Today I saw in one of my Diversity Inc. updates that the energy drink brand has donated $100,000 to gay and lesbian organizations. I think it’s worth acknowledging that the brand is making such a contribution during the still-in-effect-recession.
I looked thorough the list of recipients and noticed that Rockstar donated more than 10 percent to the LGBT Bloggers Initiative which launched last fall to enhance gay and lesbian blogger skills, relationships and effectiveness.
I’s great that communications organizations are being recognized for the value they offer in maintaining our issues front and center. Now more than ever, the blogosphere serves as a voice to all gay and lesbians – and for good reason. Just last month, WPP’ Mindshare research reported Gays and lesbians are more likely to make tech purchases online.
The LGBT community is an online community and Rockstar is on the right track when investing in online efforts to reach that community. The company is also expanding benefits and resources to its LGBT employees.
There is more to the story than meets the blog. As Diversity Inc. reports, the CEO of Rockstar is the son of radio host Michael Savage who expressed firm views that gays should not marry over the air. Naturally, the community, including its bloggers, tied the company with the celeb radio host, and in return, Rockstar threatened to sue a couple of LGBT blogs (BILERICO Project and Change.org) for defamation, stating they were wrongly accusing the company of being linked to Savege’s beliefs.
Rockstar cooled down the heated atmosphere by extending a partnership with not just the LGBT community, but specifically, the blogger community. This amicable attempt at makeing things right is a brilliant example of great public relations. The company turned around an increasingly sour situation into a forward-thinking repositioning of the company. Our friends at Queerty could not have said it better:
“Listen up, corporations: This is how you work with the gay community. What we're impressed with is not only Rockstar's financial commitment to gay organizations, but that it became publicly angry over any connection made between the company and the vile person that is Mike Savage."
This is also a good example of the power of our voices and opinions – if our bloggers had not stirred the pot, none of this may have happened. Or maybe it would have, but certainly it would not have gotten as much attention as it is getting now.
Rockstar leaves much to its own employees, like the resources to create an LGBT group, but is helping by building the toolbox needed to achieve this and more successes. We’ll be cautious as we watch Rockstar grow into its own and hope the end result is serious commitment to our community. After all, in supporting our community, Rockstar will surely be rocking out with the stars.
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