It’s 2024, and inclusivity and accessibility are becoming increasingly central in design, tech, and brand strategy conversations almost as much as AI because as AI is revolutionizing how we approach innovation and efficiency, inclusivity and accessibility are reshaping how brands approach connecting with their audiences. Building a brand isn’t just about making something beautiful; it’s about creating experiences that genuinely connect with every person who engages with your brand. Whether you’re a designer managing the build of a visual brand system or a key collaborator shaping its identity, your role is to bridge the gap between an idea and the experiences that follow. Inclusive design isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a set of methodologies and standards that create environments where people of all backgrounds and abilities feel welcomed.
Designing inclusively starts with a solid understanding of the standards. Accessibility guidelines like WCAG for digital experiences and Clear Print Guidelines for print are essential tools. By staying curious and empathetic, and continuously refining our practices, we can seamlessly integrate these standards into our work to create brands that connect with diverse audiences and turn ideas into inclusive solutions.
In this post, I’ll guide you through key elements to help kick-off your brand with a strong start, improving potential for market success with less rework down the line.
More than 1 in 4—
adults in the US live with a disability
(CDC, 2023).
28% higher revenue, 2x net income, and 30% higher profit margins—
that’s what businesses embracing disability inclusion achieve, on average, compared to their counterparts (Accenture2, 2020).
Overview
Creating a brand that serves diverse audiences starts with the basics. These key elements ensure your brand is accessible right from the start:
- Color Contrast That Works for Everyone
- Fonts That Are Readable for Every Eye
- Layouts Designed with Diverse Audiences in Mind
- Messaging That’s Clear and Inclusive for All Readers
- Subconscious Inclusivity in Imagery
- Brand Identity Beyond Visuals
Element 1
How can you be eye-catching if you can’t be seen? Your colors need to pull their weight—not just look good. For people with color blindness or low vision, the wrong combination can turn your brand into a mess of unreadable noise and lead to unnecessary cognitive strain. Nailing the right contrast not only improves readability and visibility to a broader audience but also makes your brand feel effortlessly welcoming.
Pro Tips
Before launching, double-check every detail to ensure your brand meets accessibility standards. For brand guides, start with Pantone for print, then convert to HEX to test for web using a contrast checker to ensure your colors meet global accessibility standards, like WCAG’s (2.2) AA compliance.
E.g., WCAG 2.2, Color + Typography
Normal Text >12 points or 16 CSS pixels | AA = 4.5:1 ratio, AAA = 7:1 ratio
Large Text >18 pt (24 px) or >14 pt if bold | AA = 3:1 ratio, AAA = 4.5:1 ratio
1 in 12 men (8%)
are color blind (WorldMetrics, 2024).
1 in 200 women (0.5%)
are color blind (WorldMetrics, 2024).
Element 2
Your audience interacts with content in various ways, but readability is a key consistency that your brand must maintain to build connections. Your content is your voice—if it’s hard to read, no one’s going to listen. Fonts that look sleek on large screens can quickly turn into a headache on smaller devices or in print. Thin fonts, no matter how stylish, can be challenging to read for those with low vision or on smaller screens. That’s just a taste of why we need to get a bit technical with our font choices—there’s no reason to create unnecessary barriers that prevent people from engaging with your message.
Pro Tip
Test your fonts in different sizes and settings to ensure readability across all mediums. Beyond style, focus on alignment, spacing, and character count. The British Dyslexia Association recommends sans-serif fonts with proper spacing to reduce visual clutter and boost word recognition, making your content clearer and more accessible (BDA, 2023).
- Headlines: Bold sans-serif or slab-serif fonts grab attention and stand out across formats.
- Body Text: Serif or sans-serif fonts offer the best readability, especially for longer paragraphs.
- Special Cases: Monospace fonts work well for logos or technical content but avoid them for large text blocks.
700 million people
worldwide are affected by some for of learning disability, and 5-10% of the population in each country is affected by dyslexia meaning they have challenges reading, writing, and spelling—so don’t make it any harder for them (World Population Review, 2024)
Element 3
*refer to how a brand consistently arranges its content across various platforms to ensure a cohesive visual identity.
The way you organize your content shapes how people experience your brand. Clutter can overwhelm your audience, especially those with cognitive impairments. But a clean, intentional layout guides the viewer’s eyes to your key messages, ensuring clarity across both print and digital formats.
Pro Tip
- Simplify your layouts by focusing on what matters most.
- Consider your key performance indicators (KPIs) and key initiatives to determine what is vital to highlight.
- Prioritize visual hierarchy by using size, color, and spacing strategically to draw attention to key messages.
- Apply the Gestalt principles of proximity, similarity, closure, continuity, and figure/ground to create clear relationships between elements and reinforce your message.
- Reduce cognitive load and enhance comprehension, allowing your audience to navigate your content more effortlessly.
Element 4
Accessibility isn’t just about visuals; it’s about making sure your message is clear and easy for everyone to understand. Jargon-heavy or complex language can alienate users and create barriers, so keep it simple and direct. Clear messaging not only improves accessibility but also helps you connect with a broader audience and boost your search visibility, making your brand more relatable and discoverable.
Pro Tip
- Use clear, straightforward language. Avoid jargon or complex terms.
- Focus on what matters. Prioritize key messages to prevent overwhelming readers.
- Think accessibility first. Create content that resonates across educational backgrounds and language proficiencies.
Element 5
Imagery shapes how people perceive your brand in ways that are subtle yet powerful. If all your visuals only feature young, able-bodied models, you risk unintentionally sending a message of exclusion, which can alienate parts of your audience. When you intentionally choose visuals that reflect diverse ages, ethnicities, and abilities, you’re not just creating a more relatable brand—you’re building trust and connection, whether consciously or not.
- For your design: Inclusive imagery creates visual experiences that resonate with a broader audience.
- For your business: It aligns your brand’s values with those of your audience, enhancing loyalty and trust.
- For viewers: It’s about feeling seen and valued in your brand’s story, leading to higher engagement and a lasting impression.
Pro Tip
Choose visuals that represent varied ethnicities, ages, and abilities. Use inclusive image libraries like Getty’s “ShowUs” diversity library, pocstock, or The Gender Spectrum Collection (to name a few) to:
- Show True Diversity: Represent varied ethnicities, ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
- Challenge Stereotypes: Select imagery that promotes fresh perspectives.
- Be Authentic: Focus on genuine, relatable moments in your visuals.
Element 6
Every piece of your brand—from videos to interactive elements—must be designed with inclusivity at its core, emphasizing functionality. Skipping essential components like transcripts for podcasts or alt text for images breeds distrust and creates unnecessary barriers to engagement, which not only alienates potential customers but also negatively impacts your product’s ranking. A truly accessible brand opens its doors wide, inviting everyone in and making a conscious effort to ensure no consumer feels isolated.
Pro Tip
Ensure the final product is as inclusive as your designs—proof for print and run quality checks for web. Use accessibility tools like WAVE or Lighthouse to streamline testing.
Quick Wins:
- Add Captions, Transcripts, and Alt Text: Ensure all media includes captions, transcripts, and alt text to meet accessibility standards.
- Disable Auto-Play with Sound: Respect user control by avoiding auto-play on videos with sound.
- Provide Clear Focus Indicators: Highlight interactive elements with visible focus indicators for keyboard navigation.
2.5 billion people
worldwide need at least one form of assistive product, such as hearing aids, screen readers, or mobility devices, to support essential daily activities and interactions with digital and physical environments (WHO-UNICEF joint report, 2023).
