‘Products’ To 'Adaptive Products': How Marketers Are Looking At ‘Disability Inclusion’ As Next Big Strategy

Brands are marching towards 'disability inclusion' by making accessible products using adaptive technologies. Such projects are praiseworthy. But there is a catch!

By Prof Jones Mathew and Chitrakshi Bhutani

As much as 15% of the world’s population is living with some kind of disability, making it the world’s largest minority. Adaptive technology products market will grow at a CAGR of 4.8% by 2028. Brands can take strides in this space with representation of disability-friendliness in its marketing communication and co-creating adaptive products to achieve their new-found goal of disability inclusion. 

Mallon And The 'Deodorant' Story

Mallon, who has a visual impairment and an upper limb locomotor disability, had difficulty with applying deodorant spray from a regular can. That was before Unilever launched its ‘Degree Inclusive’ marketing strategy. Earlier, Mallon would struggle to twist the deodorant cap, spin the stick, or push down on an aerosol. Many people who have access to a basic utility such as deodorant take it for granted. But the challenge is real for people like Mallon. Unilever launched 'Degree Inclusive', a deodorant for people with upper limb locomotive disabilities, to adapt to this segment. Degree Inclusive has pushed the limit even farther by democratising small everyday products and not leaving the last person to use feeling left out. Mallon no longer holds back from breaking a sweat and defending it with a powerful deodorant! 

Are Marketers ‘Sensitised’?

Apart from Mallon, many people with disabilities would feel a strong sense of exclusion while they browse through retail aisles. Observing this feeling of alienation, many brands have taken interventionist strides in this space. Most recently, L’Oréal cosmetics came up with handheld lipstick applicator technology. Nike’s one-of-a-kind innovation ‘FlyEase’ is an easy-on and easy-off shoes range. Both creative hands-free product designs empower people with disabilities. 

The dearth of adaptive products also hinders fuller participation in festivities. So India’s SMART Bazaar engineered a special ‘Pichkari’ (water gun) for people who are unable to hold or grip objects. After all, disability should never be anyone’s reason to not enjoy a festival. Marketers are paving the way not just for ‘diversity’ but for ‘inclusion’ — “Disability inclusion” — in their product offerings. 

Disability Inclusion Means ‘Empowering’ People With Disabilities. Isn’t It?

Real disability inclusion doesn’t come from just ‘lip service’; but empowering people to do things (use products) on their own. People with disabilities have to depend on others for things like dressing up, getting in a car/bus, using a bathroom, staircase in case there is no ramp, and so on. Apart from locomotor disabilities, people with visual impairments often find it difficult to read labels and thus seek help. Being overly dependent on others has a negative impact on a person's self-esteem. Those that look at them with an eye of disdain cause them to have low self-esteem. Negative attitudes held by the families, and often by the disabled themselves, impede disabled people from participating fully in their families, communities, and workplaces. People with disabilities suffer discrimination on a daily basis. Dependence on others, along with social exclusion, has a negative impact on them. It becomes an issue of 'dignity' over time if one must rely on others for 'basic' life skills.  

Is The Adaptive Products Segment ‘Attractive’?

Interestingly, COVID-19 pandemic became a curtain-raiser event for unveiling statistics pertaining to this segments’ attractiveness. Lockdown measures left specially-abled people who lived alone or in institutions all by themselves. With little or no support from others, they have faced difficulties. An April 2020 article titled, “Covid-19 and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Guidance”, highlighted that almost 15% of the world’s population lives with a disability. That makes the disabled segment the ‘biggest minority’ worldwide. Over the next five years, the global disability market (adaptive product technology) is expected to increase at a CAGR of 4.8%. Consequently, marketers are marching to cater to the requirements of this demographic with adaptable products. 

How About Co-Creating Adaptive Products?

Brands are marching towards “disability inclusion” by making accessible products using adaptive technologies. Such projects are praiseworthy. However, they come with a huge cost and pain later when the product is not accessible or has to be re-engineered to make it accessible. What’s worse than designing a product and have it rejected by your customer? Working with them from ‘idea development’ to ‘product development’ and finally ‘product commercialisation’ is the best way. Listening to the ‘voice of the customer’ at each stage can positively shape the development of adaptive products- “real inclusion”. After all, who is better than a customer itself to tell what a customer wants?

The Road Ahead

Developing or co-creating adaptive products is just one side of the story. The real challenge lies in communicating about the offering. We often see product ads without disabled people as casting decisions are tokenistic. We would like to see disability inclusion as a standard in ads. Representation of disabled people using the products along with non-disabled shall be a norm and so ‘commonplace’ that we accept it rather than it being a pleasant surprise. Marketing communication comprising of ‘disability inclusion’ images can have a domino-effect; wherein, competitors shall join the league. 

Additionally, the casting of ‘specially-abled’ has to shift from the ‘sidelines’. The ‘big-market’ watching the ad or communication would be ‘all the more happy’ to see themselves as “equals” to others and not on the sidelines; thus, illustrating their role and value within the community. 

Investment in idea co-creation, product development, and marketing communication of adaptive products or ‘disability inclusion’ for that matter is beyond brand-community building. It’s a serious business! The makers of ‘Barbie Doll’- Mattel very sophisticatedly mirrors the ‘diversity’ in the target segment by designing ‘Barbie’ on a wheelchair, with a prosthetic leg, and other disabilities. The idea is to sell ‘Barbie’ who look exactly like ‘them’- the world’s biggest minority. In the United Kingdom, the two best-selling Barbie dolls had wheelchair. Since 2015, Mattel has designed 150+ dolls representing diversity in the world’s population. It has surely inspired us. We would urge marketers out there to not just build brands but ‘purpose-driven’ brands.

This isn’t a niche or a tick box, it’s not even marketing. In reality, it’s just the way things should have always been. 

Jones Mathew is Professor in Marketing and Chitrakshi Bhutani is Academic Associate at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon.

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