How to increase reach by 15% for free!

Most brands are missing a trick by failing to include audio descriptions of ads for visually impaired consumers, or closed captions for those with hearing difficulties – yet 15% of the population has some form of these two disabilities. 

Why it matters

It’s the stated aim of Procter & Gamble’s chief brand officer to reach 100% of category buyers, so all P&G brands will simply have to be accessible to all consumers. There’s a straightforward business case, with disabled consumers around the world commanding an estimated $8 trillion in spending power. And that’s quite apart from the emotional connections brands can make with consumers who frequently feel left out and unnoticed. 

Takeaways

• The cost of adding audio description to an ad is 0.000001% of the total budget, according to Sam Latif, company accessibility leader at P&G, who is herself blind. But for a tiny amount, you potentially reach an additional 2.2 million people in the UK alone, she told an audience at Advertising Week Europe.
• Some 90% of ads are inaccessible but the European Accessibility Act, due to come into force in 2025, will require advertisers and media owners to address these issues. 
• Brands can easily track which of their ads are accessible and which media owners offer the necessary capabilities and can include accessibility demands at the briefing stage. 

Key quote

“People like me have got money to spend. We’re far more likely to spend money with the brands that are actively seeking to make things equal for us” – Sam Latif, company accessibility leader at Procter & Gamble.

BEC