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Niche marketing avenue takes
gay clubbing from inner-city dungeons to Sandton chic
Joburg’s northern suburbs have long
been associated with the trendiest en-vogue parties on the South
African social calendar. In many cases these events are branded and
sponsored by multinational consumer companies hoping to capitalise
on the association with socialite and high-end spenders.
Numerous consumer spending analysis confirm that millions of Pink
Rands are also spent in these suburbs’ chic malls and trendy
eateries, yet local government marketing and tourism departments and
businesses alike have always seemed shy to openly acknowledge or
exploit the immense buying power of both the local and international
high-end gay community. (A notable exception is the hosting of the
annual Gay Pride March in Rosebank for a few years but, as with the
proposed venues for the failed bid to host the next Gay Olympics in
Joburg, late-night parties were reserved for inner-city
entertainment nodes created by the City Council’s Johannesburg
Development Agency.)
Other cities from Paris to Berlin and Sydney to London have long
promoted themselves as international gay tourist destinations, even
placing full-page advertisements in glossy lifestyle and travel
magazines to promote their gay-friendly status and so-called annual
circuit parties that attract revellers from around the globe.
It is no wonder then that predominantly or traditionally
heterosexual Sandton establishments have started to follow suit by
opening their doors to gay events presented under the auspices of
multinational consumer companies. In many cases these event sponsors
are the same companies that played a vital role in elevating
entertainment venues such as Sandton’s Taboo night club into
international jet-set status through legendary big budget product
launches and by-invitation-only industry parties.
A new entertainment company, Queer City Productions (Qc), is driving
this tried and tested concept with a niche pink twist by targeting
upmarket venues around Joburg’s northern suburbs as platforms to
present unique one-off entertainment experiences for well-heeled gay
late-night revellers. Each event, presented monthly, has a specific
theme along the lines of the internationally renowned Sydney Mardi
Gras and UK circuit parties and is sponsored by luxury brand names
such as Absolut Vodka and newcomer Nickel For Men from the Clarins
stable.
According to one of Qc’s founding members, Pieter Rossouw, the
company is as much an entertainment production house as it is a Pink
Rand marketing company. “By controlling both the entertainment and
marketing functions we are able to not only offer upmarket
entertainment to a gay consumer market who had to travel abroad to
experience anything on this scale, but also niche opportunities for
consumer companies wishing to grow their brands amongst a high-end
double-income-no-kids consumer group.”
He argues that gay consumers take notice of brands that support a
gay lifestyle or address gay issues directly. “Traditional marketing
and advertising tools are often too expensive or may even alienate
conservative groups who inevitably end up in the crossfire. A niche
approach will not only overcome most of these traditional obstacles,
but also allows the brand and its salespeople to become part of the
event and align themselves with their target market.”
Qc has already presented two such
events that packed the ultra lush Taboo club to capacity during the
inaugural Male Underwear Fashion Show party and more recent Sandton
Trash Bar party. These events impressed Absolut Vodka’s
representatives to the extend that the brand will be the title
sponsor of the next event, the Absolut White Ball.
“It is all about visual excitement in luxurious surroundings,” says
Pieter, explaining the mood and feel of these and future events.
As with similar events internationally where brands create
theatrical masterpieces, Absolut will dress the White Ball party,
starting at the parking lot where patrons arrive, to create a
perfect white setting that is classical enough to compliment the
requested formal white attire, yet hip and modern enough to entice
dancing to internationally acclaimed DJ’s until the early hours of
the morning.
He explained that Qc aims to compile the most comprehensive gay
database in South Africa through these events and strategic
partnerships with the country’s busiest gay lifestyle portals,
MambaOnline and SceneOut. “This inevitably means that we will take
the Queer City parties to different cities around the country from
time to time, a concept that has worked well around the globe for
brands such as the Ministry of Sound parties.
“This allows us to offer our clients effective and affordable tools
to promote their brands to Pink Rand shoppers,” he said. These tools
include e-flyers, sms campaigns and competitions, website links and
e-mail communication.”
Concert promoters have also noticed the Queer City parties and have
expressed an interest to stage one-off events for gay audiences
during national concert tours by international artists. Qc plans to
use this avenue to launch Joburg’s ailing Gay Pride festivities as
an international event during September on par with Rio, Sydney,
London and Berlin.
But for now Qc is concentrating on the upcoming Absolut White Ball.
“Do not be fooled by the formality of the dress code request,”
Pieter warns interested parties. “We also expect men in white
dresses and those who do not own one already are encouraged to
borrow one from their mother or grandmother’s closet!” Masks may
also be worn as a fashion accessory to disguise identity, if needed.
No surprise then that Pieter refers to this event as “a Ball fit for
a queen!”
ends.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The Absolut White Ball takes place on Friday, 04 August 2006 at
21h30 at Taboo, corner of Fredman Drive and Gwen Lane, Sandton.
Entrance is R50 per person and pre-sale tickets are available at
Cameroon in Sandton, Eastgate, The Willows Pretoria and MenXPosed in
Rosebank.
For more information visit
www.queercity.co.za
Media passes are available for the event and can be arranged by
contacting Etienne de Villiers at Freshly Brewed Communications on
082 323 7202 or
etienne@freshlybrewed.co.za
Media enquiries only: Freshly Brewed Communications on 082 323 7202
or
etienne@freshlybrewed.co.za
General public enquiries: visit
www.queercity.co.za
Issued by Etienne de Villiers @
Freshly Brewed Communications on behalf of Qc.
Cell: 082 323 7202
E-mail:
etienne@freshlybrewed.co.za
20 July 2006
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