From: qmark@omni.voicnet.com
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 95 01:30:59 0400
Subject: Martina Navratilova Comes Out With A National Bank Card


Martina Navratilova Comes Out With A National Bank Card
Targeted To The Gay & Lesbian Community

Introduces The Rainbow Card Foundation
 To Support Health-Related Charities


New York, NY (10/10/95) -- Tennis  legend  Martina  Navratilova  today  
introduced  The Rainbow Card, a VISA credit card designed for  the  
lesbian  and  gay  community.  The Rainbow  Card  enables  gay  women  
and  men  to   demonstrate   their   pride,   while supporting a number 
of charitable causes through the  newly  established  Rainbow  Card 
Foundation.

The Rainbow  Card  Foundation  is  a  non-profit  organization  created  
to  distribute corporate donations and revenue derived  from  Rainbow  
cardholders annual  usage  to leading national gay health and education  
groups.  Subaru  of  America,  Inc.  is  the organization's founding 
sponsor.

Available  through  Travelers  Bank,  USA  (1-800-99   RAINBOW),   the   
Rainbow   Card offers no annual fee, a low introductory rate of 6.9%, 
free cards for  "chosen  family" members, and the option for domestic 
partners to apply  jointly  for  increased  credit lines. The Rainbow 
Card Foundation shares a percentage  of  all  purchases  made  using the 
Rainbow Card and a percentage of interest paid on revolving balances.

According to Navratilova, "The inspiration for the  Rainbow  Card  and  
the  Foundation came from the incredible strength and unity so many of 
us  shared  at  the  1993  March On Washington. This  experience  
prompted  my  friends  and  me  to  evaluate  ways  to harness the 
economic power  of  the  gay  community  to  achieve  humanitarian  
goals. Today, I'm proud to introduce  the  Rainbow  Card  as  a  
fundraising  tool  that  will generate a substantial amount of money for 
health  and  education  causes  relevant  to lesbians and gays.

"Our objective is to raise a minimum of $20 million for participating 
charities by  the year 2000. We can achieve this goal if only 250,000 
people  obtain  the  card  and  use it regularly. That's why our theme 
Is: Get it. Use it. Got it?"

Subaru  of  America  views  its  founding  sponsorship  of  the  Rainbow  
Card  Foundation as a way to multiply crucially needed health  and  
education  contributions,  as  well  as a reflection of  the  company's  
commitment  to  its  niche  markets,  according  to  Mary Triesbach, 
Subaru's director of marketing.

³Our sponsorship of the Rainbow Card Foundation  is  not  only  a  way  
for  us  to  be  a responsible corporate citizen, it also ties in well 
with our approach to niche  marketing, Subaru  has  introduced  its  
products  and  communicated  to  specific  consumer   groups through 
target marketing  for  years.  We  approach  consumers  in  the  ways  
that  they will  most  identity  with,  whether  they  are  nurses,  
outdoor  sports  enthusiasts  or lesbians and gays," she said.

The concept for the Rainbow Card  program  was  developed  by  
Navratilova  and  Do  Tell, Inc.,   a   lesbian   owned   marketing   
company   based   in   suburban    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Do  Tell  
principals  Pam  Derderian,  Nancy  Becker  and  Navratilova  are 
working to solicit additional corporate sponsorship support.

Derderian, CEO of Do Tell, Inc. has been involved in  regional  gay  
marketing  activities for  over  a  decade  and  sees  this  program  as  
both  a   business   achievement   and milestone  for  the  gay  
movement:  'The  Rainbow  project  enables  us  to  fulfill  our 
philanthropic and entrepreneurial goals while  expressing  a  strong  
sense  of  community spirit.

³We hope the  program's  success  will  give  us  continuing  
opportunities  to  link  the hands of mainstream corporate  America  
with  that  of  the  lesbian  and  gay  community, and encourage  
corporations  to  target  the  gay  market  more  directly.  As  
consumers,we are a significant  economic  force  with  a  great  deal  
of  money  to  spend  on  the products and services of the companies 
that support us."

Another noteworthy aspect of the  Rainbow  Card  has  to  do  with  its  
design.  Adorning the front of the card is a photograph taken by 
Navratilova from the  stage  at  the  March on  Washington  where  she  
was  a  keynote  speaker.  This  compelling  visual   captures a  
historic  moment  in  the  gay  movement  and  features  hundreds   of   
thousands   of enthusiastic supporters amid a sea of rainbow flags.  The  
rainbow  flag  is  a  universal symbol of pride and diversity for the 
gay community.

Consumers interested in receiving an application for the Rainbow Card 
can call 1-800-99 RAINBOW, or  look  for  applications  in  gay-friendly  
restaurants,  bookstores, and  other  retail  establishments.  For  more  
information   about   the   Rainbow   Card Foundation, write P.O. Box 
2165, Philadelphia, PA 19103.