What a year. Is it just us or did 2008 seem like a Technicolor explosion of ideas, events, history and controversy? If 2007 was the year when the “blogosphere seemed to touch every aspect of our lives,” then 2008 was the year when every aspect of our lives was reported, analyzed, discussed, and broadcast over and over again. And not just in the blogosphere, but everywhere (and from members of our own community as Laura and Michael point out below). We did our best to address many of the high- and lowlights in gay and lesbian communications in 2008 and we’ll keep going in 2009.
As has become our custom at the end of the year, we’re going to take a moment to consider the year that was 2008. Just as we did last year, we asked the Out Front blogging team to give us their take on one question:
- What was the most significant/important/memorable LGBT communications breakthrough or LGBT communications campaign of 2008?
Here are our responses:
Ben: The back and forth nature of engagement with and reporting about the gay and lesbian community. For every step forward in gay and lesbian communications, it seemed as though we took a step backward. Almost every positive announcement (such as HRC’s September announcement that more companies than ever earned a 100 score on the Corporate Equality Index) was followed by a negative announcement (such as the capitulation of McDonald’s after standing up to anti-gay extremists). Media covered our lives at points and then ignored the issues affecting us until others (namely the LGBT online community) forced the issue. We accomplished a great deal this year, to be sure, but we were also reminded just how much more work there is to do. If anything, 2008 left us with a new direction, but one for which the road is not yet clear or simple. We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go.
Bryan: 2008 will always be remembered for the “grassWeb” communications effect and explosion, on both the LGBT community and the general public as a whole. Leveraged to bring about a historical election, campaign and the first black American president, online viral communications and campaigns also spurred the LGBT community to action in the wake of Proposition 8’s passage in California. Igniting the creativity and passion of young activists, the LGBT community began a greater movement and dialogue around the nation. And while there is still much to learn around strategically applying and organizing a community through such communications means, 2008 was no doubt the year that brought LGBT to the main stage in all communities thanks to viral and online communications.
Ivette: In regards to the Latino arena, it has been the surfacing of more and more celebrity supporters such as Gael Garcia Bernal, Lucia Mendez and even Gloria Trevi.
Kim: Market segmentation within the LGBT market is finally happening in a real and authentic way. Thanks primarily to the internet and social media. As pointed out by the Out Front blog team in 2008, we are not just gay white males, twentysomethings, or interested only in travel. There are many smart, targeted ways to reach the LGBT audience today, and much of that is being done online. I think the biggest communications breakthrough for the LGBT audience is market segmentation – a Hispanic lesbian is able to be targeted and reached in a very different and unique way than a 20 year old gay white male. Just think of how many new blogs and social media sites were launched in 2008 specifically for a portion of the LGBT audience.
Laura: To me, the breakthrough of MSNBC host Rachel Maddow has been the highlight of 2008. The out news figure plays a pivotal role for women and for lesbians – bringing a diverse perspective that serves as a powerful asset to the visibility of a diverse community of women.
Michael: For me, it was the year of the Maddow…MSNBC's addition of liberal host Rachel Maddow rocked not only the primetime cable news ratings race, but gave our community yet another milestone- the first openly LGBT host in cable news. And with this addition came an onslaught of publicity- and at every turn, Maddow had the opportunity to fully be herself and introduce her personal side to mainstream audiences around the country. With every article, we gain a little more understanding about us.
Peter: For me, it was the community's swift, significant use of social media to communicate our outrage and organize support after California's vote on Prop 8, from Facebook to Twitter. Digital communication tools are increasingly being used to help connect the LGBT community beyond geographical boundaries…a particularly important concept for a group that, for the most part, isn't ever going to be more than roughly 10% of the population. We need everyone in the LGBT community engaged at all times to have the kind of impact we need to affect policy. Digital tools give us that power.
Steve: This year saw the impact of online communities and viral marketing realize true potential in uniting the gay and lesbian community. In the post-Prop 8 environment, the channel was used to its fullest for event planning, information outreach and coalition building, most notably on Facebook.
One final editor’s note on online communications: This year saw the rise of what many LGBT bloggers are calling Stonewall 2.0: a new breed of communicators who aren’t waiting for so-called “mainstream” media or organizations to speak for them because they’re leveraging new and unique channels to speak for themselves and mobilize others to join them. This trend has the potential to change the way marketers and communicators reach gay and lesbian consumers: as with so much in our 24/7 world, there is no one way to reach a gay or lesbian consumer. And while the multiplication of options is a good thing for marketers (more levers to pull) and our community (more ways to reach us), it’s also a greater challenge for all of us (more to understand, track and monitor).
What do you think about 2008? Let us know in the comments below. And come back tomorrow for our 2009 forecast.
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