Superman + Gay Men = A Lesson in Choosing Audiences
By Nathan Johnson

I read an LA Times article recently about how the new Superman movie could benefit from its appeal to a previously unexpected audience - gay men. By way of explanation, the article raised issues of Superman's appeal as a good-looking man in a tight-fitting suit who, like other super heroes, has to hide his true identity from the public at large and even from those to whom he is close. Those items undoubtedly make the film appealing to multiple types of audiences, but, among them, it wouldn't be unreasonable to find a larger-than-expected audience of gay males.

The article went on to talk about how, while the gay male audience was an unexpected plus, it could also cause issues. The possibility of Superman Returns being perceived as a "gay movie" could be detrimental to attendance by certain other audiences seeking the traditional testosterone fest of typical action-packed summer box office fare. Factor in the recent return of the hubbub over same-sex marriage and its polarizing effects on the populace, then mix in competition from a host of other movie options, and it's easy to see why Warner Brothers may be a bit anxious on opening weekend.

These factors raise the issue of the importance of knowing and picking the right audiences. For your communications objectives, choosing the right audiences is key. For example, in the world of public relations, you probably wouldn't want to focus all of your pitching efforts for a back-end technology product on trying to secure an interview on the Today show. You'd likely be much better served by focusing on the trade publications that are read by your potential customers. Even if you were able to get a minute of Matt Lauer's time, unless the network managers or IT directors who will make the purchase decision on your new product are tuned in, all of the great messaging you share on the product's benefits will be lost on an audience composed of moms getting the kids ready for school or people flipping the television on for a quick check of the weather and the day's major headlines. Choosing news outlets that appeal directly to your customers is the wiser move.

Getting back to Superman, don't think for a minute that the filmmakers and studio didn't know their movie might appeal to certain non-traditional audiences. According to the article, they've even bought advertising time on a cable channel targeted specifically to gay viewers. It's very likely that they're taking a calculated risk they hope will pay off in an expanded audience and increased ticket sales. It's probably a smart move, and though it is still a risk, it shows they paid attention to and targeted (albeit subtly) at least some of the available audiences.

Returning to the technology example, maybe that back-end product you make supports networks designed with some specific benefit for stay-at-home moms. If it makes their lives significantly better, their knowing about it by seeing you on the Today show could have some powerful indirect influence on the companies that will buy your product. In such a case, spending some PR efforts on getting a Today show interview might not be a bad idea - particularly if they supplemented the efforts toward reaching your direct target through the trade media, direct mail or other means.

It's key to know which audiences are most important to you and where your messages will have the most impact. Sometimes, knowing where to deliver your messages is not obvious, or perhaps you are unaware of additional audiences that may be effective to target. Because finding, choosing and reaching your audiences is so important, it's something you'll want to leave to the experts. Even if you have some of those experts in-house, getting additional perspective could help you discover new or better audiences with whom to share your messages.

Getting a little outside insight could just help you get your messages to the right targets faster than a speeding bullet - no cape or tights necessary.

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