What Marketers Don’t Know About People With Disabilities

People with disabilities are often seen as folks who need to be saved, which is a misconception. Some companies, in their rush to save the day, focus so heavily on accessibility that they overlook what it means to be inclusive. By celebrating people for who they are and adapting experiences through their lens, we get the privilege of seeing how they shine. ThinkNow ConneKt surveyed over 500 people with disabilities and discovered these amazing stats.

Affluent, Educated Travelers

Let’s start off strong by highlighting two data points where people with disabilities shine. Nearly 53% of respondents own their homes. The highest reported income was $150K+ a year, and one in three have earned a post-graduate degree.

Nearly 40% of respondents have traveled at least once in the past 24 months, with almost 30% of travelers packing their bags to head to California. Their travel plans were most likely booked online, as the data shows a quarter of respondents shop online several times a week.
Prefers Online Shopping

Nearly 50% of all respondents shop online or prefer doing so. Bank of America is their bank of choice, with nearly 30% holding a Bank of America credit card. This cohort reports having a Good+ credit score, yet 70% of them are concerned about their financial future. It’s no mystery that disabilities, visible or not, can be costly even for those who are insured. Luckily, 65% of respondents stated they could rely on friends or family to help them out financially if needed. It takes a village, right?

Approximately 70% of respondents who identified as Hispanic reported being bicultural and speaking English/Spanish equally at home.
Marketing Implications

People living with disabilities are consumers, and brands that keep that in mind as they develop products and services, create campaigns, and build out marketing platforms, like accessible websites with the option to translate the copy, are poised to capture that market share.

People Living with Disabilities Facts

For marketers and advertisers unfamiliar with this demographic cohort, here are some quick facts and interests:
Brands:

  •     Beer consumed most often: Blue Moon
  •     Juice drink consumed: Arizona Tea
  •     Vehicle driven most often: BMW

Media & Entertainment:

  •     Internet Service Provider: AT&T
  •     Video game category: Sports
  •     Website visited: Amazon

Psychographics:

  •     Strongly agree with DACA: 62%
  •     Important cultural value: Family
  •     Companies doing a great job of communicating to me: Netflix
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