{"id":9733,"date":"2022-06-14T14:55:34","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T18:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/bhr\/?p=9733"},"modified":"2023-05-10T17:45:01","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T21:45:01","slug":"inclusive-marketing-building-a-loyal-customer-base-through-accessible-digital-and-physical-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/bhr\/2022\/06\/14\/inclusive-marketing-building-a-loyal-customer-base-through-accessible-digital-and-physical-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"Inclusive Marketing: Building a Loyal Customer Base Through Accessible Digital and Physical Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo by Kachka<\/a> on Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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By\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Mai Shalvi<\/a><\/span>, SHA \u201922, MMH \u201922<\/span><\/p>\n

Marketing is powerful. It allows brands to connect with customers and enhance experiences. It can uncover the needs of consumers and build strong relationships. It can also foster positive social change. Research suggests that consumers expect brands to be socially responsible, with 70% of Americans believing it is \u201csomewhat\u201d or \u201cvery important\u201d for them \u201cto make the world a better place\u201d (Schaeffer, 2019; Stobierski, 2021).<\/span><\/p>\n

One important social topic is inclusivity. Fifteen percent of the world\u2019s population lives with a disability (WHO, 2021). This 15% is often underrepresented and ignored in marketing efforts (BBC, 2021; Mallon, 2019). Alison Wong, a \u201cdisabled activist, writer, editor, media maker, and consultant\u201d wrote in her book, <\/span>Disability Visibility<\/span><\/i>, that \u201cdisability is both apparent and non-apparent\u2026 [it] is sociopolitical, cultural, and biological\u201d (Disability Visibility Project; Wong, 2020 p.30).<\/span><\/p>\n

So how can marketing be more inclusive?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hospitality and digital travel tech strategist Max Starkov, explains that individuals with disabilities are \u201cactive participants in everyday life. They are active travelers and have active social lives. Therefore, to be inclusive, companies have to be more creative, welcoming, and go beyond the required regulations<\/span>. Such initiatives give businesses a competitive advantage, and should be proudly promoted.\u201d Sonia Thompson, the author of a<\/span> 2021 Forbes article<\/span><\/a> writes, \u201cbusiness is about belonging.\u201d When \u201ccustomers feel like they belong with you, they reward you with their loyalty\u201d (Thompson, 2021). Studies indicate that nearly \u201c64% of consumers want brands to connect with them\u201d (Sprout Social). Additionally, 65% of customers find that \u201ca positive experience with a brand [is] more influential than great advertising\u201d (PWC). Such \u201cconnection breeds loyalty and bottom line growth\u201d (Sprout Social).<\/span><\/p>\n

One way to provide a better experience for individuals with disabilities is inclusive marketing. But how can that be achieved?<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Inclusive Marketing?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Inclusive marketing is the process of creating campaigns and initiatives that \u201cenable marginalized or underrepresented groups to fully experience and connect with brands\u201d (Xavier, 2020).<\/span> Thompson refers to it as the \u201cfuture of marketing\u201d and predicts it will \u201csoon transform from a \u2018nice-to-do\u2019 to a \u2018must-do\u2019\u201d (Thompson, 2021). It elevates underrepresented voices and can influence positive social change. With Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I), a core value for many companies, it should be expected for brands to follow through on such promises (Brodzik et al., 2021).<\/span><\/p>\n

Disabilities are extremely diverse, thus it is challenging to capture them all. It is about intentional progress and having awareness. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) outlines<\/span> six (6) disability types<\/span><\/a>: Mobility, Cognition, Independent Living, Hearing, Vision, and Self Care. The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that by 2050, about 2.5 billion people will have some degree of hearing loss. The 2018 National Health Interview Survey found that over 32 million American adults \u201creported experiencing vision loss\u201d (The American Foundation for the Blind, 2020). Furthermore, approximately 200 million people have an intellectual disability (Special Olympics, 2020). More recently, following the pandemic, more than 12% of individuals who contracted the virus have olfactory dysfunction that \u201cpersists in the form of ongoing reduction in the ability to smell\u2026 or changes\u201d in perceiving a smell (NYU Langone, 2022). Marketers have a distinct opportunity to connect with individuals who live with a disability.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Best Practices: Digital<\/b><\/h2>\n

Despite our heavy use of technology, there are no explicit requirements for accessibility. Yet, in recent years, there has been a<\/span> rise in lawsuits<\/span><\/a> against companies whose websites, apps, and videos were allegedly inaccessible to individuals with disabilities (Alc\u00e1ntara, 2021).<\/span><\/p>\n

However, there are some guidelines and best practices that can be followed to ensure a more inclusive experience. The goal is to raise awareness and anticipate the ways individuals interact with your content. Examples of digital content accessibility include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): <\/b>WCAG was established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C): \u201can international community that develops open standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web\u201d (W3.org). These parameters are updated regularly and allow content to be more accessible to individuals with varying disabilities, some of which include \u201cblindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, limited movement, speech disabilities, photosensitivity\u2026learning disabilities, and cognitive limitations\u201d (W3.org).<\/span><\/p>\n

The WCAG is divided into four principles (<\/span>https:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/WCAG21<\/span><\/a>):<\/span><\/p>\n