Advertising accessibility

What is accessibility?

Accessibility refers to the practice of ensuring that information, services and environments are accessible, usable and enjoyable for all people, regardless of ability. In advertising, accessibility means ensuring there are as few barriers as possible between all users and the media they consume. Accessible advertising content, whether broadcast or online, should be used, read, viewed, understood and enjoyed by everyone, including people who are blind, deaf or have vision/hearing loss, or people with disabilities, whether physical or cognitive. Accessibility can be understood within the wider context of creating a more inclusive society.

The vast majority of TV ads today are not designed with accessibility in mind or do not have services in place to make them accessible. Click below to learn more about access services and how they are used.

Ad Accessibility Alliance

The Alliance was initially established by the FMCG business P&G and egta. It is now led by ISBA in the UK and Union des Marques (UDM) in France, with egta remaining an active contributor.

The Alliance manages a dedicated online resource hub available to everyone in the industry. This platform offers best practice examples, guidance, and practical steps to help create more accessible advertising. The concept of accessibility in advertising varies depending on disability, access needs, and the platform where the ad appears.

Why Accessible Advertising?

15% of the European population lives with some degree of vision loss, hearing loss or learning/cognitive disability. The European Blind Union estimates that there are around 30 million blind and partially-sighted people living in geographical Europe. According to the World Health Organization, almost 200 million people in the European region experience some degree of hearing loss, with just under 50 million adults living with disabling hearing loss.

Yet, today, most TV ads are inaccessible to many people with disabilities or vision/hearing loss, limiting their access to information about products, services and education that could enable and improve their daily lives. 45% of people with vision/hearing loss feel excluded from access to services and information because TV advertising is not accessible. Advertising content should meet the needs of diverse audiences resulting in everyone having access to the same type of information and contributing to a more inclusive society.

For more information, see our 10 reasons why TV need to prioritise accessibility today.

Testimonials

A testimonial from Thibault Trancart, Brand Manager in Responsible Beauty/Europe Hair Care, P&G