To some, the LGBT consumer is a “new” consumer demographic of affluent, educated and well-traveled people. R&R Partners has been marketing to the LGBT consumer since the late ’90s, so to us, they’re not new – more like old friends. Not only have they been an important part of our marketing mix for many years, but we have also put our legislative skills to work on successfully expanding the rights of LGBT couples in Nevada, where we’re based.
Our most high-profile LGBT ad campaigns have been crafted on behalf of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), which recently included a tongue-in-cheek print campaign with the tagline, “Everyone’s invited. Even straight people.” Here is a look at our work as reported by Adweek, The Daily Beast, The New York Times and The Huffington Post below:
“We came to [LogoTV] and said, ‘We can organically be a part of this program,’” R&R SVP Fletcher Whitwell told Adweek of the LVCVA’s integration into RuPaul’s Drag Race-Season Six. RuPaul also talks about Las Vegas’ product placement and references the evolution of the Las Vegas brand.
The Daily Beast asked David Paisley, senior research director at Community Marketing, for his thoughts on our LGBT work upon the release of a “What happens here, stays here” TV ad aimed at the LGBT viewer. “Vegas has done an incredible job at marketing themselves to the gay community,” said Paisley. “It’s spent far more money on LGBT media than any other gay destination out there. The biggest trend happening right now is that bars and major resorts are all doing a gay night,” he says. “Almost every major gay association out there has held its convention in Las Vegas over the last few years.” Added Arnie DiGeorge, R&R Partners executive creative director, on the goal of the spot, “The whole positioning is that Vegas doesn’t make any assumptions one way or the other. It’s the Mystery of Vegas. We don’t tell people how to feel.” Read more.
In a recent article in The New York Times on LGBT travel, both R&R’s print and broadcast work was lauded by Merryn Johns, editor in chief of Curve, a leading lesbian magazine.
And a few weeks ago, when the Supreme Court finally overruled Nevada’s same-sex marriage ban, Las Vegas burst into joyous celebration, here, and here.
R&R’s Fletcher Whitwell has a personal stake in the issue as well.
LGBT consumers are estimated at 5 to 7 percent of the U.S. population or roughly 16 million brand-conscious Americans.
To learn how you can command a stake in this $835 million market, please contact Fletcher directly at 702-318-4336 or fletcher.whitwell@rrpartners.com.
