Wal-Mart Partners With Gay and Lesbian Group
By
Marty
on August 31, 2006 at 06:05 pm
Wow.
Lots of questions could be asked concerning this decision by Wal-Mart. Is this just good marketing because the gay community has unique demographics that need special considerations? Does Wal-Mart market differently for other racial and religious groups? Has Wal-Mart teamed with any other commercial organizations?
Read the whole thing.
Rob adds: My support of Wal-Mart is based on that company's embrace of pure free market capitalism. I love that Wal-Mart refuses to have anything to do with unions and I also love that the company is an absolute American success story employing millions around the globe while also bringing low prices to citizens in America and abroad.
If marketing to gays helps Wal-Mart make more money - and thus continue to bring us the aforementioned jobs and low prices - then so be it. I don't really care.
In an unprecedented push, Wal-Mart Stores has hired a gay-marketing shop, joined the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and begun discussions with activist groups about extending domestic-partnership benefits to its employees.
The initiative comes as Wal-Mart aims to broaden its appeal and woo both upscale and urban markets, but this is not the first time Wal-Mart has attempted to appease critics in the gay and lesbian community.
Wal-Mart is going about this in a very pragmatic way," said Justin Nelson, president of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, an independent organization with 24,000 members. "They have been viewed with some degree of skepticism by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community, and it's important for them in terms of gaining market share to change that."
A Wal-Mart spokeswoman declined to comment on the trio of moves and would only confirm the company's partnership with the NGLCC.
Lots of questions could be asked concerning this decision by Wal-Mart. Is this just good marketing because the gay community has unique demographics that need special considerations? Does Wal-Mart market differently for other racial and religious groups? Has Wal-Mart teamed with any other commercial organizations?
The steps being taken by Wal-Mart are the strongest signal yet that the company may be taking a permanent stand on the side of gay rights, despite the inevitable lambasting from right-wing conservative groups, such as the Family Research Council and the American Family Association, said Nu Wexler of Wal-Mart Watch, the Washington-based coalition backed by the Sierra Club and the Service Employees.
"This partnership shows Wal-Mart is changing," Mr. Wexler said. "It's worth noting they declined to publicize this partnership and left it up to the chamber. Wal-Mart is very eager to publicize partnerships. It's possible they fear a backlash from their conservative consumer base."
Read the whole thing.
Rob adds: My support of Wal-Mart is based on that company's embrace of pure free market capitalism. I love that Wal-Mart refuses to have anything to do with unions and I also love that the company is an absolute American success story employing millions around the globe while also bringing low prices to citizens in America and abroad.
If marketing to gays helps Wal-Mart make more money - and thus continue to bring us the aforementioned jobs and low prices - then so be it. I don't really care.
