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The purpose of this paper is to research lesbian fashion consumption in order to draw conclusions on the attractiveness of the lesbian target segment for the fashion industry. So far, lesbians’ fashion consumption behaviour has hardly been researched. However, an evinced lesbian stereotype exists which describes doctrinal feminists with an antipathy against consumption in general and fashion shopping in particular. In contrast, gay men have been identified quite contrary as an attractive market segment and marketers have started to particularly target this so-called “dream market”.

First, qualitative semi-structured interviews (n=18) were conducted to gain first insights into fashion consumption behaviour of lesbians. Second, a quantitative online survey (n=879) was carried out to generate more detailed findings. Due to the difficult reachability of the homosexual consumer target group, the segment’s high online media affinity was used and data collection was conducted through popular German homepages targeted to homosexuals (esp. “queer.de” and “lesarion.de”). The research investigated fashion-consciousness, willingness to pay, brand-affinity, and openness to homosexual marketing. In addition, influencing factors – such as the affinity towards the homosexual scene, career orientation, income, age, status of coming out, and number of inhabitants of the city of residence – have been researched.

Results prove that lesbians are an equally attractive and financially interesting market segment for fashion marketers as gays. Lesbians have a similarly high fashion-consciousness and willingness to pay, and an even higher brand-affinity – but a lower openness to homosexual marketing than gays. Especially scene-affine femme lesbians with a high-paid professional career are a highly attractive market segment. The study proves the attractiveness of the lesbian target segment for fashion marketing and debunks the myth of the consumption-averse lesbian stereotype.

This paper provides evidence on the attractiveness of the lesbian market segment for the fashion industry. Due to its size and financial attractiveness, the question whether to target lesbians with a specifically adopted marketing mix should be raised.

Research on lesbians’ fashion consumption behaviour in general is very scarce and on fashion consumption behaviour in particular is almost non-existent. This study is a first attempt to analyse the major areas of fashion consumption for the German market.

Applies four market segmentation criteria to the homosexual population. Determines that the homosexual community does not yet sufficiently satisfy these expectations in many product markets and that it is unlikely that any marketing changes will occur in the near future. Yet suggests that marketers should consider homosexuals as part of their contingent marketing strategy.

This study aims to provide a conceptual framework to investigate the effects of consumer attitudes toward brands and attitudes toward a series of fashion oriented print advertisements with and without homosexual themes, on consumer willingness to buy from brands. The influence of consumer skepticism and inferences of manipulative intent (IMI) as moderators between these variables is also investigated. This study also closes various research gaps identified within the literature.

A self-administered survey instrument was designed using established scales to collect data through an online questionnaire. Fashion advertisements namely one advertisement representing homosexual content and one heterosexual advertisement were used in the study within subjects (e.g. male and female) design. Statistical techniques, specifically factor analysis, regressions and multiple regressions are used to analyze the data.

The findings indicate significant and positive relationships between attitude toward the brand and advertisement as well as willingness to buy for both males and females. The moderation analyses noted that consumer skepticism enhanced the relationship between attitude toward the brand and attitude toward the advertisement, but weakened the relationship between attitude toward the advertisement and willingness to buy, only for the female cohort. Similarly, a weakening effect of IMI was noted on the relationship between attitude toward the advertisement and willingness to buy.

The current study contributes to the literature on homosexual imagery in advertising. In applying the persuasion knowledge model, the current study demonstrates the applicability of the model to homosexual themes in fashion advertising while accounting for the effects of consumer skepticism and IMI.

The current research highlights the importance of accounting for gender differences when introducing homosexual themes in fashion advertisements. Heterosexual males and females differ in their attitudes toward homosexual themes in fashion advertising, as well as how skeptical they are with regards to the motives of the advertiser. While a great deal of acceptance is already present in today's society, these differences still need to be accounted for in future fashion advertising campaigns.

The present study represents an examination of consumer responses to a series of fashion advertisements in Australia and provides useful implications to marketers of fashion products. The study further contributes to the literature on consumer skepticism and IMI with regards to cause-related advertising.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the responses of a convenience sample of 65 heterosexual and 64 homosexual respondents to a series of fashion oriented print advertisements depicting overt or ambiguous gay male or lesbian themes.

The study is based upon the survey responses of a group of heterosexual and homosexual university students enrolled at three universities in the southeastern United States. Advertisements selected for inclusion in the study were drawn from magazines that target this group. One advertisement representing each level of homosexual content (overtly gay male, overtly lesbian, ambiguously gay male, ambiguously lesbian) as well as one heterosexual advertisement were used in the study in a within subjects design. Paired t‐tests were used to compare mean A_brand and A_ad responses across various groups.

Attitude toward the ad and before‐after exposure toward the brand were compared in male and female heterosexual and homosexual respondents. Results show that heterosexual males and females prefer less overt gay male and lesbian depictions, while gay males and lesbians prefer more overt depictions of themselves, particularly gay male imagery.

This study examines the responses of one specific segment of the gay and lesbian population: traditional‐aged university students. Characters portrayed in the advertisements were also young people and do not represent the inherent diversity in this population. It would be desirable, therefore, to extend this study to an investigation of the broader gay and lesbian population.

Implications for marketers of fashion products suggest that effectual character depictions in fashion advertisements vary by both gender and sexual orientation.

This paper represents a cross‐sectional examination of heterosexual and homosexual responses to a series of fashion advertisements in the United States and provides useful insights to marketers of fashion products.

A number of postmodern consumer scholars have their attention on the consumption behaviour of neo-tribes. Changing gender roles and households’ consumption practices have also shaped new sets of cultural manifestations for the clothing consumption milieu. The purpose of this paper is to explore the clothing consumption culture of a neo-tribe, gay professionals within the subculture of gay consumers.

An extended conceptual framework built upon Ajzen and Fishbein’s (1980) theory of “reasoned action” served as the conceptual guideline for this study. Specifically, the attitude-behaviour framework is proposed and employed to better understand the clothing consumption behaviour of a neo-tribe consisting of gay professionals. Personal in-depth interviews were conducted in a metropolitan city as well as two small towns in Canada.

Stereotypical as well as non-stereotypical understandings are offered. The findings from this study portrayed the gay professions of this neo-tribe as rational and practical. Personal psychological factors, social factors and marketplace factors relevant to a neo-tribe of gay professionals are documented and deeper insights are presented.

Findings challenge the existing understanding of fashion manifestation for this consumers group. However, this study may be of limited scope. Future studies should further examine the clothing consumption cultural manifestations of other neo-tribes within the gay community.

The interviewees consistently demonstrated their positive attitudes towards quality, stylish and conservative clothing. For marketers it is crucial to perceive the gay community as a non-homogeneous market segment. There is a need to understand different consumption practices within this community and to tailor marketing mix elements accordingly.

This study has extended the understanding of the neo-tribes of gay consumers. In addition, this study offers the clothing consumption reality of a neo-tribe encompassing gay professionals. This study illuminates their rational and practical clothing consumption cultural manifestations and clothing consumption behaviour. These insights further enrich the general understandings that exist in the area of consumer research.

The article aimed to identify and analyze the income differences across the income distribution between homosexuals and heterosexuals by occupational groups in Brazil.

PNAD-C microdata was used in two periods (2013–2015 and 2016 to 2019), highlighting the different economic, social and political contexts in Brazil. Recentered influence function and quantile income decomposition were estimated to verify the difference and income discrimination according to the guideline the worker’s sexuality.

For some cases homosexual workers earn more and in others, homosexuals earn less than heterosexuals. The differences in remuneration according to sexual orientation were smaller in positions that demand low qualification and competence. The quantile income decomposition between 2013 and 2015 revealed the positive effect of discrimination was the generator of income disparities between homosexuals and heterosexuals, with greater impact for the 10th and 90th quantiles and on groups that require small levels of complexity and education. Between 2016 and 2019, there was the presence of both effects, but the explained effect was the promoter of wage disparities in most occupational groups.

Given the dataset, it was only possible to work with proxies of homosexual couples.

There has been little research linking the themes of discrimination based on sexual orientation and occupational groups, and so far, it does not exist similar in Latin America. This study found that sexual orientation influences remuneration according to the occupational group that the worker belongs to, affecting income and, consequently, occupational choice. This connection of issues will contribute to new insights into discrimination based on sexual orientation, as well as more effective public policies aimed at reducing discrimination against homosexuals.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between men and brands and specifically how they configure their masculinities in relation to daily used brands.

In-depth interviews with projective technique were conducted with 20 men with different masculinities and sexual orientations to explore their practices regarding and relations to various product categories and brands.

First, this paper shows how men’s relationships to daily used brands vary according to different forms of masculinities, in a continuum apparently disconnected from sexual orientation. Men with “resistant” masculinities are strongly attached to choosing masculine brands; others with more hybrid masculinities are more open to feminine brands and do not care about brand gender. Second, this paper shows the importance of brand gender salience: Men with more traditional masculinities interpret brands through the prism of gender first and over-interpret gendered cues in brand execution. Third, feminine brands are considered as threats for men with traditional masculinities. Fourth, brand extensions to the opposite sex are criticized by men with more traditional masculinities but appreciated by men with hybrid masculinities, independently of sexual orientation.

This paper investigates the relationships between men and brand gender for daily used brands, by introducing a diversity of masculinities. Furthermore, it builds on a qualitative approach to capture individuals’ diverse masculinities. This helps capture the complexity of gender and better understand the relationships between men, masculinities and brands.

There are few systematic studies of wage discrimination against homosexuals: none for the UK. This paper studies the earnings of homosexual men and women in the UK relative to their heterosexual counterparts. Homosexuals are identified as individuals living with “same sex partners”. Although gays of either sex earn more than non‐gays, once allowance is made for differences in characteristics gay men appear to be paid less than heterosexuals, while lesbians appear to be paid more. As this implies, the gender pay gap is smaller amongst homosexuals than amongst heterosexuals. The gay male pay penalty is significantly lower in London than elsewhere.

The purpose of this paper is to briefly cover the origins of neuromarketing, explain the process in layman's terms, enumerate some of the findings in anecdotal form, and suggest future consumer behavior research directions based on these findings.

The discussion of neuromarketing in this paper is based on reports of both a theoretical and applied nature. Their contents have been synthesized and placed into context by showing how they relate to traditional marketing research approaches and assumptions.

While there are no concrete findings, preliminary assessments suggest that traditional, inferential assumptions about consumer behavior might be less powerful and explanatory than once believed. Combining neural activity images with conventional tools may produce more effective marketing practices.

Because this is an emerging field and still controversial, some of the key information is proprietary and/or fairly presumptive at this time. Cautions and criticisms have been included to counterbalance that point.

Understanding what is happening in this emerging field of inquiry is essential for anyone who believes that marketers can change the probability of a favorable response from consumers. The use of neuromarketing, if proven through use, has the capability of fundamentally changing how we design, promote, price, and package our products.

The marriage of cognitive neuroscience and marketing practice is a new field of inquiry. This paper provides a useful, non‐technical introduction.