I reviewed the just-released survey from the National LGBT Media Association’s readers, and the results should raise red flags for any company pulling back from LGBTQ+ consumers.
Nearly 90% of respondents say they’ve noticed a decline in corporate support for the LGBTQ+ community over the past year. Let’s be clear, when any survey hits near 90%, it’s not just noise. It’s a wake-up call. If I were at Target, Walmart, Anheuser-Busch, Lowe’s, or any of the other brands walking away from this market, I’d think twice. In fact, if I were a brand that hadn’t yet made meaningful inroads with the LGBTQ+ consumer, I’d see this as a prime opportunity. Just showing up can make a huge impact… just ask Absolut, whose decades-long relationship with LGBTQ media helped make it iconic.
The business climate today feels oddly familiar to the 1980s and 1990s, when stigma and the AIDS crisis pushed many companies to the sidelines. The few that stood with the community then are still reaping goodwill today. Back then, companies relied on common sense and gut instinct. Today, we have undeniable data and demographic shifts that make this a smart business decision, not just a moral one.
Another striking stat from the survey:
95% of respondents say they would take action against companies that scale back LGBTQ+ initiatives—55% say they’d stop buying altogether, and nearly 40% would cut back their spending. That’s not a hollow threat – it’s purchasing power with intention.
What’s more concerning is that many of these corporate retreats appear to be knee-jerk reactions to short-term political pressure. But 87% of LGBTQ media readers believe there will be long-term consequences for brands that step back, and they’re probably right.
Case in point: Just last weekend, I pulled into an Exxon station for gas, and my friend said, “Exxon? I haven’t filled up there since the Valdez spill.” That was 1989. People don’t forget. Especially when the issue is personal – like their identity.
