Vol. 2 No. 4
Welcome to the Latest Issue of the Witeck-Combs Newsletter 

We have a host of timely updates to share in this issue. We are very energized by our new partnership with the National Gay and Lesbian Journalist Association (NLGJA) to deliver a web-based news distribution service dedicated to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, OutNewsWire. 

We’re also happy to report that our very own Wes Combs was featured in a Washington Post article and photo shoot inspired by the hit show Mad Men. Be sure also to listen to an insightful interview with our CEO Bob Witeck conducted by Diversity Spectrum. Not to mention a smorgasbord of revealing new market research findings.

   

 
 
MARKET RESEARCH INSIGHTS 

Gay and Lesbian Adults Reading Blogs more than Heterosexuals

According to a recent national survey conducted by Harris Interactive®, gay and lesbian adults online are reading more blogs than their heterosexual counterparts. When asked, just over half (51 percent) of the gay and lesbian respondents reported reading some type of blog, compared to just 36 percent of heterosexual adults. A similar question on blog readership also was asked in November 2006, and at that time 32 percent of gay and lesbian adults then reported reading blogs. (Read Full Release)


   More Key Research Topics:
  • Gay and Lesbian Consumers More Likely to Follow Latest Styles and Trends (Read Full Release)
  • GLBT Consumers See Financial Services Differently Than Others (Read Full Release)
  • As Economy Lags, More Lesbians and Gays Plan Travel, Cut Back Spending Less Than Heterosexual Travelers (Read Full Release)
  • One-Third of Gays and Lesbians Would Switch Auto Insurance if the New Carrier Offers Domestic Partner Benefits to Its Employees (Read Full Release)
CLIENT SNAPSHOTS | OTHER NEWS

A Concert Tour Celebrating True Colors
 
Legendary entertainer Cyndi Lauper’s second annual North American concert tour offered corporate sponsors – including American Airlines as the tour’s official airline -- a front-row opportunity to promote their popular brands to very enthusiastic and welcoming LGBT and LGBT-friendly audiences.
 
The tour also included two national nonprofit organizations with close ties to American Airlines and the Rainbow TeAAm: the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), as well as CenterLink (the association of American LGBT community centers).
 
The full 32-city concert tour began in late May and ended in early July 2008. The tour took stage on arenas from Boston to Denver and many cities in between. It offered an exciting and fresh line-up of legendary and up and coming artists including guest host Carson Kressley, lively laughs from Wanda Sykes and Rosie O’Donnell and these musical sensations: The B-52s, Tegan and Sara, Regina Spektor, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Joan Armatrading, Indigo Girls, Nona Hendryx, Deborah Cox, The Cliks and many more.
 
Aetna Named a “Company that Cares” by Metrosource Magazine

Aetna was named a company that cares by Metrosource magazine in their August/September 2008 issue. Metrosource reported that “Aetna’s made it a point to improve its LGBT members’ access to and quality of care, in addition to helping them find LGBT-knowledgeable providers.” The company also pays for employees to attend the annual Out & Equal annual summit for workplace advocates. The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and the Human Rights Campaign recognized the company’s advocacy for healthcare equality last year, naming Aetna president Mark T. Bertolini the recipient of its first “Healthcare Leadership Award.”

In related health care news…Aetna weighed in on the spring Harris Interactive survey that revealed that nearly one in four gay and lesbian adults lack health insurance and are nearly twice as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to have no health insurance coverage. When asked, 22 percent of gay and lesbian survey respondents reported having no health insurance, compared to only 12 percent of heterosexual adults in the survey.

“We know the problem of the uninsured has reached crisis proportions in this country and, unfortunately, this survey shows that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community is today at greater risk. What GLBT households and all Americans deserve and need is affordable access to quality health care that results in positive outcomes and facilitates prevention, wellness and chronic care coordination,” said Peter Francel CEBS, Head of Sales-Product Group for Aetna. “We must step up all efforts to serve the uninsured and take the lead in transforming our health care system for not only our GLBT members but all those who are not covered by health insurance today,” he added, noting that Aetna’s GLBT friendly workplace policies have earned the company a 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index since 2002. 

  
   
Fifteen Years Under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
 
Last month, Congress held its first hearing in 15 years on the impact of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – the U.S. law that has banned openly lesbian, gay and bisexual service members. The past few months, we had the chance to advise the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) and help to communicate their messages to defeat this law – and especially by promoting the remarkable first-hand testimony and stories that came out of this historic hearing.
 
SLDN together with the Human Rights Campaign recruited three outstanding witnesses including:  the first casualty in the Iraq war, Marine Staff Sergeant Eric Alvarez, 29-year Navy veteran officer Joan Darrah, and openly “straight” U.S. Army Major General Vance Coleman (retired) who testified about his experience as a black man serving among segregated troops after World War II.
 
Since its 1993 implementation, "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" has resulted in dismissals of more than 12,500 men and women from the armed forces, and nearly 800 of those dismissed under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” had skills deemed ’mission-critical’ by the Department of Defense. More than 300 of those discharged were language specialists, including 58 Arabic linguists. The cost to U.S. taxpayers for maintaining the ban is estimated at more than $363 million. For more about this hearing and the extraordinary work of SLDN, please visit www.sldn.org – and note the growing public opinion polls that support the law’s repeal, as well as countless U.S. newspapers that have editorialized to overturn Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

  
   
Brian McNaught’s New Manager’s Guide on LGBT Issues

For over 30 years, we have admired Brian McNaught’s expertise with organizations worldwide to foster highly productive work environments where every individual feels included and valued. Now his knowledge and experience are available online in a culturally sensitive, easy to understand, web-based guide that provides managers the information they need right at their fingertips. Witeck-Combs Communications is proud to endorse this valuable workplace contribution by one of America’s most respected human rights activists.
 
The guide includes: what is expected of every employee, what is expected of every manager, proper terminology for gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender issues, guidance for managing challenging situations (“So, what if...”), and “Ask Brian.” Please learn more by visiting www.brian-mcnaught.com/guide.
 
  
 

WHAT’S NEW AT WITECK-COMBS COMMUNICATIONS

OutNewsWire Launched
 
In partnership with The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) we recent announced the creation of OutNewsWire, a web-based news distribution service dedicated to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. OutNewsWire was launched to serve all news organizations and media professionals interested in receiving information, announcements and event updates of specific interest to LGBT audiences.
 
“We recognized a need to ensure that news and information about the LGBT community got to the journalists most interested in these topics,” said David Barre, NLGJA Executive Director. “We see this as a way to both help our members stay on top of the latest LGBT news and to provide affordable access to those organizations who want to reach the LGBT community.”
 
OutNewsWire was created together by NLGJA and Witeck-Combs Communications, and a portion of all proceeds generated will support NLGJA`s mission and programs. OutNewsWire may be accessed online at www.outnewswire.com. 


The Real Mad Men and Women of Washington

 

The TV drama series Mad Men (appearing on cable’s AMC), about the New York ad agency business in the early 60s, took the Emmy Awards by storm last year winning best drama series.  When Frank Ahrens of the Washington Post wanted to see how the white male dominated ad agency world of the ‘60s compares to that of 2008, he called on some of Washington’s leading agencies to get their perspective. 

 

In the front page business section article on July 21, 2008, Ahrens explores how agencies today are not only diverse but owned and led by women, gay men, African Americans and Hispanics – adding depth and breadth to the campaigns developed to reach the multicultural world we live in today.  And, the best part is that Post photographer was able to style a “period” photo shoot on location at the Danish Embassy, known for the mid Century modern décor of the day.  Each agency representative also was invited to assume the roles of characters found in the show.  Can you guess who played Don Draper? 

 

Click this link for the article.

 

Click this link to see a video of the photo shoot.

 

Bob Witeck Tells All to Diversity Spectrum

 

Our CEO Bob Witeck was recently interviewed by
Diversity Spectrum. During the interview, Bob discusses a number of special market topics including the significance of GLBT purchasing power; why the GLBT market should be important to all corporations and the evolution of that importance over the last 30 years; traits of corporations that have successfully captured GLBT market-share; strategic messaging to the GLBT community; dealing with the potential for backlash; and, several other key business questions.

 

To enjoy the full interview, please click here.

 

 

The Latest Buzz on Business Inside Out (Kaplan 2006)

 

“If you’re a major corporation looking to explore wooing the LGBT market — then you’ve probably already read this book, cause it’s an invaluable resource, chock full of practical examples and experiences. But more importantly — if you’re trying to include more LGBTs in your work, whatever it may be (for me it’s public health), then pick up this book as a Gay 101, because it gives a wonderful overview about the diversity of cultures included in the LGBT community. No, it won’t give you much on definitions really — it gives you that great sociological overview, how not to stumble, how to be relatively familiar with a culture you may not have history with, what the cultural structures are, …. etc. etc. Great help!” - WorldBusines.com, August 13, 2008

    

About Witeck-Combs Communications

Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc. is the nation’s premier marketing communications and consulting firm, specializing in developing and implementing effective strategies reaching the gay and lesbian consumer market. With 15 years experience in this unique market, Witeck-Combs Communications not only serves as a bridge between corporate America and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender consumers (GLBT), but also provides counsel to countless non-profit organizations that aim to educate the public on gay and lesbian issues or to better reach their GLBT membership. 

In April 2003, American Demographics magazine identified Bob Witeck and Wes Combs as two of 25 experts over the last 25 years who have made significant contributions to the fields of demographics, market research, media and trendspotting for their path breaking work on the gay and lesbian market, and in 2006 Bob Witeck and Wes Combs co-authored Business Inside Out: Capturing Millions of Brand Loyal Gay Consumers (Kaplan Publishing), considered the first-ever book on marketing insights, practical tips and strategies targeting the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender market. They have appeared in worldwide media outlets including Fortune, CNBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, Ad Age, New York Times and Washington Post. For more information visit www.witeckcombs.com.