7 Brands That Mastered Inclusive Marketing

Inclusive marketing is the practice of recognizing and reflecting the diverse identities of your audience across every touchpoint of the customer journey. It goes beyond simple representation; it requires a structural commitment to accessibility, cultural relevance, and genuine belonging. When executed correctly, this approach does not just fulfill a social responsibility—it attracts and retains a broader, more loyal customer base by solving problems for people who have historically been overlooked.

The consumers you serve possess a complex array of identities that influence how they discover, evaluate, and use your products. These identities impact their decision-making processes, their sense of safety, and their ultimate success with your brand. Companies that acknowledge these differences and actively adapt their strategies to serve them are seeing measurable impacts on growth, trust, and market share.

We have analyzed how seven distinct brands effectively approach inclusive marketing. Their strategies range from product design modifications to deep shifts in media investment. By examining these examples, you can identify practical ways to make your own brand more welcoming and effective.

Product Design and Physical Accessibility

Mattel: Redesigning for Colorblindness

Product design is often the first barrier to inclusion. If a product cannot be used by a significant portion of the population, marketing that product inclusively is hollow. Mattel addressed this directly by committing to make its games accessible to colorblind users. Over 300 million people worldwide experience some form of color blindness, yet many board games rely heavily on color differentiation for gameplay.

In the summer of 2024, Mattel announced a comprehensive initiative to redesign its portfolio. The goal was to have 80% of its games meet colorblind-accessible standards by the end of 2024, including popular titles like UNO, Skip-Bo, and Kerplunk. The company aims to reach 90% accessibility by the end of 2025. This was not an internal guesswork process. The design team collaborated with experts in color deficiency and consulted directly with members of the colorblind community.

The resulting changes were tangible and user-focused. Instead of relying solely on hue, the games now incorporate symbols, icons, patterns, and tactile clues to differentiate elements. This co-creation model ensures that the product actually works for the users it intends to serve. It demonstrates that inclusion is not a marketing add-on but a fundamental aspect of product development.

Amped Fitness: Creating Safe Spaces

Physical environments also play a crucial role in inclusivity. For many women, traditional mixed-gender gyms present obstacles that hinder their workout experience. These obstacles can range from a lack of comfort to feeling unsafe or scrutinized under the “male gaze.” These factors can prevent women from achieving their fitness goals or even from entering the gym at all.

Amped Fitness recognized this specific pain point and responded by creating the “Babe Cave,” a women-only space within their facilities. This area is fully equipped with a complete range of exercise equipment, allowing women to train without the social pressures or discomforts associated with mixed environments. The initiative addresses the unique needs of a subset of their customer base, acknowledging that a one-size-fits-all approach to fitness spaces does not serve everyone equally.

This strategy has resonated strongly with users. Social media feedback highlights the comfort and freedom women feel in these dedicated spaces. By creating a physical environment that aligns with the specific needs of their female customers, Amped Fitness has built a deeper sense of loyalty and belonging. Other gyms are beginning to adopt similar models, recognizing that safety and comfort are prerequisites for customer retention.

Deep Consumer Insights and Representation

Lysol: Insights-Driven Marketing

Inclusive marketing requires more than good intentions; it requires data. Lysol has consistently ranked high in cultural inclusivity, winning the Best In Ad Effectiveness award for Most Culturally Inclusive Brands from the Association of National Advertisers Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing for two consecutive years. Brands that score highly in this category see significant increases in purchase intent, brand trust, and affinity.

Gary Osifchin, Chief Marketing Officer and General Manager at Reckitt U.S. Hygiene, attributes this success to deep consumer insights. These insights inform decisions across all phases of the marketing mix, from product formulation to advertising creative. Rather than making assumptions about what diverse audiences want, Lysol invests in understanding their lived experiences and values.

This approach ensures that marketing messages are not just representative but resonant. When a brand understands the nuances of different cultural groups, it can craft communications that feel authentic rather than performative. This depth of insight allows Lysol to maintain relevance and trust across a wide spectrum of consumers, turning inclusivity into a competitive advantage.

Google Pixel 8: Authentic Disability Representation

Representation in marketing is often treated as a checkbox exercise. However, when done authentically, it can be powerful. Google’s 2024 Super Bowl ad for the Pixel 8 is a prime example of this. The ad highlighted features designed for visually impaired users, but it did not stop at the technology. It featured a visually impaired actor and was narrated by Stevie Wonder, a blind musical icon.

Crucially, Google also hired a blind director for the project. This commitment to representation behind the camera is a best practice in inclusive marketing. It ensures that the perspective guiding the creative process is authentic to the community being portrayed. Disability representation in marketing has historically been low, despite one in six people worldwide experiencing a significant disability.

Google’s approach aligns with its mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible. By embedding accessibility into its core values, Google ensures that inclusion is not a afterthought but a north star for its operations. The company has dedicated roles, such as Head of Brand Accessibility and Head of Product Inclusion & Equity, to oversee these efforts. This infrastructure allows Google to systematically integrate diversity and equity into its daily work, rather than scrambling to add it at the last minute.

Language and Media Investment

Netflix: Multilingual as Standard

Language is a primary barrier to global engagement. Netflix has made multilingual content a standard part of its production process, not an afterthought. The platform is available in over 190 countries and 50 languages. For shows like Bridgerton, dubbing into every language is an integral part of the production timeline, taking months to complete alongside filming and editing.

Netflix goes beyond translation by producing original content specific to local markets. This includes local adaptations of global franchises, such as Love Is Blind, which is available in ten different markets including Sweden, Japan, and the Middle East. The platform also invests in stories that are deeply rooted in local contexts, such as Breaking the Silence: The Maria Soledad Case in Argentina.

This strategy allows Netflix to attract a wider audience by respecting linguistic and cultural nuances. It signals to viewers that their native language and local stories are valued. By treating multilingualism as a core production requirement, Netflix ensures that its content is accessible to a global audience without compromising on quality or cultural relevance.

Procter & Gamble: Investing in Minority Media

Historically, ad spend with minority-owned media has been disproportionately low, accounting for only 5% of total spend despite the diversity of the population. Procter & Gamble (P&G) has taken a strategic stance to shift this dynamic. The company has made intentional commitments to increase its investment in minority-owned and operated media.

This investment serves a dual purpose. It helps P&G reach diverse audiences more effectively through channels they trust and engage with. It also demonstrates a tangible commitment to the economic empowerment of underrepresented communities. P&G’s “Widen the Screen” initiative is one example of this effort, aiming to broaden the representation of Black life on-screen and address inequality in media.

Investing in minority media can take various forms, from sponsoring content created by underrepresented creators to buying ad space in minority-focused publications. For brands, this is a way to align their media budgets with their values, ensuring that their marketing dollars support the communities they aim to serve.

Challenging Harmful Narratives

Amazon Alexa: Redefining Beauty Standards

Marketing has the power to reinforce or challenge societal narratives. Amazon Alexa used its platform to challenge traditional beauty standards in a Super Bowl commercial. The ad featured a dark-skinned Black woman with naturally kinky hair as the lead character, a departure from the light-skinned, straight-haired women who have historically dominated mainstream advertising.

Research has shown that women with darker skin tones are significantly underrepresented in ads. By featuring a talent that defies these norms, Amazon sent a clear message about who belongs in its brand narrative. This type of representation is crucial for changing perceptions and fostering a sense of inclusion among audiences who rarely see themselves reflected in media.

Challenging incorrect narratives requires courage and a willingness to disrupt the status quo. It involves asking who is missing from your current marketing and why. By intentionally featuring diverse representations, brands can contribute to a more inclusive cultural landscape and build stronger connections with a wider range of consumers.

Implementing Inclusive Marketing Strategies

Inclusive marketing is not a single campaign or a one-time fix. It is a holistic approach that touches every aspect of your business. Here are key areas to focus on:

• Product Design: Ensure your products are accessible to people with disabilities and other diverse needs. Collaborate with the communities you aim to serve during the design process.
• Environment: Create physical and digital spaces that make all customers feel safe and welcome. Consider the specific needs of different demographic groups.
• Insights: Invest in deep consumer insights to understand the values and experiences of diverse audiences. Use this data to inform your marketing mix.
• Representation: Ensure authentic representation in your marketing materials, both on-screen and behind the camera. Aim for diversity in the teams creating your content.
• Language: Make multilingual content a standard part of your production process if you serve a global or diverse local audience.
• Media Investment: Allocate budget to minority-owned media and creators to support economic equity and improve reach.
• Narratives: Actively challenge harmful stereotypes and incorrect narratives in your marketing. Feature diverse representations of beauty, family, and success.

By adopting these strategies, you can build a brand that not only reflects the diversity of the world but also thrives because of it. Inclusive marketing is a long-term commitment that yields both social and business value. It requires ongoing effort, but the result is a brand that truly belongs to everyone.

What steps will you take to make your marketing more inclusive?