Your favorite Gay/Lesbian local publications?
 

It occurred to me yesterday that I'm missing a huge opportunity to market to the local gay and lesbian (and yes, all the other flavors) community. With all the Prop 8 stuff it just clicked for me that there was a huge demographic I could market to and wasn't.

So, my friends of that persuasion, do you have any publications that you really like and read regularly? Local ones would be better then a national magazine. (We can't do installs anywhere but So. Cal.). They can't have any nudity in them or the owner will not approve (and that goes for hetero pub's as well.)

If you can send me the name of the publication(s) you enjoy, I can look them up and go from there.

Thanks for your help! :snap: :cheers:

I don't read the local gay rags with any regularity. They're mostly fluff. I have a subscription to The Advocate.

I'm partial to Teenage Lesbian Coeds Monthly, but I don't think that is what you are looking for.

Frontiers magazine is the major local gay magazine (there are stands for Frontiers all over West Hollywood at all the businesses). I have a friend who works for them in the advertising department. PM me your information and I can pass it on to him.

On a national level, there's the Advocate (news mag) and Out magazine.

Details is also a national magazine that is supposedly straight, but it really isn't.

The only gay publication I read on a regular basis is The Advocate.
Don't know a lot about the local publications.

Done and thanks!

I'll still check out the national pub's though - sometimes they have different zones and I can get in a local one.

What is it you're marketing to the gays??

Yes on 8 bumper stickers

Men's Health

I read the Sydney Star Observer, but as it's in Sydney, it's a little far...

Here's a link for all the folk who want to take a look.

Custom cabinetry. I have no idea if it will be successful - but I'm hoping that there may be a little more disposable income with that demographic. Or maybe I'm just stereotyping and will be looked down upon by my assumptions.

Hope not.

I've read most of them, with a great appreciation for the press, for the media - all of them, any of them that have been in front of me all these years. I have a vast variety of sources where I get my news, too. Gaytown isn't a foreign country, where it's kind of suggested, "Wow, how could you keep in touch with what the rest of the planet may be thinking when you live up there in Gaytown?" Believe me, Alaska, er, Gaytown, is like a microcosm of America.

I keed, I keed. Advocate and Frontiers have already been mentioned, but I don't read either of them with any regularity. What I do respond to is advertising in non-Gay publications aimed towards my needs. A Gay-friendly ad in a "straight" publication is much more impressive, the advertiser has taken a risk to let me know they'd like my business.

That reminds me I need to renew...

Personally, if a non-gay-specific thing is advertised to me as a gay man in a gay publication, I find that very insulting.

If I want kitchen kabinetry (and if I want to spell it that way), I will look for it wherever "normal" people do. Sheesh.


No offense, Betty. And I wish you best of luck tapping the demographic with the most disposable income in the coming age of ZERO DISPOSABLE INCOME for most Americans.

Really? Or are you specifically saying that if an ad is "Gayed up" you're insulted. I can't imagine getting my panties in a bunch over a generic ad for cabinets, or for that matter, ThinKrisps, unless the text is something like, "We know you Gays have lots of moola, so here's a naked man on a cabinet eating a ThinKrisp."

Yeesh, lighten up.

See - I didn't mean any offense by that. When I think of demographics to advertise to, I think in terms of groups of people. People who golf. Housewives who live in big houses on the hill. Doctors. etc. Business is harder and harder to come by nowadays... and when I had a magazine contact me yesterday to advertise and they said who their demographic was, it occurred to me that WOW - why didn't I think of that before.

My comment wasn't meant to infer anything not "normal". In fact, I wondered if by putting our ad into a publication with that demographic, we may be looked upon more favorably somehow. I guess I wanted to think that by putting our ad in, someone would read it and think - this is a company who is willing to show others they aren't afraid of "teh gays".

So, my very sincere apologies ISM. I'm a hetero and I'm not real clear on what is appropriate or not in regards to this - so I just speak honestly and from the heart and hope that I don't step on toes.

and you sure it isn't just cause it's me saying it. I always go the feeling you didn't like me much... not that you know me... but just that feeling I had for some reason. (which of course is a prompt for you to either confirm that or tell me how much you really really do like me. ;) )

Okay - I'm going to just shut up now.

sigh.

OC Weekly isn't really specifically a gay publication, but it's "alternative media," isn't it?

I disagree with iSm.
If some company advertises in a gay publication I am more likely to buy their stuff or at least recommend them to someone else. And if they "gay up" their ad, like Budweiser does or Absolut does, I find that to be a good thing. It makes a statement and I like that.
I always take note of who is sponsoring gay events or TV shows on Logo. It's important to me.

Yeah, there's a lot of that going around. Don't worry about it, we keep a large stack of pancakes around here for just such occasions. I'm having one right now. Anyhow, your question was legit, and there are plenty more Gays around here than have responded so far.

I know my friend feels the same way.

As a hetero person with a lot of gay friends I also take notice of what businesses sponsor gay events and try to give them my business. You can bet I'm a lot more willing to part with some of my money on some new Apple toys after they gave that chunk of change to No on 8.

I think you're thinking like a smart business person Betty. I don't think an ad in a gay publication is insulting - well maybe if you had some Village People look alikes in it - but I'm like you, so what do I know?

I also disagree with Mr. Spaceman. In fact, I feel quite the opposite. If a company is advertising in a gay publication, I want to see either a sex neutral add or a gay themed ad. E.g., I was reading The Advocate the other day and saw an ad for a hotel with an opposite sex couple. "Insulted" is far too strong a word for my feelings, but it absolutely did not make me want to buy from that company. Conversely, when Levi's made a straight and a gay version of their recent TV commercial, that very much makes me want to support them with my money.

See, I hate being treated like I'm a gay person instead of a person who happens to be gay.

I generally don't like being pandered to anyway, so if it's something that panders to my homosexuality in order to part me with my money, I don't dislike it any more than if it panders to my geekdom for the same nefarious purpose.


Betty, no need to apologize to me for my own personal opinions. As you can see (er, read), others of the gay persuasion feel quite differently.

But if you're already buying a gay-aimed publication...

Breeder

Takes one to know one.

Steve - do you feel that way about all advertisements? Or just ones that are for services that are sexual orientation neutral (plumbing, cabinets, real estate, doctors, blah blah blah)?

Something about assuming I shop for plumbing in a gay mag as opposed to a plumbing mag bugs me.

I'm not saying it's unwise for advertisers to target gays in gay mags. Obviously there's a market, and many gays seem to "appreciate" those who will deign to advertise directly to them. I personally don't get it.


I want to use the same channels of information and consumerism as everyone else. My advertising doesn't have to be gay, nor does my music, my food, or my pet supplies.


Just my men. That's all I need to be specifically gay.



That's not to say I don't like to see representative gays in ads and movies and tv shows. I also like to see representative people of color, and seniors, and redheads. But showing two boys kissing does not make me want to spend my money in some special way.

Yeah, it makes me happy if some company sponsors a gay event, but it makes me happier if they sponsor some cancer cure event. Capish?

Makes complete sense to me.

I suppose I'm looking at it in the way I look at other advertisements. I'm a procrastinator, and if I'm putting off doing something that isn't critical and see an advertisement (wherever) that prompts me to make that call that's a good thing for that advertiser that caught my eye.

But isn't seeing ads in magazines a standard channel of information and consumerism? If I'm reading Rabbit Fancier Monthly and see an ad that has nothing to do with rabbits, I don't think, "Damnit, why are they singling me out?! Why can't they just show me an ad in a NORMAL context?!"

So the only advertising you want to see in gay-themed magazines is specifically gay products? Nothing but anal-sex aids (not AIDS), bouffant wigs, and Volvos? That doesn't make sense to me.

Or are you just talking about product ads that are specifically geared towards 'mos in 'mo magazines. Like gn2dlnd mentioned, isntead of, "Hey, we've got furniture, buy it," an ad that's, "Hey you flaming gay boy, look at this dude's package as he drapes over our furniture!" I can understand how creating specific advertising that they wouldn't run elsewhere because of the gay content would be irksome. But even that I don't really get. Companies tailor their ads to the publication's audience all the time. An ad for the same product is not going to look the same in Wired as it does in Newsweek.

Yes, I find it more insulting when sex is used to sell something to me than when it's used to sell something to someone else.


And it's not the bunny ad in the gay mag that bugs me ... just the assumption that to get my gay dollars for the bunny stuff, you'd better advertise in the gay magazine so I will see it. I don't appreciate the implication that gays don't read regular magazines.


Sorry, and not to piss Betty off any more, but it was the O.P. which gave me the impression she wanted to advertise cabinetry to gay men by placing ads in gay mags. I understand her point that gay mags will have a 99% gay audience. But I just bristled at the concept it was the best way to reach the gay audience. I think it's the best way to reach the gay audience that identifies primarily with being gay.

It just pushed a button is all. I hate that so many gays consider The Gay to be their self-defining thing. Blecch.

I guess I see that. But I see it more as advetise in a gay magazine so that the people who would like to spend their money at places that are supportive of homosexuality know that I'm supportive of homosexuality.

Yep, I see that, too. But it's a fine line between support and pandering. One that I don't expect advertising to be too shy about crossing.



I guess the short answer is I'm a gay with disposal income, and I'd really like my kitchen cabinets re-done ... but I won't see your ad if you place it in Frontiers. I don't read that just because I'm gay, and I don't buy from their advertisers just because they seem gay friendly enough to take gay money.

Is that like Disney Dollars?

Gay money? I'd better check my wallet...

Agreed. But you're basically saying that gay magazines should have absolutely no mainstream products advertised in them, 'cause that's just pandering. Personally, the only time I have a problem with it is if the company starts making excuses and/or pulling ads when some group or other gets their panties in a bunch about it. If they treat it as scandalous then screw 'em. But if they're advertising their because they want money from them, just like from any other human being, then by all means.

*cough*McDonalds*cough* :rolleyes:

Oh, I completely agree that gay mags should have regular advertising. But ya know what, I actually prefer if it's REGULAR advertising, and not the GAY VERSION of an otherwise regular ad.

For me that would depend on the ad and the advertiser. If they advertise in other publications, and those ads are tailored to those publications' readership, then I'd see no problem with doing the same for the gays. But if they've got a consistent look and feel throughout their other advertising outlets and change JUST for a gay rag, then perhaps that crosses the pandering line.

iSm does not prefer pictures of hot naked men??!?

Anyone have an anal thermometer? We need to take his temperature.

It depends what you mean by tailoring it to gays. Sometimes, even while I find it hottens things up a bit (is that a word?), it's kind of insulting at the same time.

But there are other ways, often less blatent than draping a scantily clad hottie over your kitchen cabinetry, that makes the tailoring more palatable and, indeed, appealing. Showing a family with two dads pulling cereal out of the kitchen cabinet for the kiddies is a less obnoxious scenario.


All in my humble, and apparently minority, opinion.



I can't afford to re-do my cabinets anyway, so please don't even listen to me!

No argument here. There are clever/tasteful ways to do it and pandery ways to do it.

But I came here for an argument.

Maybe I should start another thread about the upcoming election.

Or call you a curmudgeon.

I'm sorry, but this is abuse. You want room 12A, Just along the corridor.

Gay and Lesbian Times (GLT)

Very interesting conversation and I've learned a few things I think.

Some people would like to see a hot guy - or several - draped over our cabinetry. (and now that I think about it -dang -that IS hot!)

Others would prefer a nice family scene with 2 dads.

Others would prefer just my regular ad.

I hadn't really gotten that far with the thoughts on the ad itself and I would prefer to do it without offending anyone. Now I have some things to consider.

Based on the owners very religious background, I was a little hesitant to bring the idea up, thinking he may not want to. (probably basing much of that so many churches getting behind the Yes on 8 prop.) But he totally went for it - and that made me very happy. Glad to know, again, the kind of person I work for.

As I read through the posts, thinking of what I'd want to say, I kept agreeing with GD. (hey - thanks!).

And Ism - maybe you CAN afford custom cabinetry and just don't know it. ;) I know a guy that knows a guy that can get you a great deal. ;)

Arwin - thanks for the tip. I'll check them out too.

You'll get used to the feeling.

Oh, he's our Gay expert.

Hahaha, someone at the party who had never before met either of them first asked me if NirvanaMan was gay. Then immediately followed up by asking if Ghoulish Delight was gay!!!


Priceless!!

Wishful thinking.

They're not gay, they're metrosexual.

I still wanna know how GD did the pull string thingy and what it said!

Yeah, I want a recording of the entire loop.


Actually, yes ... but not in the way you think. It was a girl, and she was hoping you weren't gay (but didn't phrase it that way). Alas, I had to tell her you were married.





She thought NirvanaMan was a total fag, however ;)

Tonight I'll post the audio clips I used.

He's not; he's only a partial fag.

Which part?

No idea. But I will say he gave great head at the party. He won Best Costume!

:D;):evil:

What about Metro Source LA? What do you think of this publication?

I've read it before. I think it's good.
:)

Yes, and...? ;)