Top Gay-Friendly Brands: Bravo, Absolut, Apple

Gay and lesbian consumers voted Bravo, Apple, Showtime, HBO and Absolut as their favorite brands, according to a study by Prime Access New York and PlanOut, San Fransisco, Calif.

The 2008 Gay and Lesbian Consumer Study attained information on gay and lesbian consumer habits and brand perceptions, revealing a ranking of over 70 gay-friendly brands. Surveys were received from 2,259 adult participants aged 18-64 and consisted of 1,502 general population respondents and 757 gay and lesbian respondents. It was conducted by Clark, Martire & Bartolomeo, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

More than two-thirds of gay and lesbian consumers said they are more likely to buy from a company they considered to be gay-friendly. A company's advertising, followed by input from friends and media, are the most influential factors in deciphering whether a brand is perceived as gay-friendly.

The study additionally concluded that 71% of gay and lesbian consumers said they have a more favorable impression of companies or products that feature gay imagery in their advertising.

"Gays and lesbians have many similarities to straight people, with one pronounced difference: they're more powerful consumers," said Kevyn Aiken, vp-marketing and media sales at PlanetOut in a statement. "In virtually every category