Coming Out: The Tale of the Lesbaru

Every brand in the industry knows they are selling to pet parents, but too few can specify it beyond that. To be successful, a brand must dial in exactly who its customer is. No two dog owners are the same; some scrutinize ingredient lists while others prioritize ease and familiarity.  Some shopper demographics may not yet be targeted by any brand. To find success in the crowded landscapes, brands need to focus more precisely rather than broadening their efforts.

As we close out Pride Month this year, I would like to highlight a company that succeeded not only through strategic market targeting but by engaging with its customer base in creative ways. Subaru is a success story in knowing your lane and not being afraid to own it. And its success, of course, begins with lesbians. 

Harold, They’re Lesbians

One of the worst things a company can do is lose sight of who its customer is. Back in the 1990s, Subaru was floundering behind its competitors, fighting for the same demographic that Ford, Toyota, and others were successfully selling to. Unfortunately, Subaru was not as appealing to the typical white American male. There was nothing wrong with Subarus. In fact, they were quite good cars: reliable, sturdy, and well-made. They were simply marketed to an audience that found them less exciting and more expensive than those from other automakers.

After the first ad agency they hired couldn’t steal market share from its larger competitors, Subaru hired a new marketing firm that began by identifying Subaru’s niche customer. What they found were five groups that prioritized dependability and were willing to pay a bit more for the all-wheel-drive vehicles Subaru manufactured. The groups were teachers, IT professionals, healthcare professionals, outdoorsy people, and lesbians. In fact, lesbians were four times more likely to buy a Subaru than the average consumer.

Able to safely weather snow, dirt roads, and long-distance relationships, Subarus were valued for being reliable without being flashy. A community notorious for putting function over fashion, lesbians were ideal customers for the "sturdy, if drab" vehicles. Subarus had ample storage space for camping, U-Hauling, or making Home Depot runs, all without being as big as a truck. It may have been during an era where allyship was unpopular commercially, but Subaru saw a key opportunity to boost sales by marketing specifically to lesbians. And they had a lot of fun with it.

Out of the Closet, Into the Forester

In the 1990s, the United States was in the midst of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era, and positive queer representation was all but nonexistent in popular media. Subaru had identified four other groups they could market to—why add lesbians to the mix? Marketing specifically to lesbians was a bold move, and the right one. As Agency Creative Director John Nash said about lesbians, “These women were practically commercials for Subaru.” Not marketing to them would be a huge missed opportunity and would affect Subaru’s bottom line. 

The story goes that when the marketing team—led by Tim Bennet of Subaru and John Nash of the hired ad agency—decided to target lesbians, they had to propose the idea to Subaru’s Japanese executives. When the executives heard they planned to target gay women, they looked up “gay” in the dictionary and enthusiastically agreed to the “happy” focus in the marketing plan.

But getting sign-off on an ad campaign was only one piece of the puzzle. Even in the 90s, and even under the leadership of a Japanese global corporation, Subaru decided to walk the walk, not merely talk the talk. For starters, they ensured that Subaru employees in same-sex relationships had domestic partnership benefits. Next, they went all-in on their ad campaign. 

They started by hiring actors to play lesbians in ads, a bold and highly visible move that cemented Subaru’s inclusivity, but they quickly learned that their target demographic actually preferred subtlety. Subaru’s successful ads were less direct in their orientation and more flirtatious—a little wink-wink, nudge-nudge—with Easter eggs hiding in plain sight. This is known as being "gay vague," where the target audience picks up on the subtext, but the rest of the population remains clueless about the intent.  And it’s a lot of fun.

Camp, not Camp

While most people see “It’s Not a Choice. It’s the Way We’re Built” as an ad for Subaru’s all-wheel-drive vehicles, a few see the double entendre and know the ad is speaking to them. Nothing flashy, yet deliberate. “Get Out. And Stay Out.” could just be advertising Subaru’s affinity  for camping and outdoor adventures, or it could signal Subaru’s support for queer people living authentically. Ads also included coded license plates like “XENA LVR,” a nod to TV’s Xena: Warrior Princess, the sapphic icon that existed before Ellen and Buffy.

Along with these iconic ads, Subaru hired pro tennis player Martina Navratilova, an out lesbian and champion, as a spokesperson for the company. While other brands shunned her from representing them, Subaru embraced every part of her. About her partnership with Subaru, she said, "All other advertisers could see was the fact I'm a lesbian. Subaru doesn't care. They see me as everything I am." Subaru was not afraid to truly support the demographic they were going after for sales. 

Outside of advertisements, Subaru has been active at Pride events, donated to support HIV/AIDS research, and partnered with queer organizations such as Visa Rainbow Card and PFLAG National. Even local dealers get involved. I always love seeing my local Subaru dealership at Pride. It’s a brand that has truly earned its place there.

Straight to the Point

That’s not to say Subaru has never faced backlash. The marketing team knew there would be pushback, but they trusted that their customer base, who were “diverse and well-educated," wouldn’t mind ads geared toward lesbians. Even in Subaru, not everyone was ecstatic about the campaign. It took the perseverance of the dedicated team to make it happen.

There was some outrage among consumers. Some wrote in to Subaru, vehemently insisting that they would never buy a Subaru. This was an empty threat, however, as none of these were a target market for Subaru, nor were they ever likely to have bought one in the first place.

You can never please everyone, so it’s crucial to build trust with the subset of the population that most fits your brand’s values. This is your target customer. Through all the resistance they faced, Subaru has kept its customers first and foremost, and this key principle has driven it to success more than any other.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

The gayest car since the U-Haul, Subarus have been synonomous with sapphism for 30 years.  Subaru emerged from the 90s with the knowledge that has helped them stay successful today—mind your customer, and stay loyal to them. June is often dominated by “rainbow capitalism,” but Subaru has had the queer community’s backs (and also Outbacks) for decades.

By learning who its target market was and prioritizing smart business over social stigma, Subaru has grown its market share, positioning itself as the fierce competitor it is in today’s auto industry. Maybe the reason your brand hasn’t reached its full potential is that you’re targeting the wrong market. Not everyone can be the Ford or Toyota that appeals to the largest customer base. Figuring out the niche markets that most align with your brand and targeting them specifically can yield better success.

Come talk to us! If you’d like to identify your primary consumer, BSM Partners can help. Our consumer insights team is experienced in profiling consumer segments to help your brand perform its best. Through savvy market research, you too can get real mileage out of data.

Follow us on LinkedIn for the latest updates on all things happening here at BSM Partners.

About the Author

Kait Wright is a Senior Analyst at BSM Partners in the Branding, Strategy, and Marketing practice. She has over five years of experience in consumer insights and market research and has worked in both the human and pet food industries. She has volunteered with a local TNR program, domesticating and fostering feral kittens. She earned her B.S. from Brigham Young University and lives in Utah with her two cats.