Presidential campaigns largely forego LGBTQ media ads
by Joe Siegel
The myriad of political campaign advertising in a busy election year does not seem to have included LGBTQ media outlets.
“LGBTQ media is an afterthought for candidates,” said Russ White, publisher of Las Vegas-based QLife. “They will show up at parades and prides, but they won’t write checks.”
White said Hillary Clinton’s campaign spent $500 on advertising just six weeks before Election Day, after weeks of seeking free advertising. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Mayor Pete Buttigieg reached out for media coverage and were provided free editorial space.
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| Pete For America ad in Las Vegas Spectrum |
Pete For America did buy a full-page ad in Las Vegas Spectrum ahead of the February 22 Nevada caucuses, specifically asking readers to caucus for Buttigieg.
But overall, the presidential campaigns did a lousy job reaching out to LGBTQ readers via the queer press,” said Kevin Naff, editor of the Washington Blade. “We had some placements from Bloomberg and Buttigieg, but nothing from the others.”
“Some campaign plans have recently shifted but at this point in the year we’ve received under $30,000 in political advertising dollars,” said Ben Young, the director of sales and marketing for Colorado’s OutFront magazine. “It’s still fairly early in the season and we’re anticipating the national campaigns to build their state strategies in the next few weeks, so that number will likely change.”
As far as national advertising goes, Todd Evans, CEO of Rivendell Media, which handles national advertising for local publications, said he has not been contacted by political campaigns yet.
“But we have reached out to every campaign and have just warm interest from all,” said Evans, who is also publisher of Press Pass Q. “Only Bloomberg actually placed a few ads so far, and now that he is out I doubt there will be more to come.”
Evans said Rivendell has reached out to campaigns over the last three election cycles and the Democratic National Committee was even provided quotes for advertising, but nothing ever came of it.
“My feeling is no one or any group should be taken for granted,” Evans said, “and that goes for the LGBTQ community as well.”
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Volume 21
Issue 12
