Companies are constantly trying to reach their target audience through emails, text messages, TV commercials, social media posts, and targeted ads that pop up on our screens. As a society, we are flooded with marketing messages, but what sets inclusive marketing apart?
Inclusive marketing ensures that a brand’s products and services apply to or benefit all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, ability, sexuality, or social class. It begins with recognizing the need to understand and showcase unique and diverse perspectives and it is a way in which businesses and their consumers can connect on a more personal level. It is also crucial to promote social equality.
What Does Inclusive Marketing Look Like?
Inclusive marketing has many components to it, starting with a team of diverse voices. When you have a multitude of perspectives on your team, you can discern what products or services are universally needed, which helps you appeal to more than one group of consumers. Having employees from all backgrounds means that you have diversity in ideas, minds, and approaches. This can translate into more diverse marketing strategies because the employees can offer different perspectives on what consumers might need or be interested in. Another way in which a business can apply inclusivity in their marketing is by featuring diverse people in their advertisements. When people see others who look like them using a product or service, they are more likely to buy that product or service, because they feel seen and understood. In a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group in 2018, it was found that diversity in marketing increases a company’s net profit. Companies that reported above-average diversity in leadership had a 19% increase in their revenue compared to companies that had below-average diversity in leadership.
Benefits of Inclusive Marketing
Why should businesses use inclusive marketing strategies? Besides being good for society, inclusive marketing has been shown to increase profits, company morale, and brand loyalty. Consumers are more likely to support brands that emphasize diversity and inclusion in their marketing. A 2020 study reported by Forbes showed that over 60% of Americans believe diversity in advertising is critical, and 77% of millennials indicated that they were more likely to trust brands with diverse marketing.
An additional benefit of inclusive marketing is the ability to reach a wider audience, which also brings in new customers or supporters. When a company appeals to a variety of perspectives and has products that work for all needs, it will stand out from the rest.
Examples of Inclusive Marketing
Brands bringing inclusivity and diversity into their marketing include American Eagle Outfitters’ popular clothing and lingerie brand Aerie. In 2019, they implemented a marketing campaign called Aerie Real that promoted inclusion and body positivity by featuring models with a variety of body types, skin colors, and abilities. Following the launch of this campaign, the company’s sales went up 20%. Actress Ali Stroker, who was the first person who uses a wheelchair to appear on Broadway, and Brenna Huckaby, a Gold Medalist Paralympic Snowboarder, are two examples of models that have been a part of the Aerie Real campaign since 2020.
Actress and singer Selena Gomez started her own beauty brand in September of 2020 called Rare Beauty. Their products are marketed as easy to open and use for those people with lupus, arthritis, and other mobility disabilities that impact fine motor skills. What is important to note is that their products adhere to the principles of universal design, so they can be used by anyone, whether they have difficulties opening things or not.
In partnership with gamer and creator Spencer Allen, who was in an accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down, Microsoft created the Xbox Adaptive Controller to meet the needs of gamers with limited mobility. Additionally, the Xbox has the option for text to be read out loud along with a night mode setting that provides higher contrast for those with vision difficulties.
Inclusive Marketing Tips for Businesses
- Develop new content with diversity in mind
- Reach out to and work with organizations whose mission is to represent and advocate for minority groups
- Make sure your website and social media are accessible with alt text for images, captions for videos, and accessible fonts and color choices (Please visit the Disability Belongs™ website for advice on online accessibility)
- Hire people with diverse backgrounds
- Consider how your products and services can benefit all people
Currently, making products and services accessible to everyone is the exception, but it should be the rule. When a business views inclusive marketing as an option instead of a necessity, that business becomes exclusive. Not including diversity in your business can negatively impact your profit margin; companies with below-average diversity in their leadership report an average of only 26% in total innovation revenue, compared to 45% for those with above-average diversity in their leadership. Businesses like American Eagle Outfitters, Microsoft, and Rare Beauty are model examples for others on how to become better with accessibility.
If you want to learn more about how your business can become more inclusive, reach out to Disability Belongs™!
