Subaru first car company to advertise to gay community

It was tough. “Perceiving the brand as being gay friendly did not cause us to purchase the car. That was the question faced by Subaru of America executives in the s. Subaru was one of the first car brands, if not major mainstream labels, to target the LGBT customer, more specifically: the "L".

Yet Subaru decided to launch an ad campaign focused on lesbian customers. At the time, in the mid s, few celebrities were openly out. The beginning How do you advertise a car that journalists describe as “sturdy, if drab”? But inthe film crew was tense, and its airing incited backlash and New York Times op-eds.

It was such an unusual decision—and such a success—that it pushed gay and lesbian advertising from the fringes to the mainstream. It’s that Subaru cultivated its image as a car for lesbians—and did so at a time when few companies would embrace or even acknowledge their gay customers.

That was the question faced by Subaru of America executives in the s. This association is the result of a strategic marketing campaign in the s that targeted niche groups, including the LGBTQ+ community, at a time when few companies acknowledged their gay customers.

For medical professionals, it was that a Subaru with all-wheel-drive could get them to the hospital in any weather. This was the type of discovery that the small, struggling automaker was looking for. It was the mid s, and sales of Subaru cars were in decline.

Rather than compete directly with Ford, Toyota, and other carmakers that dwarfed Subaru in size, executives decided to return to its old focus on marketing Subaru cars to niche groups—like outdoorsy types who liked that Subaru cars could handle dirt roads.

Did the company want to make advertisements for gay customers? You Are What You Drive How do you advertise a car that journalists describe as “sturdy, if drab”? Of all the niche groups, lesbians may have exhibited the most fervor. The campaign featured ads with subtle references and double meanings that resonated with gay and lesbian.

But Subaru had been looking for niche groups like skiers and kayakers—not lesbian couples. The ads successfully grabbed the LGBT community without alienating others. That was the question faced by Subaru of America executives in the s.

Subaru was not the first company to create advertisements for gay and lesbian consumers, but it was the first major company in the United States to do it so transparently and consistently. Gay-friendly advertising was largely limited to the fashion and alcohol industries.

Subaru has long been associated with the LGBTQ+ community, particularly lesbians.

How Subarus Came to

After firing the hip ad agency, Subaru of America changed its approach. This search for niche groups led Subaru to the 3rd rail of marketing: They discovered that lesbians loved their cars. The marketers found that lesbian Subaru owners liked that the cars were good for outdoor trips, and that they were good for hauling stuff without being as large as a truck or SUV.

Photo courtesy of Subaru. When Subaru marketers talked to these customers, they realized these women buying Subarus were lesbian. But it was easier to get senior management on board with making ads for hikers than for lesbians. Pop culture had also yet to embrace the LGBT cause.

For rugged individualists, it was that a Subaru could handle dirt roads and haul gear. Early in his career, he made cold calls to ask companies for their business. It’s that they were the first in the U.S. to do it consistently and openly. Today, this IKEA ad of a gay couple shopping for a dining room table seems mundane.

Why Subaru Is Considered

For lesbians, it was that a Subaru fit their active, low-key lifestyle. It’s not that Subaru was the first company to advertise to the gay and lesbian community. When Ellen Degeneres became a rare exception inand her character in the show Ellen came out as gay in an episode of the sitcom, many companies pulled their ads.