Vol. 2 No. 3
Welcome to the Latest News from Witeck-Combs Communications

In our previous issue, we introduced new staff as well as new clients. We also highlighted several key research topics, including America’s growing acceptance of gay athletes and how the American public feels about some of the most offensive words and labels used in the media.
 
As we finish another year, we also look back at recent national events and developments, new research insights into the GLBT market, and success stories among our clients. Also, we are happy to share some original thoughts by Bob Witeck, CEO, on America’s changing attitudes: What really makes a tipping point?
    

 
 
The Tipping Point in our Rearview Mirror

By Bob Witeck, CEO, Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc.

Though hardly an original idea, the notion of a “tipping point” was popularized best by writer Malcolm Gladwell just a few years ago. In his book by the same name, he reported how emerging attitudes, trends and social changes simmer and evolve before they truly become popularized and widely accepted. Gladwell describes trends in fashion, social attitudes, behaviors and the key role of connectors.

Have we now reached a tipping point in America’s basic attitudes towards gays and lesbians and same-sex couples, as well as bisexuals and transgender people? If so, how can we tell?

Click here for full article


MARKET RESEARCH INSIGHTS 

The GLBT Market Inside Out:
Trends in the GLBT Market and GLBT Media Consumption

We recently teamed up with Harris Interactive to present a special webinar on America’s GLBT market. Wes Combs, President of Witeck-Combs Communications, discussed emerging trends in the market, and David Krane, Senior VP, Harris Interactive, shared the newest GLBT media consumption trends. They also were joined by Rivendell Media President Todd Evans who briefed the participants on the reach, economics and continued popularity of gay print media, and LOGO VP of Sales Tom Watson presented case studies of GLBT broadcast media from the nation’s first advertising-supported cable television network, LOGO.
 
Thank you to those who were able to participate in the webinar. More important, of course, for those who could not, we are very glad to offer each of you a copy of the presentations and a recording of the webinar, for you to view at your convenience. Please follow this link: http://www.harrisinteractive.com/services/glbt.asp
CLIENT SNAPSHOTS 

11th Annual HRC National Dinner
 
The Human Rights Campaign recently hosted its 11th Annual National Dinner in Washington, DC, at the Washington Convention Center. More than 3,000 guests attended the sold out event. It featured a keynote speech from U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the National Equality Award recipient. Award winners also included Sheryl Swoopes, Matthew Broderick, and the cast of Ugly Betty. There was also a special guest appearance by Tim Gunn.
 
We have worked with HRC since our founding in 1993 and were very proud to be a sponsor of the event.  We would also like to acknowledge our current clients American Airlines, Volvo, and Abreva® as national corporate partners of the HRC.
 
According to a recent national survey, approximately one in four (24%) gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) adults say they have switched products or service providers because they found a competing company that supports causes that benefit the GLBT community in the past 12 months, assuming that other factors such as price, quality, and convenience were not considerations. 

Click here for more information 
 
Abreva® Sponsors National GLBT Health Conference 


Abreva® was a sponsor of the first-ever Out & Healthy National GLBT Health Conference which offered data, case studies and dialogue on the future of health care delivery to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) health consumers.  The National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) hosted the Conference which was held November 2nd and 3rd at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, DC. 

  
   
The Matthew Shepard Foundation
 
The Matthew Shepard Foundation (www.matthewshepard.org) again deserves special recognition for its tireless work for the passage of the historic Matthew Shepard Act -- inclusive federal hate crimes legislation that will add sexual orientation, disability, gender and gender identity to the federal law’s current protections.

At this writing, however, many are as disappointed as we are that Congress has surrendered to legislative opposition and, was unable to enact the federal hate crimes bill in 2007 as originally expected. Although both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate each passed the Matthew Shepard Act this past summer, consensus could not be reached on including the hate crimes measure to an end-of-year funding bill for the Department of Defense.

The Shepard family and its many allies, partners and legislative sponsors all have promised to strengthen and renew their effort in 2008. “The Matthew Shepard Act is an essential step to erasing hate in America and we are humbled that it bears our son’s name. It has been almost nine years since Matthew was taken from us. This bill is a fitting tribute to his memory and to all of those who have lost their lives to hate,” said Judy and Dennis Shepard, Matthew Shepard’s parents. 

  
   
PFLAG Launches Straight for Equality Campaign

With the help of Cyndi Lauper and Dear Abby, PFLAG recently launched its national campaign, Straight for Equality. The campaign aims to help a new group of allies – expanding beyond family – to start coming out in support of their gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender friends and acquaintances. More than 1,000 people have visited the campaigns official web site to sign the Straight for Equality Pledge. Multiple-award-winning musician Cyndi Lauper joined PFLAG in Washington to promote the project and sign the Pledge.

According to a recent survey, America is ready for the program. When people were asked about the level of support for gay people in this country, 56% of respondents said that people should be more supportive of gay individuals (Read more).
 
The message of straight allies speaking out has become even more mainstream with the news that PFLAG’s first-ever Straight for Equality Award winner, Dear Abby, supports marriage equality for gay people.
 
“I hate discrimination. In my column and in my daily life, I have always promoted fairness for all people, and I admire the work that PFLAG does for the friends and families of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals,” said Dear Abby.
 
 

WHAT’S NEW AT WITECK-COMBS COMMUNICATIONS

2007 Out & Equal Workplace Summit
 
A record breaking 2,393 individuals, human resources professionals, diversity managers, employee resource group (ERG) leaders, and allies attended the 2007 Out & Equal Workplace Summit in Washington, DC, September 27-29. Summit attendees represented close to 350 companies and organizations, and the summit featured more than 100 educational programs and events. It featured five keynote speakers that included Chrissy Gephardt, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Toshi Reagon, John Amaechi, and Brian Graden.

The annual summit is the brainchild and cornerstone event for Out & Equal Workplace Advocates (www.outandequal.org), a national nonprofit workplace advocacy group. Its mission is to educate and empower organizations, human resource professionals, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and individual employees through programs and services that result in equal policies, opportunities, practices, and benefits in the workplace regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, or characteristics..

Witeck-Combs Communications was proud to serve as a sponsor of the event. We were especially proud to have our own President Wes Combs serve as Co-Chair for this past year’s popular summit.

“The Out & Equal Workplace Summit is truly a one of a kind event in the multicultural and diversity landscape. It provides companies the greatest opportunity to learn best practices on GLBT issues in the workplace from the companies that lead the pack,” said Wes Combs. “Employees at all levels come away with a keen understanding of how and why GLBT equality in the workplace is good for business.”

Combs added, “I wish more company executives could have witnessed the pride that some employees had for their company’s positive support of GLBT issues and policies. When I saw over 100 Ernst and Young employees stand on their chairs at the Outie Awards Gala when their company won the Significant Achievement Award, I just wished I could bottle that energy and send it back to their headquarters so their management knew what kind of diversity evangelists they had working for their company. It was just incredible to witness.” 

The 2007 annual Out & Equal national workplace survey, conducted online by Harris Interactive in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications, revealed that nearly two-thirds of adults (64%) agree that it is unfair for employees to be fired by their employer because they happened to be gay or lesbian. An overwhelming majority (79%) also feel that how an employee does his or her job should be the standard for judging an employee, not their sexual orientation. 

Click here for the full press release
    

About Witeck-Combs Communications
Witeck-Combs Communications provides strategic public relations and marketing communications services for corporate and nonprofit clients who believe, as we do, that protecting and enhancing their reputations is a key to their success.

Our work often is focused on social and market issues and how they impact our diverse clients: corporations, nonprofits, foundations and government agencies. Our unique specialties include the gay and lesbian consumer market; health, disability and social issues; and reaching the Washington, D.C., market. Whether you are looking to communicate with the media, customers, members of the public, or another unique audience, Witeck-Combs Communications will help you develop strategies and messages and implement marketing and communications plans to reach your goals.