Date: Fri, 28 Apr 1995 10:30:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Rex Wockner Subject: HYATT ADS TARGET GAYS COPYRIGHT (C) 1995 REX WOCKNER AND AFFILIATES La Jolla Hyatt Targets Gays by Rex Wockner SAN DIEGO -- The Hyatt Regency La Jolla hotel has targeted gays with a direct-mailing and an ad in Out magazine. Director of Sales Judy Cronkhite explained: "We look at this market as no different from any other target market. "I'm a little uncomfortable (talking to you)," she continued. "We're not trying to get publicity from this and we're not trying to be anything different other than making smart business decisions. "We felt that it just made good business sense and have really wanted to stay away from any publicity about it." Cronkhite said the hotel did not want to be perceived as "exploiting ourselves," which she said meant the hotel did not target gays in order to generate publicity and then attract gays that way. "There are companies that may exploit their position in the (gay) market because it is something new, and that's what we are trying to be extremely careful about," she said. "This is a business decision and we're not looking to exploit ourselves as being innovative or anything like that." The Out ad and the direct-mailer are similar to other Hyatt ads except the models are two bronzed, blow-dried, thirty- something, yuppie men smiling at each other. The ad states: "Two people. One special place. Countless possibilities. Explore those possibilities together at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla." An "inside source" told the gay travel newsletter Out & About that the campaign "ruffled a few feathers at Hyatt headquarters" but other California Hyatts may nonetheless follow suit. Cronkhite had no comment on Out & About's report. == END ==