Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc.
Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc. is a Washington, D.C.-based communications firm that provides Strategic Public Relations and marketing communications services for corporate and non-profit clients. Witeck-Combs specializes in the Gay and Lesbian Consumer Market; health, disability and social issues; and reaching the Washington, D.C. market. The company represents Fortune 500 companies that serve the multi-billion-dollar gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender market.1
History
Bob Witeck and Wesley Combs volunteered and worked for LGBT civil rights causes and AIDS benefits. They noticed that these organizations lacked the professional expertise and business savvy to grow and prosper. They saw a disconnect between the gay community and the professional world and started Witeck-Combs as a bridge to connect these two worlds.
National Coming Out Day
In 1993, Bob Witeck and Wesley Combs founded Witeck-Combs Communications and immediately began work on two projects that would shape their business. The first was to shape and promote National Coming Out Day as an educational project of the Human Rights Campaign. Witeck-Combs Communications helped recruit Amanda Bearse and Dan Butler to advertise National Coming Out Day. In all of the posters and statements, Dan and Amanda stated, "I'm not a straight person, but I play one on TV."2
American Airlines
The second project that formed Witeck-Combs Communications was to PReVENT backlash and a possible boycott of American Airlines and to create an employee education program that sensitive to People with HIV/AIDS and GLBT people. In June of 1993, many GLBT Americans traveled to the March on Washington in the District of Columbia. The controversy began when one member of American Airlines flight crew recommended that the pillows and blankets used by group of GLBT passengers be thrown away because they were contaminated with HIV, the virus which causes AIDS3. In a separate incident in 1993, a passenger living with AIDS was removed from an American Airlines flight because the flight crew deemed the passenger to ill to travel4. Witeck-Combs Communications was hired to stem the tide of frustration from the Gay Community. Witeck-Combs began by creating an employee training program to ensure that each employee would be sensitive to GLBT customers and those living with HIV and AIDS. Apart from this, Witeck-Combs Communications helped American Airlines to create policies that are more accepting for people living HIV/AIDS and GLBT passengers and Employees. American Airlines was among the first airlines to include [...] orientation and transgender identity into its employment nondiscrimination policy. American Airlines was the first airline to implement the same partnership benefits for same-[...] partners as married spouses5. Witeck-Combs Communications continues to work with American Airlines to reach out to the Gay Community.
Research
Witeck-Combs Communications has teamed with both Harris Interactive and Marketresearch.com to understand the minds, preferences, demographics and purchasing power of the GLBT individuals through authentic and original market research. Such research has shown that:
- 78% of GLBT Consumers are extremely likely or very likely to consider brands that are known to provide equal workplace benefits for all their employees, including GLBT workers6.
- 91% of GLBT workers choose to work for a company that offers domestic partner benefits7.
- The 2006 buying power of the Gays and Lesbians was $660 billion and the Gay and Lesbian buying power is expected to exceed $835 billion by 20118
References
1. Mission Statement of Witeck-Combs Communication. http://www.witeckcombs.com/about_us/mission.html
2. Witeck, Robert and Combs, Wesley. "Business Inside Out: Capturing Millions of Brand Loyal Consumers" Kaplan Publishing. 2006. Pages 10-13. 2
3. Gunther, Marc. Marketers are Courting Gay Consumers. Fortune Magazine. December 7th, 2006.
4. Witeck, Robert and Combs, Wesley. "Business Inside Out: Capturing Millions of Brand Loyal Consumers" Kaplan Publishing. 2006. Page 14.
5. Witeck, Robert and Combs, Wesley. "Business Inside Out: Capturing Millions of Brand Loyal Consumers" Kaplan Publishing. 2006. Page 19.
6. Witeck-Combs and HPOL data 2007, 2006
7. Out & Equal Workplace Advocates/Witeck-Combs/Harris Interactive (2000-2006).
8. PRNewswire. "Buying Power of US Gays and Lesbians to Exceed $835 Billion by 2011." January 25th, 2007.