LGBT Adults prefer brands that support Causes Important to Them.

Brand preferences and customer loyalty often are measured by marketers as the “holy grail” and as benchmarks of consumer behaviors. In a new poll released today, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults confirmed attitudes that strengthen their loyalty to companies as well as their brand preferences.

The new national survey found that nearly three-fourths (74 %) of LGBT adults are likely to consider brands that support nonprofits and/or causes that are important to them as a LGBT person, an increase from January 2007 when 62 % reported they were likely to consider those brands. A significant portion of these adults, two-fifths (41 %) say they are extremely likely or very likely to consider these brands.

When it comes to workplace policies, nearly nine out of ten (87 %) LGBT adults say they are likely to consider a brand that is known to provide equal workplace benefits for all of their employees, including gay and lesbian employees. More significantly perhaps, nearly half (49%) of LGBT adults say that they are extremely or very likely to consider these brands. This finding represents an increase from January 2007 when 78 percent reported they were likely to consider. By comparison, the survey also revealed that three out of four (75 %) heterosexual adults agree they are likely to consider a brand that is known to provide equal workplace benefits for all of their employees, compared to 70 % in January 2007.

The new nationwide online survey of 2,357 U.S. adults, (ages 18 and over), of whom 328 self identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender, was conducted between June 13 and 20, 2011, by Harris Interactive, a global market research and consulting firm, in conjunction with Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., a strategic public relations and marketing communications firm with special expertise in the LGBT market.

Brand loyalty appears to be more important than price in certain situations for LGBT people. Seven out of ten (71 %) LGBT adults said they are likely to remain loyal to a brand they believe to be very friendly and supportive to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community “even when less friendly companies may offer lower prices or be more convenient.” In August 2007, two-thirds (66%) of LGBT adults then thought so.

“Even in a struggling economy, LGBT consumers express an unmistakable and stronger sense of brand loyalty to companies that support their community,” said Wes Combs, President of Witeck-Combs Communications. “Maintaining this trusting and sensitive relationship requires a sustained effort to incorporate diversity, fairness, and inclusion into a company’s DNA.”

With regard to advertising, nearly half (47 %) of LGBT adults are more likely to consider purchasing a company’s products or services when they see an advertisement that has been clearly tailored to “a gay audience with gay imagery and people and speaks to me as a gay person,” compared to two-fifths (40%) who agreed, when asked in January 2007.

There also is a significant portion, (23 %) of LGBT adults, who say they have switched products or service providers because they found a competing company that supports causes that benefit the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community – assuming that other factors like price, quality and convenience were not considerations, in the last 12 months, which is on a par with the 24 percent of LGBT adults who reported switching products or services for similar reasons in August 2007.

To view charts CLICK above on ‘More Images’.

For more information at http://www.harrisinteractive.com