Introducing: Caya
Nov 3rd, 2010 by Laura MacDonald's Blog
Caya or Come As You Are is the latest retail brand from Telus which caters specifically to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. In fact, its first store was opened Friday, October 22nd 2010 in downtown Vancouver. Caya sports fancy new phones and accessories in addition to a stylish set-up in the store. The furniture and displays can even be moved off to the side to create a community meeting place. Wait was that a “community meeting place”? Yup. Unique is the only word to describe this phenomenon.
Basically its a phone store that has gone way past the traditional role of providing phone services. Caya is actually creating a place where certain people can connect and bond over their common values. It could be a very smart move, strategically, for Telus. It could be seen as good positioning. On the other hand, Telus could potentially alienate its previous customers with this move. Why did this company find it necessary to make a special brand for its LGBT clients? Were they not equally as able as everyone else to purchase phones at regular Telus stores? Caya is evidently an innovative idea, but in specifying its target group, it seems to be inadvertently segregating Telus’ customers.
Read more:
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Telus+sales+outlet+aims+inclusion/3726252/story.html