Lloyd Chao President, Yes Media
Are mainstream advertisers wary of the pink market?
In the US and Europe, no. In Asia, sadly yes for now. The West has become more accepting of the LGBT (or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. Though religious, political and social forces abound in many Asian countries, the counter-balance to these are commercial forces.
Why should mainstream advertisers be interested in the pink dollar?
In the US, it is estimated that the pink dollar equates to US$600 billion in annual disposable income. If we just assume five to seven per cent of any general population is either LGBT or interested in LGBT content, then in Asia we would have a population of at least a couple hundred million people — people who, today, have virtually no directly-targeted advertising.
Would you consider toning down gay content to attract mainstream advertisers?
We do not show adult content. We will do public service announcements but we are not a political platform. Wink TV is a commercial operation. We aim to provide entertaining, cool content to an audience which, to date, has had virtually no viewing options.
What initiatives have you introduced to attract new advertisers?
We are starting discussions with advertisers who have a logical fit with this community — fashion, travel and resorts, champagne and wine brands, cars, high-end consumer goods. We are working out advertising and sponsorship packages, as well as interactive formats.
Can the pink market survive and thrive as a niche offering, or does it need to break into the mainstream to survive?
In the US, which probably has the most developed pink market, there are now two major gay and lesbian TV networks, one backed by one of the largest media companies in the world. There are thriving gay networks in Europe and Canada as well. It seems a paradox, but as with all niche content, the key to big commercial success is to reach the largest audience possible.
Are there any concerns over the regulatory landscape for gay media in Asia?
Because we are pioneering this space, our content runs the spectrum, from award-winning gay/lesbian film festival shorts, to fashion and design clips to movies and TV shows which have played to the mainstream overseas. Again, we are not here to make a political statement. We want to find out what our audiences like, provided it is legal.
Dominic Yeo CEO, Sgboy.com
Are mainstream advertisers wary of the pink market?
It really depends on who you speak to. Many international brands, which have marketed to the pink market in their home countries, have absolutely no qualms about doing so. In Singapore, we have been successful in attracting many mainstream advertisers, including renowned brands that have never marketed to the pink market.
Why should mainstream advertisers be interested in the pink dollar?
Besides representing a demographic group with a high disposable income, gay consumers are very good indicators of whether a certain trend will take off or not. Once your brand is established with gay consumers, they tend to be extremely loyal and less price-sensitive than the general market.
Would you consider toning down gay content to attract mainstream advertisers?
What initiatives have you introduced to attract new advertisers?
Our recent re-branding exercise is a major step in this direction. With the new Trevvy.com, along with events in the pipeline, we're creating a new platform, with informative, fashion-forward, fitness-conscious content, that will add value to the marketing campaigns of our mainstream advertisers. Nielsen//NetRatings also audits the figures that we show our advertisers.
Can the pink market survive and thrive as a niche offering, or does it need to break into the mainstream to survive?
Our agenda is to get the pink market into the mainstream. Rather than focus on sexual orientation, we aim to educate advertisers and show them that this demographic group should be treated no differently to other high-spending market segments.
Are there any concerns over the regulatory landscape for gay media in Asia?
There is still some unfavourable legislature in regard to gay people across Asia, and naturally we do face restrictions in terms of what we can and cannot do. However, we are witnessing a normalisation of gay media, especially in Singapore, which actually signals the fact that gay portals are set to enter the mainstream.
