Revolutionizing Accessibility: Inspiring Consumer-Centric Solutions
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 15% of the world’s population has a disability, which amounts to over 1 billion people. In the United States, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that over 61 million people have a disability, which makes up about 26% of the U.S. population.
The market potential of people with disabilities is significant, and businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of catering to this demographic by offering accessible products, services, and content. Accessibility not only aligns with legal requirements and ethical considerations but also demonstrate companies’ commitment to social responsibility, diversity, and inclusion and reinforce their ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategies.
There are different ways to address accessibility, and some companies have found very creative ways of doing so, often reaching an even broader audience. Let’s take a look at some examples:
Case 1
ALWAYS READ THE LABEL
HALEON + MICROSOFT: AI helps visual impaired patients to read label information
Brief Description
Why is it significant?
The project uses AI technology to promote inclusivity delivering improved safety and independence for patients. This partnership drives positive change while raising awareness about visual impairment challenges, and has the potential for a global impact.
Case 2
P&G INVESTS IN SENSORY ENHANCED BOTTLES
Herbal Essences to adds tactile markings to its shampoos and conditioners
Brief Description
Procter & Gamble’s mass hair care brand Herbal Essences introduced tactile markings on select bottles in North America – providing raised stripes for shampoo and circles for conditioner on its bio:renew range. These markings are going to be rolled out across all shampoo and conditioner ranges.
Why is it significant?
This project honours consumers with low to no vision. Globally, an estimated 253 million people have impaired vision; 36 million of which are blind, according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). It is estimated that 10% of all adults in the US have a visual impairment, for whom simple tasks, such as differentiating between personal care products during use, can be incredibly difficult.
Furthermore, this represents a highly ingenious solution due to the fact that under the water in the shower everyone can benefit from this packaging innovation and easily differentiate shampoo and conditioner without needing to open the eyes, making the tactile marking an accessible and practical detail for all.
Accessibility is not about disability. It’s about good design for everyone. Barclays Bank, which recently undertook a substantial project to reduce the numerous shades of blue in its brand book to a smaller number that could be perceived/ visualized by more people, created an interesting video on this aspect.
Case 3
SOLE MUSIC, ANGHAMI
Insole device helps hearing impaired patients to feel the music
Brief Description
Anghami, the leading music streaming app for the Middle East and North Africa, created a very inclusive device so that everyone can be touched by its music. Sole Music is a specially designed insole with integrated technology that can be placed in any shoe, like headphones for feet. It pairs wirelessly with any mobile, allowing the hearing impaired to enjoy musical vibrations on the go from the music streaming platform.
Why is it significant?
Music has the power to transform our emotions, inspire us, and evoke powerful feelings of joy, sadness, and nostalgia. But what about those who can’t hear music? For the 5% of the world’s population who have disabling hearing loss, the joy of music is often out of reach and this simple solution aims to help.
Case 4
ALIBABA HEALTH FONT
Alibaba opens its braille phonetic font library to the public free of charge to make health design more accessible
Brief Description
The font library developed by Alibaba Health, the group’s digital healthcare and pharmaceutical e-commerce business, supports inputting Braille with Pinyin, the official romanization system for standard Mandarin Chinese. And they made it open source for more people to use.
Why is it significant?
This initiative aims to make it easier for the general public to include Braille in packaging design and artistic creation. There are about 17.31 million visually impaired people in China.
Key Takeaways:
our cut ABBOVE
We saw
Creative ways to better serve people/patients, contribute to social good, and
leverage technology and innovation to improve healthcare accessibility and
inclusivity.
We learned that
Accessibility is not about disability
It’s about good design that can benefit everyone.
Brand-led solutions can make a difference
In helping patients with their conditions (Insole example) as well as the whole market to evolve (Alibaba example)
Beyond inclusivity, those projects leverage brand reputation. The diverse/inclusion initiatives are not only good for reaching various people, but they help to harness brand reputation.
This encourages us
To think beyond our core products and services, expand the references/ creative possibilities to be more accessible in our products, services, marketing, and communication.
Triggers for innovating
Where are the opportunities to make a difference and grow within your reach?
Can we use empathetic language and diverse representation in our communications to resonate with a broader demographic?
How can we involve end-users (patients, caregivers) in the design process to ensure our offerings are genuinely accessible and user-friendly?
Are there feedback mechanisms or forums where users can contribute ideas for improving accessibility?
Are there ways to simplify complex healthcare information without compromising accuracy for a wider audience?
How can we ensure that our communication strategies emphasize the inclusivity and accessibility of our offerings? Can we systematically improve our briefs?
How might we incorporate storytelling or visual narratives to communicate accessibility in our marketing campaigns?
ABBOVE TEAM