Brands that fail to demonstrate inclusivity, accessibility, and authentic social engagement risk losing significant consumer segments, especially among Gen Z and marginalised groups.
Understanding Inclusion, Equality and Diversity
Inclusion is all about creating environments where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and valued, regardless of their background, ability, or identity.
Equality ensures everyone has access to the same opportunities by recognising and addressing existing imbalances.
Diversity refers to the mix of people from different ages, races, cultures, sexualities, disabilities, socio-economic backgrounds, and beliefs.
In this connected and socially conscious world, people remember how brands make them feel. These essential values define modern marketing and shape how brands connect with their audiences, and matter now more than ever.
Inclusive Marketing: Why it matters
In 2025, inclusive and diverse marketing is a business imperative, and now just “right thing to do”. Our world is more diverse than ever – in the UK only, about 16% of the population identifies as part of a minority ethnic group . About 16 million or 24% of the total UK population have a disability (https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9602/), and younger generations are leading the way in gender fluidity, neurodiversity awareness, and LGBTQ+ visibility.
Globally, Gen Z (born 1997–2012) are setting the tone. 60% of Gen Z would stop buying from non-supportive brands, while 83% prefer brands aligned with their values. This demonstrates how critical inclusivity, authenticity, and brand loyalty are for the largest generation.
Inclusion and diversity are essentially about understanding people. Just ticking boxes won’t work because when brands reflect real lives and real people, they genuinely build trust and loyalty.
Representation equals revenue
The most successful brands in 2025 are already embedding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into their core strategies. Research from Deloitte shows that inclusive marketing can lead to 1.9x greater customer loyalty, and for 57% of people addressing social inequities has a direct positive impact on brand loyalty.
Here is why:
Inclusive marketing breaks down stereotypes and builds an emotional connection. Authentic representation helps everyone feel seen and understood.
Accessible content ensures no one is left behind, including those with visual, hearing, or cognitive disabilities.
People are more likely to engage and convert when they see themselves or those that matter to them in your content.
Why This Is Critical for Gen Z and Future Generations
Gen Z and Alpha expect purpose.
Gen Z and the upcoming Gen Alpha (born 2013+) are the most digitally connected, socially aware, and identity-conscious generations ever. They demand more from brands than just a good product; they expect values, transparency, and representation.
Here is what they care about:
- Seeing diverse body types, races, genders, and abilities in advertising
- Brands that speak out against injustice, racism, and discrimination
- Accessibility in digital experiences
- Ethical supply chains and inclusive hiring practices
If your brand ignores these priorities, you risk becoming irrelevant or even cancelled in the eyes of younger consumers.
Inclusion influences brand loyalty
Brand loyalty is rooted in emotional connection and shared values and no longer built on convenience or habit.
Three-quarters or 75% of consumers say inclusion and diversity influence their purchase decisions and 40% of Gen Z (or 19% of all consumers) will boycott a brand that pulls back on DEI.
This means inclusion and diversity must be integrated from the ground up, from product design and advertising to hiring and community engagement.
What marketers need to do
Step 1: Go beyond surface-level representation
Representation isn’t just about featuring diverse people in a photoshoot. It’s about:
- Using authentic voices, including people with lived experiences
- Avoiding tokenism and stereotypes
- Involving diverse teams in content creation and decision-making
A great example is Channel 4’s "Altogether Different" campaign, which puts disabled talent at the forefront - not just in front of the camera, but behind it.
Step 2: Make your content accessible to everyone
Inclusive design means creating content that everyone can engage with, including:
- Alt text for images
- Easy-to-read text without jargons
- Captions and transcripts for videos
- High colour contrast and readable fonts
- Easy-to-navigate website structures
Step 3: Listen and learn continuously
DEI is an ongoing commitment so make sure that you regularly:
- Understand and listen to your audiences
- Conduct accessibility audits
- Review diversity in your brand voice, tone and visuals
- Work with community organisations or diverse creators
When mistakes happen, acknowledge, learn and improve.
Actionable tips for marketers in 2025
- Audit your visual content. Does it reflect real diversity?
- Review your brand language. Is it inclusive and accessible?
- Design for all abilities. Include screen reader support, captions, and simple UX.
- Partner with diverse creators and voices.
- Embed DEI into your marketing strategy, not just your campaigns.
- Educate your team on unconscious bias, cultural intelligence, and inclusive design.
- Track your progress, then share it transparently.
Because when you include everyone, you reach everyone.