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Countering Chick-fil-A, Amtrak and other firms bask in gay pride, and gay dollars
The New York Daily News ^ | August 4, 2012 | Victoria Cavaliere

Posted on 08/04/2012 6:23:36 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

You better think twice, Chick-fil-A: The same week that the fast food chain faced criticism over its president’s opposition to same-sex marriage, the train company unveiled a new campaign targeting gay and lesbian customers.

The same week that controversy erupted over Chick-fil-A’s opposition to same-sex marriage, Amtrak unveiled a marketing campaign aimed at its gay and lesbian clientele.

The “Ride With Pride” program promotes “extremely gay-friendly” destinations, including California wine country and Martha’s Vineyard.

“It makes good business sense to target a population that is a friend of the rails, a friend of rail travel,” said Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole, who was unsure how many tickets were sold through the promotion.

The initiative was rolled out around the same time restaurant chain Chick-fil-A made national headlines after president Dan Cathy said the company is "guilty as charged" of opposing same-sex marriage.

Fallout for Chick-fil-A continues to be mixed, but even as Cathy stands behind his polarizing remarks, other companies are making a concerted effort to court gay and lesbian customers.

Kraft Foods posted a photo of a rainbow-hued Oreo cookie to its Facebook page in June -- earning 2,000 comments and the threat of a boycott.

That same month, Target’s website began selling t-shirts with rainbows and slogans like “harmony” and “pride” as part of a fundraiser to support a marriage equality group.

Even formerly conservative companies are opening their marketing camapaigns to gay and lesbian customers, whose buying power is expected to reach $790 billion this year, marketing firm Witeck Communications told the Los Angeles Times.

Hotel mega-chain Marriott International, which once had Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney as a corporate board member, this spring launched a massive campaign targeting gay travelers. The "Be You, With Us," is widely promoted on the corporate website, which also declares “We’re proud to say Marriott was one of the first hotel companies to offer equal benefits to same-sex couples nationwide.”

So far, Amtrak said it hasn’t seen any backlash to the “Ride With Pride” campaign.

“Our policy is to welcome all segments of the population,” Cole said.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Society; Travel
KEYWORDS: amtrak; chickfila; fdrq; homosexualagenda; target
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Countering Chick Fil A? Nice try, Vicky. No cigar.

August 1st sent shock waves through American retailers, and there’s nothing the MSM can do about it.


41 posted on 08/04/2012 8:18:07 PM PDT by Stalwart
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

” Three percent of the population spends almost a trillion dollars a year? I call bullsh*t on that one! And isn’t Amtrak supported by our tax dollars? “

That does it. I’m now an occupier against the 3%


42 posted on 08/04/2012 8:20:05 PM PDT by ari-freedom
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Is this, literally, the new "third rail" of politics? (pun intended)

-PJ

43 posted on 08/04/2012 8:23:06 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too ( It doesn't come naturally when you're not natural born.)
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To: Kickass Conservative

44 posted on 08/04/2012 8:35:25 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Cliff Cole, who was unsure how many tickets were sold through the promotion.

There goes that famous Amtrak "good business sense" again that we've enjoyed sinced the 70's.

Damn gov't employee moron....

45 posted on 08/04/2012 8:42:00 PM PDT by Looking4Truth (Leave it to some angry, frustrated liberal do-gooder to screw things up for the rest of us.)
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Chick-Fil-A does not now, nor has it ever, discriminated against anyone. As usual, the ministry of propaganda misrepresents the policies of the company. It's a private, family owned company. The company's Christian policies, along with the fact that it's making a profit, has brought the wrath of leftists down upon it.

On the other hand, the new advertising scheme to attract gay couples at Amtrack will be taxpayer funded. Has Amtrack ever turned a profit, let alone broken even? As such, every expense that Amtrack racks up will be born by the taxpayer, or by the lenders who are allowing our government to spend roughly $1 for every .60 in revenues. The fact that the government simply can't run a railroad that can break even makes it a favorite of leftists everywhere. And if they can offend Christians using taxpayers money, all the better.

Mark

46 posted on 08/04/2012 8:52:39 PM PDT by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Very little coverage this week, except for a couple of plays on C-Span, of a presser by a group of black ministers who are forming a group to raise money and inform the public about Obama’s support for gay marriage and their opposition to him because of it - J.C. Penney’s flirtation with gays last spring didn’t seem to last very long, and I can’t help but think that these companies will eventually offend and put off more people than they’ll attract with their romancing gays, at best five percent of the population including their rabid supporters.....


47 posted on 08/04/2012 9:04:15 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ
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To: BlatherNaut

Rail service to Martha’s Vineyard?? Did I miss something?


48 posted on 08/04/2012 9:11:07 PM PDT by jughandle
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Comment #49 Removed by Moderator

To: concerned about politics

alert them to those who support the boy molesting..”

Noticed an article re Office Depot’s financial support of “Born That Way” Foundation to the tune of at least $1M. Seems that the money is to be used for school supplies and psychotherapy intervention for children “born that way” which results in their being bullied by others. Did have it confirmed by Office Depot in an email to me. Cut our Office Depot credit card up and sent it back with a letter that they can support whomever they choose and our business chooses not to buy anything from them in the future.


50 posted on 08/04/2012 9:54:20 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: rhinohunter
. . . marketing camapaigns to gay and lesbian customers, whose buying power is expected to reach $790 billion this year . . .

I'm not sure they come up with these figures, but I assume some research goes into it.

Let's say homos are around 3% of the population. I think it is less than that, probably much less. Then you have to discount the percent of the population which is too young (and a few who are even too old) to care about this sh*t.

So let's divide this figure by nine million to come up with roughly an $88K annual purchasing power figure per homo. We do know that they are richer than the hetero majority, but that's still an astoundingly high figure. We also know that they are concentrated in high cost, high salary areas of the country such as San Fransicko, New York, Boston, Chicago, so maybe the figure is even possible. And, yeah, there are some areas of the country (the Boston to Washington corridor) where rail travel is even convenient and make sense.

But, overall, if the income levels are correct, that's a demographic which is more likely to travel by airline. Call it a hunch, but I would guess that Amtrak is more interested here in making a political statement than a smart marketing move.

I've got to wonder if there is any data on the number of homo couples who are actually raising children and not just making a political statement or, worse, screwing up the kids.

51 posted on 08/04/2012 10:00:40 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: rhinohunter

“I thought sodomites were big airline travelers?”

Whatever, they just like standing in line, verrrrry close together in line!


52 posted on 08/04/2012 10:02:36 PM PDT by Rembrandt (Part of the 51% who pay Federal taxes)
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To: jughandle

They have a hard time staying on the tracks anyway so what’s a little high speed hurtle to an island?

If they go fast enough, some of the train just might make it.


53 posted on 08/04/2012 10:22:43 PM PDT by Salamander (I laugh to myself at the men and the ladies who never conceived of us billion dollar babies.)
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To: Salgak

The Amtrak caboose must really be packed.


54 posted on 08/04/2012 10:25:53 PM PDT by Salamander (I laugh to myself at the men and the ladies who never conceived of us billion dollar babies.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Even formerly conservative companies are opening their marketing camapaigns to gay and lesbian customers, whose buying power is expected to reach $790 billion this year, marketing firm Witeck Communications told the Los Angeles Times.


2-3% of the population control so much capital? hoo-da-thunk-it?


55 posted on 08/04/2012 10:29:46 PM PDT by Rides_A_Red_Horse (If there is a war on women, the Kennedys are the Spec Ops troops.)
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To: Fiji Hill

passengers mobbed the town’s liquor store in what became a near-riot—I was in the thick of the mob and one of the first to buy a can of suds.


XXX Enter Evil Capitalist Mode XXX
You should have bought extra. You could have sold it on the train for a profit.
XXX Exit Evil Capitalist Mode XXX


56 posted on 08/04/2012 10:34:25 PM PDT by Rides_A_Red_Horse (If there is a war on women, the Kennedys are the Spec Ops troops.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Many gays are single and childless, and thus have more disposable income.

Not saying other people don’t have the same, but it’s a marketable demographic.


57 posted on 08/04/2012 10:43:25 PM PDT by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Is this one of the gay bills?


58 posted on 08/04/2012 10:47:38 PM PDT by aruanan
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To: Secret Agent Man
Amtrak is offering “Ride with Pride”? Are they going to boost their ridership by offering gay brothels on wheels? An all gay lounge car with hot bunks? I can see a lot of passengers salivating at the chance to take Amtrak with a bunch of these folks.

Amtrak is drowning in a sea of red ink and keeps coming back for more subsidies. Their dining car fare sucks and the prices are hideous. The snack bar fare is barely tolerable. However, you really have to ask why a hamburger costs Amtrak $16 and they sell it for less than $5 on the train? Who said the Defense Department was stupid for buying $600 toilet seats.

59 posted on 08/04/2012 11:42:28 PM PDT by MasterGunner01 (11)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Amtrak is broke and no amount of gay dollars is going to change that fact. As such, mentioning Amtrak or bringing Amtrak into this issue is pointless and near ludicrous. =.=


60 posted on 08/05/2012 4:49:51 AM PDT by cranked
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