The year is 2022 and I am amazed by the fact that we still talk about and need to uncover “truths” about human beings who are disabled or disadvantaged. Those truths revealed as part of a sincere effort to enlighten other people – especially with those responsible for business operations – who are living their lives in the proverbial dark is a sad indictment of our first world educated population. 

In the United States alone approximately 26% of the population go about their daily lives with a disability – some visible, some not. Disabled adults possess the same hopes, dreams, and aspirations as nondisabled adults. 

Unfortunately, many nondisabled adults tend to ignore or remain ignorant of ways to interact and engage those with disabilities.

The disabled population in the United States conservatively represents approximately 67,000,000 adults – more than the total combined adult population of Alaska / Connecticut / Delaware / Georgia / Hawaii / Idaho / Maine / Maryland / Massachusetts / Montana / Nebraska / New Hampshire / New Jersey / New York / North Carolina / Rhode Island / South Carolina / South Dakota / Vermont. Nineteen (19) or 38% of the states.

I assume that no marketer selling goods or services intentionally ignores the total adult population of nineteen (19) states.

We recently conducted our baseline study on perceptions and behaviors of adults in the United States regarding inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. With those findings we can’t help asking why marketers remain or stay significantly ignorant when it comes to gaining a real understanding and love for audiences that don’t fit neatly into a homogenous bowl of adults? That fictious bowl. A bowl that simply doesn’t exist in the breadth of our culture.

If you are a tourist destination or sports venue, disabled adults have been more engaged over the past 18 months in visiting and attending places and events than nondisabled adults (even higher for disabled racial-ethnic minorities). And nondisabled racial-ethnic minorities are significantly outpacing the engagement of white adults.

The disabled and racial-ethnic minority populations enjoy the same activities when they travel as everyone else but tend to travel less. It appears that air travel is a significant barrier – it is just hard to navigate all the visual, logistical, physical, and sensory challenges that are inherent in the rigor of air travel. This can and should be addressed at every level, every touchpoint of the journey. 

When looking specifically at sports, racial-ethnic minorities tend to be the biggest die-hard fans and racial-ethnic minority disabled are die-hard fans at a rate 66% greater than white disabled. Again, sports teams and venues must address every touchpoint on the journey to achieve full engagement.

Knowing all this it is important to understand that nearly three-quarters (¾) of disabled adults feel negatively affected BECAUSE of their disability – something they live with day-in, day-out.

What is the source of negative actions toward disabled adults? Is it ignorance or arrogance? Is it at lack of sensitivity or lack of caring? Is it shallow understandings or old societal norms?

As societal empathy grows there is a new wave of desired accountability. A greater percentage of the nondisabled population believe it is important for companies to embrace sincerely and showcase I.D.E.A. (inclusion, disability, equity, and accessibility) in their advertising. A belief prevalent with two-thirds (2/3) of total the adult population. 

Marketers run the risk of alienating more than just the 26% – they run the risk of losing more than 60% of their total market potential. 

To ignore the communication, product and delivery needs of ALL potential customers is certainly ethically and morally stupid – ultimately, it may be business suicide!

Make it a point to know as much as possible about all your potential customers/visitors/fans. Take the time to be informed, to be intelligent. It’s morally and ethically correct. And it will support a positive bottom line.