Coors Brewing Co., Real History
Coors has been working hard since 1997 to repair years of damage from a gay boycott with ads like this one to point out that the company is among the most progressive for its employee policies toward gays.
Coors has been advertising in gay publications since the 1980's, but the year 2000 marked its largest-ever outlay for gay-specific ads, said Mary Cheney, then corporate relations manager for gays and lesbians at Coors. She did not give specific figures, but said ad spending to gays alone increased 20% by the end of 2000.
Beer marketers in 1999 spent about $1.5 million advertising in national and local gay publications, according to Rivendell Marketing in New Jersey.
Beer companies are well represented in The Commercial Closet, largely due to an effort in the mid-1990s to pull away from the industry's longterm sexist advertising themes that objectified women. Such commercials were summed up by the Swedish Bikini Team ads from Stroh Brewing Co. for Old Milwaukee. Looking for new material to mine, brewers began extensively playing with gay and transgender themes in their advertising. However, because beer drinkers are stereotypically macho, the tone of many of the ads were more negative.
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User Comments
Beamer
Does Coors really think that by giving us their resume on how gay "friendly" and "supportive" they are, that we'll forget the past? The gay community (GLBT) is not a pack of wild dogs, throw us a nice looking bone and we'll come running. Marketing is all about creating a specific desire in an individual...this ad make me feel like I'm on an island with a hundred other people and we just received a letter in a bottle with Coors' resume in it. Don't insult me or my intelligence. Just because you have a rainbow and a triangle (upside down by the way) doesn't mean I'm going to come running. People are too smart for formula marketing...
Ken Hall
I know Rafael Fantauzzi and applaud his efforts in this campaign. I don't believe he would put so much dedication into it if he did not believe whole-heartedly in the message. And if some people out there still do not believe the ads, accept it as a peace offering. Coors is contributing alot of money into the community here in Denver (I'm not sure about other cities), but, with the economy in the condition it is in, we can definitely use the support to continue funding of greatly needed community projects.
Ken
I can understand where each person comes from on this issue. I think it is definitely a smart marketing thing to do. After all, they do know we have money to spend on something to drink. Why not a Coors beer? However, do you think they would run this history informing ad in a Sports Illustrated magazine? I don't think so. How about in a Playboy magazine? I don't think you will find this ad there either. I've seen the "straight ads". How proud would Coors be to use this ad as a national blanket ad? I don't think so. It's used only to a target market, the gay community. Therefore, you have a company wanting gay money because we have it to spend somewhere and on something to drink. Money is money and it all spends the same. Support those whom support you. Dangle a carrot in front of the jackass and he will follow. Put money into the community and the community will work for you. You can look at this any way you want in so many different ways and come out with so many different conclusions. You just have to do what you feel is right. Drink a Coors or don't. It's all marketing. Whether they give money or don't. Whether they place ads in gay publications or not. The Coors Company like all others (gay-owned or not) are in business to make money no matter what it takes to do so. Some people in the company think one way and some others think another. It's called diversity. Buy or not to buy, you decide. And enjoy life, have a beer.
Rick Bechard
The ad is good in that it demonstrates the company's record regarding prejudice. The real question one must ask is what is the company's motivation? Are they sincere or trying to gain more of a market? It may be difficult for the gay community to determine this. There is a silver lining however.... Young people, conservatives and other groups that generally don't look outside the box will have the opportunity to pause when they see a big company such as Coors support gay rights and demostrate a role in reducing homophobia. It is not that I love the ad..it is I appreciate what it can achieve, no matter what the motivation is of the Coors company.
Remy
One of the biggest things holding on to the prejudices from Coors' past is the group in our community who must continually play the victim. We have been allow to evolve as a people so why set us back years by holding on to the past. And before you go preaching our history and saying that the company doesn't even know how to display the triangle you might want to brush up on it yourself. Look up the origins of the triangle and you will see that is displayed correctly. Let's move forward, gents, and bring as many people with us as we can.
Andrew Lord
Coors, along with hundreds of other companies, have been supporting the GLBT community not only with ads in national and local publications but also with sponsorships in all the GLBT events including pride events, our world circuit parties and more. Who do you think pays for all the events? It's not just us. Without the support of Coors, Bacardi, American Airlines and many others, these events would not happen. Each year non-profit agencies, promoters and community leaders approach large corporations asking for money for their events to take place. These companies give money out of the yearly advertising/marketing budget to do this for our community, for our pride and our enjoyment. When you enter a welcome center, do you turn down the free booze or beer they are offering? Do you turn down the freebies being given in the bags? Do you turn down the event because someone is sponsoring it? No, none of us do! We need to realize that all people, companies and events, no matter how big or small, or how much money they have... WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES. Coors made theirs and they have been paying for ever since, but they are trying to do the right thing! Give them and everyone a break! I know firsthand --once being a bar manager, a promoter and involved in one of the larger circuit parties --Every Penny Counts,. Don't hurt the GLBT just because a company is willing to give us funds to support and make out events happen.
Frank
If Coors wants the gay community to forget about its terrible past, then it must do something spectacular to get us talking in a positive way. Telling us they tolerate gay employees won't cut it anymore. How about the first national commerical that features two gay guys or is set in a gay bar -- and run it during a football game. It would be all the talk, and many of us would toast them for breaking a major barrier. With all the money they're spending on promotions just think of the free publicity this would generate. Just as Nixon was the only one that could go to China -- Coors could do this and survive the straight bubba backlash. Why hasn't anyone on their payroll thought of this?
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