerned about re-election and this issue is a hot button. Now what’s more important… ensuring that your residents make a living, or holding onto your seat?
CK, love it! I think you’re onto a whole new campaign theme!
The true irony? South Carolina is not comfortable advertising to adult GLBT audiences… and yet it has no problem advertising to school kids–inside their very school buses. Sorry, I cried foul on this months ago as I find that advertising target to be wholly irresponsible. My oh my where our values lie:
http://www.ck-blog.com/cks_blog/2008/02/it-occurs-to-me.html
For more thoughts about ads that target people by perceived sexual orientation, consider this open letter from Advertise Age’s Bob Garfield to Omnicom’s CEO about their Snickers ads based on the idea that harassing gay men is fun and manly.
I guess the link would help:
http://adage.com/garfield/post?article_id=129767
Maybe I’m a day late and a dollar short on this conversation. But I thought I would post anyway.
As a conservative Christian who was born and raised in SC I am torn between two issues. The first is my moral belief that homosexuality (men having sex with men and women having sex with women) is wrong. I don’t hate gay people. I treat someone who is openly gay respectfully and considerately. But I won’t accept their lifestyle as “OK” . That would be dishonest. I don’t tell my children that being gay is just the way people are. I believe it is a conscious choice people make.
On the other hand my conservative side says “why the heck are my tax dollars being used to either encourage or discourage a particular type tourism.” Tourism is a business venture and the market should determine whether or not it succeeds.
The government is already involved in about 100 things is has no business doing, wasting resources either promoting or “demoting” a particular type of tourism seems like another waste of my money. If hotel A wants to put up posters and hotel B says it won’t, who am I to tell the owners they are wrong.
There, is the water as clear as mud now.
CK, thanks for adding the SC school bus marketing campaign to this discussion. I wasn’t aware of it. What’s next? Your teacher, Mrs. Jones, is sponsored today by…
John, thanks for sharing similar issues in the candy business.
Will, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. I appreciate your candid expression. One thought about your comment on wasting tax dollars to “encourage or discourage a particular type tourism.”
Tourism is definitely a business venture. I am no expert on this subject, but I will assume that tourism boards exist in many cities, states and provinces in North America to bring vacation dollars to local businesses. Local hoteliers, restauranteurs, transportation companies, etc. all have a vested interest in collective tourism marketing efforts.
The tourism board is like any other governmental body such as city economic development commissions that attempt to bring new business to their locations to provide new jobs and better their residents’ quality of life.
In each case, marketing principles teach us that developing target market segments is ideal to increase the ROI for marketing efforts. That means going after specific segments that, demographically and psychographically, are better tourism candidates. Since the GLBT market is worth $690 billion annually, it makes sense, from a business paradigm, to go after this segment.
So, my question is – does it really matter whether people believe that homosexuality is wrong or right if the market is dictating whether or not this campaign will succeed or not? What will certainly affect the long-term success is whether GLBT tourists who do eventually visit the state, have positive or negative experiences. That will speak to the state’s brand and word-of-mouth marketing will take over from there.
Does anyone out there have tourism experience and can weigh in on this to enlighten us?
Cam Bek, I think you’re missing one thing, which is that a state like South Carolina, with a history of prejudice to overcome in attracting the LGBT vacationer market, does need to be more outgoing than, say, New York, or even Austin.
The reaction to this ad makes it pretty clear that LGBT vacationers (and their dollars) are not wanted in SC, and I’m sure they’ll see a drop in tourism as a result.
I relocated to the Greenville area from Atlanta about 2 years ago. I was enticed by a beautiful main street, no traffic and a relaxed atmosphere.
Later, as the veil was pulled back on this little town, I found a small town with big city crime problems, snobs and hypocrites. I have never been so embarrassed to live somewhere as I do now. I snicker at their campaign, “I Was Blown Away” in an attempt to attract more people to move here. I rolled my eyes when Greenville was ranked in the top 10 places in America to relocate to.
If I remember correctly, the person who made that “error” in the tourism office was fired, excuse me, RESIGNED. South Carolina doesn’t open their arms to visitors or those who “ain’t from ’round here”. Spend your money and go–unless you’re gay, black, Hispanic, Asian or a Yankee. Then don’t even bother.
Do I sound bitter? Probably.
Will I be around the “Upstate” much longer? Probably not.
Elena, thanks for your comment.
“Blown Away,” I’m sorry that you’ve had such a negative experience. Maybe you should get together with Spike Jones. Read his post above.
Please count me in as another SC resident who hates to see our political leaders make such bone-headed decisions. This state relies on tourism, and to suggest that we don’t want certain types of tourists is unbelievably stupid.
I moved to Columbia, SC about eight years, and while I’ve experienced all the negative stereotypes of the South, I’ve also met lots of very nice, normal, interesting and, most importantly, open-minded people. There are plenty of gay people here, like any other state. It’s unfortunate that our politicians have to appear so bigoted in order to garner votes with the conservative majority.
It’s also worthwhile to note that the majority of the U.S., not just SC, is still plagued by officially sanctioned discrimination against gays and lesbians. There is still a long way to go until we as a nation give full civil rights to GLBT citizens.
In one of those funny coincidences, I just found myself looking at a site put together to support an initiative to attract creative class professionals to Spartanburg, SC. You have to wonder how much of the work just was undone by the local pols.
Andrew Roberts, chief executive of Amro Worldwide here.
I appreciate you covering this story.
Amro Worldwide thinks it is long past time when “so gay” should be considered acceptable as an insult, so we decided to reclaim it as meaning “so good.”
We are a small boutique gay-owned business based just north of London. If any of your readers have travel plans, from hotels, tours and cruises or flights out of the United Kingdom right up to complicated worldwide travel itineraries — we’d love to help.
You can browser ideas and buy online in USD, GBP or Euros at http://www.amroworldwide.com and pay using your local credit card. Alternatively, contact us directly via the link in the top right hand corner of our web pages.
Thanks very much for your support and we look forward to sending you off on your travels.
Andrew Roberts
CEO, Amro Worldwide
http://www.AmroWorldwide.com