Allstate sees Gospel Music Channel as connection with black customers

Allstate sees Gospel Music Channel as connection with black customers

By Becky Yerak
Chicago Tribune
(January 11, 2008) Trying to strengthen its market share among black consumers, Allstate Corp. is among the advertisers on Gospel Music Channel, which in 2007 surpassed its goal of being in 20 million homes by year's end.

The Atlanta-based network added more than 14 million subscribers over the past year, giving it a presence in more than 22 million households less than four years after its founding, spokesman Jim Weiss said.

Along for the ride has been Allstate, which has boosted its ad buys on the channel by 40 percent since it began marketing itself there in 2006. Rival Geico also buys time on the channel.

"For Allstate, reaching out to multicultural consumers is critical to our growth," said Steven White, senior marketing manager.

The Northbrook-based home and auto insurer ranks second in market share among blacks, usually vacillating between No. 1 and No. 2 with Bloomington, Ill.-based State Farm.

"For the African-American audience, church and spirituality are strong points of passion," and the channel is "an excellent venue" to connect with them, White said.

A recent Yankelovich Monitor Multicultural Marketing Study shows that 89 percent of blacks agreed with the statement "Religion is a key source of comfort in my life," compared with 81 percent of Hispanics and 72 percent of whites.

At least some Comcast subscribers in downtown Chicago can find GMC on Channel 475, part of a "digital classic" package that also includes the Sci-Fi Channel, VH1 Classic and Turner Classic Movies.

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