Advertisers are withdrawing from publications aimed at LGBTQ+ and other minority audiences amid political attacks and a US backlash against corporate DEI efforts. Major companies have rolled back diversity plans over the past 18 months, ending a prior enthusiasm for inclusive marketing. Gay Times lost 80% of its advertisers in a year and more than £5m in expected advertiser revenue after digital growth. Brands have shifted behavior under pressure from anti-DEI voices, producing disproportionate impacts on outlets that serve diverse themes while other organisations face smaller effects.
I know that media and marketing is also going through a challenging year anyway, but when we're thinking about other organisations that don't talk to diverse themes, they're not nearly as impacted as we are. This is just good old-fashioned discrimination. Because discrimination doesn't have to make business sense. Discrimination doesn't have to be logical. Discrimination is discrimination. We're really experiencing the impact of what happens when voices that are pressuring organisations to give in to less inclusive perspectives start winning.
his publication, which had been growing digitally in the US, had lost 80% of its advertisers in the past year. It has also lost in excess of 5m in expected advertiser revenue. Warner, who has led the outlet since 2019, said his title's growth had been accompanied by an enthusiasm from brands to embrace LGBTQ+ audiences. He blames an anti-DEI drive in the US for the dramatic shift.
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