Jaguar to pull out of gay marketing initiatives

CNN news is reporting that Jaguar will stop advertising to gays because of the potential of boycotts of Ford products.

We did an article about this way back in 2003 when they first made the announcement that they would begin targeting gays.

We predicted it would turn out to be a big mistake for them.

Not that we are against gays (we're not), but because we knew they would be opening a can of worms that would eventualy bite them in the butt.

It was a dopey strategy then and now they're paying the price.

From our 1/6/2003 issue

Jaguar to start marketing cars to Gays

Ford targets rich gay market for Jaguar cars

Highlights from the article: Ford Motor Co. announced on Tuesday a U.S. advertising campaign aimed at pitching Jaguar cars to gay buyers, noting the group's wealth and taste for luxury goods.

The world's second-largest automaker said the campaign, starting this month and running until April, would target homosexual and bisexual consumers through print ads that appear primarily in publications like Out magazine and The Advocate.

"It's a first for us and we're pretty excited about it. We think there's a lot of upside potential," Sproule told Reuters.
The first print ad Ford is set to run as part of its campaign, created by Prime Access Inc. of New York, features images of winding country roads and the words "Life is full of twists and turns."

Auto Spies perspective: Should we get the key ready to lock up the door after they totally screw up what little market they have left? If this isn’t a mark of desperation, we don’t know what is…It will be interesting to see with Ford’s participation and sponsorship in movies, what happens in the next Austin Powers movie…the ‘Shaguar’ may take on a whole new meaning! In about six months, the brilliant decision makers who came up with this strategy, can look forward to a wonderful future in the hospitality industry!

MercBasher - 12/6/2005 12:59:39 PM

+1 Boost

When any church leader gets a church congregation involved in a business boycott [whether driven by beliefs that are pro-gay, anti-gay, anti-green tea, pro fox-hunting, pro flat-earth, anti-valium, pro witch-burning, etc.etc.] then that church should immediately lose its tax-free status and be treated like a firm of lobbyists.

Free speach is one thing, free speech underwritten by tax payers is quite another.

phantom330 - 12/6/2005 1:10:35 PM

+1 Boost

I'm in complete agreement with you M-B Basher. Churchs have no right to do this.......I love how churchs portray themselves as a loving an accepting group, yet they are some of the biggest hypocrites and neurotic individuals in society.

cktoo - 12/6/2005 7:27:17 PM

+1 Boost

Talk about "intolerance", see the first 9 posts. Just because someone disagrees with homosexual behavior and the lifestyle doesn't mean the are intolerant. If that's your logical thinking, there isn't a person alive who IS tolerant.

Anyway, as much as everyone here seems to want to blast Ford for doing this, I'll bet a gazillion dollars it was a decision based almost purely on $$$, not your evil "gay-bashing" conspiracies. Do any of you work for a publicly traded company?? I bet it costs quite a bit more money to advertise Jags than it does a Ford. Plus, the "loss" they might see by the "gay" community because of this announcement, will more than be made up by those "evil, right wing, Southern, rednecks" scooping up more Ford trucks. Sales already stink at Jag, so this will not hurt them very much or at all. Heck, they'll probably save money and lose maybe 1 sale. They have a much larger market to go after with the general population...in which 95% of them won't care two wits about this announcement, whether they are for or against special rights for gays.

So, you guys can continue to see some evil boogey-man in this, but might I suggest you go look up the work hi-pock-racy first.

Oh, and if this group did have any effect on Ford changing their policy (highly unlikely), kudos to them. I, as are many others, are sick of the "gay lifestyle" being shoved down our throats.

TagMan - 12/7/2005 2:25:20 AM

+1 Boost

If gays ONLY read "gay" publications, then it would be discrimination, but certainly gays must read many of the SAME newspapers, watch much of the same TV, or visit many of the SAME web pages that the rest of us do, and therefore they will still be exposed to Ford's advertising. But, since most people DON'T read "gay" publications, then to advertise in them is a waste of money anyway! Advertising is not the "press". It's a paid business decision that either has merit or does not. Do gays REALLY need to see a Land Rover filled up with a bunch of gays to determine whether or not it's a good vehicle choice? Give me a break. Congratulations to Ford for being efficient with the advertising money and put the savings into some more product and safety development, where it makes more sense. You can't blame or credit the "church-goers" for everything that makes sense.

cktoo - 12/7/2005 7:01:39 PM

+1 Boost

Big difference between someone's race and their personal sexual behavior...Nice try.

cktoo - 12/7/2005 7:18:48 PM

+1 Boost

Thank you for your reasonable response and questions, unlike the other "children" here (see Marc and SixFive).

As for your first question, someone else kinda hit on where I was going with this. Cost/benefit for publishing in the "gay" magazine just wasn't there. Ford probably has enough marketing data to know that perhaps those that read "gay" magazine's might also read Time, GQ, etc. Ford can put their resources to use there and grab perhaps 90-95% of the same "gay" audience, plus the other 90% of the country that would pick up a Time before even knowing what the Advocate is.

As for your second question, we could debate this till the cows come home...or until I come out of the closet for Marc and SixFive, but suffice it to say, whenever something "gay" pops up (say Ellen Degenerate and Ann Heche "coming out") the mainstream press goes crazy and plasters it all over the place as the second coming. Kisses here, flowers there, blah, blah. You DO NOT see that in the mainstream press if someone happens to come out as religious or conservative. They are looked down upon, hit with questions from the left, and pretty much demeaned. That to me is pushing an agenda on people who would otherwise give to sh*t's about one's sexual preference. And I wouldn't call any of this "conservative lifestyle", more like "normal lifestyle".

But hey, I guess the "Kings of Tolerance" above (not you, necessarily) don't respect others opinions. Good day.

TagMan - 12/8/2005 12:18:47 PM

+1 Boost

I'm definately proud to purchse and drive that JAG now.

I HOPE the gays boycott it. So, what will the gays want to drive now?

zombie8 - 12/9/2005 12:51:51 AM

+1 Boost

Honestly, who the h*ll cares who a car company markets to? Does it hurt anyone if Ford advertises in gay magazines? Funny, one of my best friends is gay and he drives a Volvo - owned by Ford. If Fords don't well with gays it's because their cars suck - gays tend to have more style than us "hederos" so of course Ford won't sell well in that segment. Look at how many lesbians buy Subarus? They like what they like. Pulling back Jaguar ads is such a wus move. Why don't we just all grow up and let people be? Are we really going to convert all those gay men by not advertising in their mags?

zombie8 - 12/9/2005 12:56:52 AM

+1 Boost

Sounds like some of the "men" on this site are insecure about their sexuality. It obviously takes a real man to be threatened by a group who poses no threat to anyone.

TagMan - 12/11/2005 11:45:24 PM

+1 Boost

The "Christian right" does NOT represent the majority of Christians, who are NOT extremists. Christianity is simple. Read your Bible, if you have one. Praise God, and Love one another, etc. It's NOT extreme. It's common sense! The "Christian right" gives Christianity a bad name. The extremists are as crazy on the right as they are on the left, where "anything goes". By the way, the best position for Ford is a NEUTRAL one! They don't need to support anyone's agenda. They need to build good safe cars!!!