“See Me, Hear Me” – Driving Positive Change in Video Marketing Through Inclusive Storytelling, Inclusive Access, and Inclusive Success
October 5, 2023
Currently, 27% of Americans have a disability1, and many of us who are not disabled know someone who is, whether the disability is apparent or not. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a person with a disability has “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a history or record of such an impairment, or is perceived by others as having such an impairment.” However, despite its prominence in the population, this subculture is hardly ever depicted in advertisements or on-screen content and is often inaccurately portrayed. With increased concerns about mental health issues, especially during the pandemic, disability is becoming a part of everyone’s experience and a key influence for a growing percentage of viewers who want to see themselves represented on television. By depicting individuals with disabilities’ experiences more accurately, the media has the power to alter the way that people see impairments, as well as to reap the benefits that come from a successful connection with important audiences.
In today’s interconnected world, advertising influences consumer behavior and shapes societal perceptions in ways that go beyond traditional promotion. Traditionally, depictions in advertising have emphasized important social characteristics including class, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexual orientation. As marketers, we have a special chance to promote diversity and representation in our ads and all digital assets while also considering the many needs of customers, including those with disabilities. Although there has been some progress in representing people with disabilities in the advertising industry, a lot more effort must be put forth in creative, media planning and beyond to ensure that people with disabilities are treated properly and with the respect they deserve.
Businesses that prioritize inclusivity and accommodations for people with disabilities in their marketing strategies have the opportunity to tap into a larger market, as they ensure that their ads are accessible to people with disabilities. In a survey conducted in April 2023, by Morning Consult on behalf of Voya Financial, 84% of respondents said they wanted to do more business with companies that are inclusive of people with disabilities in their advertising/marketing efforts. Additionally, 80% of respondents stated that they believed companies that were inclusive of people with disabilities in their advertising/marketing efforts to be more trustworthy2. Underrepresentation in entertainment or advertising content also hinders accurate media portrayals for persons with disabilities. By prioritizing accessibility and representation, marketers can boost corporate growth while fostering a more diverse and inclusive society.
BENEFITS OF INCLUSION:
Expanded Audience. Disability-inclusive marketing is built on the premise that marketing should represent and be accessible to all people with or without disabilities. A significant advantage of disability-inclusive video advertising is the expanded audience reach it offers. 61 million adults in the United States alone have a disability, which is around 27% of the population. By actively embracing accessibility in advertising, brands can ensure that they engage with a significant and valuable customer base, avoiding the unintentional exclusion of a substantial portion of the population. The potential market size also becomes apparent given that there are over 1 billion people living with disabilities worldwide and 20.3 million families in the US with at least one disabled member. Marketing that is inclusive of people with disabilities can have an effect that goes beyond the disabled people themselves. People with disabilities are not a solitary market; the market size doubles when you consider they are surrounded by family members and friends who also recognize the value of products and services that accommodate all people in society, demonstrating the financial benefit of serving this diverse audience.
The Bottom Line. In the United States, the total disposable income for working-age persons with disabilities is roughly $490 billion3. This vast and often overlooked consumer demographic wields substantial economic influence, like other pivotal market segments like Black and Hispanic Americans. Acknowledging the economic power of people with disabilities underscores the urgent need for greater representation in advertising, as overlooking this demographic represents a missed opportunity for brands to connect with a valuable consumer base. Companies can access a substantial market share while also contributing to a fairer and more inclusive society by embracing diversity and inclusion.
Brand Loyalty. Brands that recognize and support audience representation and ambitions are regarded as being socially responsible, which may lead to an uptick in customer loyalty, an enhancement of brand reputation, and a sense of social responsibility that appeals to customers who value inclusive and ethical practices. Customers are more inclined to support the brand and continue with it because of this positive response if they appreciate supporting businesses that value diversity and inclusivity. Research and surveys consistently show that consumers are more likely to support brands that support disability inclusion in their advertising efforts; 80% want to do more business with these companies; and 75% find these companies more trustworthy.10
Fostering Creativity. Disability-inclusive advertising also fosters innovation and creativity. Brands must think outside the box to generate content that appeals to audiences with various limitations, such as sight and hearing problems. This passion for innovation not only benefits the disadvantaged audience but can also inspire new and breakthrough techniques that captivate the attention of all viewers. Video commercials can also be made more adaptive and accessible by using aspects that are inclusive of people with disabilities, including closed captions. Not simply for viewers with hearing impairments, captions help viewers retain and understand the material. Accessible video material can also reach a larger audience across a variety of media environments, boosting the overall effect of ads.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION IN VIDEO:
To foster disability-inclusive video advertising, brands need to acknowledge their role in promoting positive societal change. Collaborating with reputable organizations such as the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) can provide valuable insight and guidance, helping to create content that resonates with the disabled community while avoiding potential missteps. Genuine engagement with disability advocacy groups ensures accurate representation of experiences and perspectives, amplifying their voices and encouraging a deeper understanding in society.
One reason many brands do not capitalize on this untapped market is the perceived difficulty of making their ads more accessible. However, if brands approach ad creation with an accessible mindset from the outset, it becomes easier to incorporate features like captions and audio descriptions. While there isn’t a definitive set of requirements for accessibility in advertising, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does mandate compliance for websites and point-of-sale devices. The World Wide Web Consortium developed a set of web accessibility guidelines called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. In these guidelines, the international standards organization identified four key areas to focus on:
- Information is presented in a perceivable manner for all users.
- Users can effectively navigate and interact with a website’s content.
- Users can comprehend the interface and information provided.
- Content is sufficiently robust to be interpreted by diverse audiences.8
While there are pros and cons to including disability portrayals in video advertising, brands should prioritize authenticity over superficial attempts at inclusivity. Tokenism, stereotyping, and inaccurate portrayals can provoke skepticism and backlash from both the disabled community and the public. Brands must focus on truthful portrayals that highlight the diverse talents, circumstances, and aspirations of individuals with disabilities. This genuine approach establishes a connection and understanding that goes beyond mere marketing messages.
Instead of relying on clichés or one-dimensional representations, advertisers should emphasize the unique personalities and abilities of people with disabilities. Actively involving them in the planning and creative processes is crucial for achieving this goal. Engaging people with disabilities from the onset enables brands to gain essential insights and ensure accurate portrayals of their daily lives. This approach not only boosts the credibility of the content but also empowers individuals by giving them control over their representation.
Disability-inclusive advertising is a transformative endeavor that requires genuine inclusivity, empathy, and respect for all individuals. By adhering to these principles, businesses can revolutionize how disabilities are portrayed in video advertising and make a lasting positive impact on society.
As an added tip, making sure that your digital assets (websites, social postings, emails, etc.) all meet standards for web accessibility is a great way to embrace inclusion and creates a more complete experience for audiences with disabilities. Oftentimes, people will leverage a variety of different forms of media as they look to learn more about a treatment or indications which is why ensuring that all your assets meet ADA standards is the best way to empower your audience. Creating a seamless transition from interacting with video to further researching their situation via brand.com’s or other digital assets is imperative to supporting your audience as they progress in their research journey.
ROLE OF SIGHT AND HEARING ACCESSIBILITY:
The perceived difficulty of making creative more accessible is one of the reasons more brands don’t take advantage of this untapped market. Contrarily, it’s simpler to add features like captions and audio descriptions if marketers design their advertising with accessibility in mind from the start.
Video is a format that can be inaccessible to many if left without additional considerations. When creating videos ads or content, it’s important to remember that not everyone will be able to hear or see your video content. Sight accessibility is essential for ensuring that video advertising material reaches a broad and inclusive audience. Closed captions and descriptive audio are among the key components that enable people with hearing and visual impairments to view video material, respectively.
Closed captions allow people with hearing impairments to interact with the audio content by providing a text-based depiction of spoken conversation and sound effects. These simple yet powerful additions allow individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to fully comprehend the message conveyed in the video advertisement. By using transcripts and subtitles to adjust for hearing accessibility, inclusive video advertising expands its audience. People with hearing impairments can easily follow the dialogue thanks to subtitles, which provide a written version of spoken words. Transcripts also give a comprehensive textual representation of the whole audio content, ensuring that people who are hard of hearing or deaf may access all the information in the advertisement. By incorporating hearing-accessible aspects, brands enable people with hearing impairments to select their preferred method of content consumption.
Those who are blind or have impaired vision can benefit greatly from descriptive audio. By explaining visual details and activities, descriptive audio gives the visually impaired access to the whole context of the commercial by giving a thorough understanding of the on-screen images. By incorporating visual accessibility features, brands demonstrate a sincere commitment to inclusivity and send a strong message that values the various requirements of every person.
This compassionate approach of using closed captions and descriptive audio encourages positive brand connections because customers see these brands as socially conscious and genuinely interested in connecting with and interacting with all consumers.
Although there are no explicit guidelines for advertising accessibility, websites, and point-of-sale equipment must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)4. Additionally, the World Wide Web Consortium created a set of rules on web accessibility called the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines where primary areas of focus are provided to ensure accessibility.
EXAMPLES:
Several powerful video ads have arisen in recent years, supporting disability representation and diversity in advertising. These commercials not only connect with audiences, but they also set new industry norms by motivating positive change and building a more inclusive society. Let’s look at some inspiring campaigns that have made considerable progress in pushing for disability representation.
In a groundbreaking moment for disability depiction, Levi’s included a wheelchair user pulling a wheelie in a 1984 TV commercial5. This groundbreaking advertising addressed stereotypes about disability by depicting a disabled person performing an adventurous and dangerous act. The theme of the advertisement went beyond standard marketing; it represented a shift in cultural attitudes around disability, emphasizing that persons with disabilities are defined by their abilities and aspirations rather than their limitations. This early effort paved the way for future disability-inclusive advertising, pushing corporations to see disability representation as a potent tool for overcoming preconceptions and promoting a more inclusive environment.
Apple’s “Designed for Everyone” advertisement from 2016 marked a turning point in the portrayal of impairments6. The ad showcases the accessibility features of Apple products and demonstrates how people with disabilities may readily integrate technology into their daily lives. The commercial emphasizes the revolutionary potential of inclusive design by showing individuals joyfully interacting with Apple devices. By portraying persons with disabilities as strong, independent users, Apple rewrites the history of disability misconceptions. The commercial has a much bigger impact than just showing off the products; it sends a strong message of empowerment and shows how easily available technology can make people’s lives better overall.
Disability visibility in the entertainment and advertising sectors has significantly increased thanks to campaigns like “The Return of the Crip Walk”7. Entertainment industry professionals are urged by this powerful campaign, which was spearheaded by activist and filmmaker Day Al-Mohamed, to embrace disability representation truthfully. By encouraging the inclusion of disabled actors, directors, and writers in the creative process, the campaign aims to challenge stereotypes and diversify on-screen portrayals of disability. Such initiatives have an impact that goes beyond specific advertisements, impacting the entertainment industry as a whole and encouraging real presence in the narrative. As disability representation becomes more prevalent and multi-dimensional in the entertainment industry, audiences are exposed to diverse narratives, fostering greater understanding and acceptance of disability in society.
During the 2019 Super Bowl, Microsoft debuted their “We All Win” campaign11, which received enthusiastic praise. This advertisement featured Microsoft’s Xbox adaptable controller, showcasing young gamers with various disabilities who were using this revolutionary product. Microsoft spent several years developing the adaptive controller, engaging with organizations such as The AbleGamers Foundation. Microsoft’s proactive approach, which included the disability community from the beginning of research and design to the marketing stage, resulted in higher sales and acclaim.
Being an ally to the disability community entails more than just including differently abled persons in advertisements and imagery, but also broadening the way product and experience design is imagined from the start. More recently Unilever9, one of the world’s largest advertisers, has made a significant commitment to enhance inclusivity by ensuring the participation of people with disabilities in major advertising productions. This initiative entails hiring at least one crew member with a disability for advertising productions worldwide. Through embracing the creative contributions of disabled people, Unilever hopes to revolutionize industry practices. This move aligns with their “Believe in Talent” campaign, designed to increase the representation of individuals with disabilities behind the camera in advertising. To facilitate this, Unilever is introducing an “Inclusive Production Toolkit” developed with insights from the disability community, which will provide guidance to agencies and production companies. Notably, prominent entities in the advertising realm, including WPP, have pledged support for this inclusivity initiative, which could potentially transform the industry’s landscape, creating more opportunities for people with disabilities and infusing fresh creativity into advertising productions. This represents a substantial step towards greater diversity and inclusion within the advertising world, showcasing brands’ commitment to fostering equitable representation.
The “Spotlight”12,13 advertisement, which debuted Mastercard’s Touch Card, was made with the blind and partially sighted public in mind and was intended to be as accessible as the card itself. In essence, they wanted to inform the public about the struggles this minority community faces while getting this desperately needed invention into the hands of people who needed it the most. By using audio descriptions as an elevated storytelling method rather than an afterthought, ‘Spotlight’ prioritizes a blind and partially sighted audience. The approach and storyline both provide viewers with a rare peek into the daily life of a partially sighted actor and activist. The spot normalizes the partially sighted and blind, shattering prejudices typically depicted in the media, and demonstrates what a simple, yet profound innovation like the Touch Card can achieve to empower the community. The Touch Card ad by Mastercard was a fresh and significant moment for the brand. For the first time, the long-standing Priceless brand has been made relevant and accessible to a completely new demographic: those who are blind or partially sighted.
The landscape of video advertising is changing, driven by impactful campaigns and initiatives that advocate for representation and inclusion for all. The above examples have generated positive change in the industry, challenging preconceptions and amplifying the voices of people with disabilities. A more inclusive and compassionate society is a result of brands realizing the importance of true disability depiction. Brands may establish a sincere connection with a varied audience and influence positive change in perceptions and attitudes toward disability by taking the lessons from these effective campaigns and continuing to prioritize disability representation in their video advertising. These initiatives act as guiding lights for the industry, pointing it in the direction of a day when advertising fully reflects the rich and varied experiences of all people, including those with disabilities.
CONCLUSION AND KEY TAKEAWAYS
Although progress has been made in disability representation within advertising, much more needs to be done to ensure equitable treatment and respect for people with disabilities. It is not only a social obligation, but also a strategic necessity for brands to consider the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in video advertising. Representation holds immense importance as it can debunk misconceptions and foster an inclusive society. Disability-inclusive video advertising offers multifaceted benefits such as increased audience reach, positive brand associations, and encouragement for societal change. Brands can genuinely connect with diverse audiences and enhance brand loyalty and growth.
Supporting people with disabilities is a 12-month commitment. ADA Anniversary Month and Disability Employment Awareness Month are celebrated each July and October. There are other disability-related awareness days, weeks and months. However, showing up just for certain holidays can come across as opportunistic and hollow. A deeper commitment to inclusion is shown by providing significant representation outside of these two months.
Every brand, especially when it comes to targeted advertising, should prioritize designing for accessibility. To achieve truly inclusive video advertising, brands must adopt best practices for incorporating accessibility features:
- Implement closed captions and audio descriptions: Ensure that all spoken dialogue and relevant sound effects are accurately captioned and provide descriptive audio to convey visual elements and actions.
- Ensure visual accessibility via descriptive audio with clear and simple visual cues: Describe on-screen visuals thoroughly and provide clear visual cues to facilitate understanding.
- High contrast easily legible text against the background: To aid readability and employ legible font sizes and styles.
- Avoid flashing or rapidly changing content: To prevent triggering seizures in individuals with certain medical conditions, refrain from using flashing or rapidly changing visuals.
- Ensure compatibility with assistive technologies, i.e., screen readers: Test the video content with screen readers and other assistive technologies to ensure seamless compatibility.
- Test accessibility with real users: Involve individuals with disabilities in usability testing to gather valuable feedback and optimize accessibility.
- Promote awareness: Consider adding a brief message or logo to indicate that the content is accessible to all viewers, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to inclusion.
By incorporating accessibility measures for vision and hearing, brands demonstrate a genuine commitment to diversity, allowing people with disabilities to fully engage with their content. Powerful examples like Apple’s “Designed for Everyone” ad and projects like “The Return of the Crip Walk” showcase the significance and potential of representation and inclusion in advertising. These campaigns challenge stereotypes, empower individuals with disabilities, and set new industry benchmarks, urging brands to prioritize authentic disability representation.
By adopting best practices in disability-inclusive video advertising, brands can not only expand their market reach but also contribute to a more inclusive society. Advertising holds the potential to serve as a platform that reflects and celebrates our diverse world, fostering greater understanding and acceptance for everyone, including those with disabilities. As the industry evolves, embracing authenticity and true representation will undoubtedly pave the way toward a more empathetic and inclusive future.
Key takeaways to consider:
- Prioritizing accessibility is crucial in making video advertising content accessible to people with disabilities. By doing so, brands showcase their empathy and inclusivity.
- Make a commitment to representing people with disabilities authentically, avoiding tokenism and stereotypes, and actively involving them in the creative process.
- Disability-inclusive video advertising has the potential to challenge negative social assumptions, change cultural perceptions of disability, and promote greater acceptance and understanding.
- Foster innovation and creativity by embracing the challenge of creating content that appeals to diverse audiences, including those with different limitations.
- Study successful disability-inclusive advertising campaigns to understand the power of genuine representation and empowerment. Strive for truthful portrayals that highlight the talents, aspirations, and diversity of people with disabilities.
- Empower people with disabilities and collaborate with disability advocacy groups to provide individuals with disabilities more creative authority and control over their own image. This enhances the authenticity of the content and empowers the represented community. True participation in such partnerships demonstrates a commitment to making a positive impact.
- Build a compassionate brand image by embracing disability representation. Actively engage with the disabled community and genuinely portray them in advertisements to gain support and admiration.
Sources:
1https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html
3https://diverseabilitymagazine.com/2018/09/buying-power-people-disabilities/
4 https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
5https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-12-15-fi-2828-story.html
6 https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/why-apples-ad-is-a-milestone-in-disability-representation/
8 https://www.adroll.com/blog/why-accessibility-in-advertising-is-good-for-everyone
12 https://www.adweek.com/creativity/7-of-the-most-accessible-brand-campaigns-and-actions-of-2022/
13 https://www.shots.net/news/view/mastercard-puts-visual-impairment-in-the-spotlight