Observed Signal · Mar 5, 2026 · Opinion / Strategy · Source: https://martech.org/feed/ · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Unlock $18 Trillion: Make Accessibility Your Marketing Strategy!
An opinion piece argues that accessibility should be treated as a core marketing strategy rather than a compliance checkbox. It highlights Rare Beauty’s fragrance packaging — designed for ease of use — as an example of accessibility becoming the campaign itself. The article cites studies showing ethical and values-based purchasing by younger consumers and notes that more than 1.3 billion people globally live with a disability and, with their networks, control over $18 trillion in spending power (Return on Disability Group). AudioEye’s research found an average of 297 automated-detectable accessibility issues per web page, underscoring digital friction, conversion loss, and compliance risks under ADA and the European Accessibility Act. The author, Chad Sollis (CMO, AudioEye), recommends four marketer actions including leading with accessibility, codifying WCAG in brand guidelines, using data to prove ROI, and protecting accessibility like brand safety.
Highlights a large underserved $18 trillion consumer market and quantifies digital accessibility gaps (297 issues/page), making it relevant to marketers, product teams, and compliance owners.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Rare Beauty’s new fragrance launched with bottle packaging explicitly designed for accessibility.
- More than 1.3 billion people live with a disability and, together with friends and family, control over $18 trillion in spending power (Return on Disability Group).
- AudioEye’s 2025 Digital Accessibility Index reported an average of 297 accessibility issues per web page detectable by automation.
- Edelman and McKinsey studies cited: 73% of Gen Z say they buy from brands they believe in and 70% try to buy from ethical companies.
- Article authored by Chad Sollis, Chief Marketing Officer at AudioEye.
Connected Companies & Entities
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Related Market Signals & Shifts
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Making OOH advertising accessible benefits all brands
This article discusses the importance of accessibility in Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising, highlighting that inclusive creative can reach wider audiences and improve brand perception. It cites research showing that many Britons notice OOH ads frequently, and that a significant portion take action after seeing them. The author, Jonathan Hassell, emphasizes that ignoring accessibility risks excluding disabled, neurodivergent, and older consumers who have substantial spending power. Key recommendations include using high contrast colors and clear typography, being mindful of photosensitive triggers like certain colors or patterns, and adding closed captions to video ads. The article also showcases examples like Bupa's Paralympic campaign and HSBC's mural project that successfully implemented accessible features. Overall, accessibility is framed not just as a compliance issue but as a creative and business opportunity to broaden reach and strengthen brand loyalty.
Why clients reject accessibility — and how to fix it
This how-to article explains why clients often decline accessibility work despite clear evidence in its favor, arguing the problem is usually how designers pitch it. The author outlines that accessibility is commonly framed as a compliance cost rather than a strategic opportunity, causing clients to deflect with budget or timeline objections. The piece recommends a methodical approach to reframe accessibility as a growth and relationship-building tool, speak the client's language, address unstated fears, and present visualizable, outcome-focused solutions to increase buy-in and secure ongoing engagements.
Designers Already Know How to Make Web Accessible
A Medium article by Hope Turner argues that web accessibility is not a separate specialty but a direct translation of core design principles. Using data from WebAIM’s 2026 “WebAIM Million” crawl, the piece highlights that 95.9% of top homepages have detectable accessibility errors (an average of 56 per page) and that the six most common failure types have not changed in seven years. Turner maps common WCAG/Section 508 criteria to everyday design responsibilities—contrast, labels, headings, affordances, semantics—and urges designers and design systems to bake accessibility into components and content work, noting that many issues are cheaper to fix in design than in code.
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