If you ask 'why be inclusive?', you're asking the wrong question

I find it odd when asked the question, 'why did giffgaff choose to be inclusive?'. There are so many stats out there begging brands and advertisers to be more inclusive. 

For example, while only 0.06% of adverts feature people with a disability, 22% of adults in the UK identify as having a disability. Research from Marketing Charts reveals that 62% of consumers feel like a brand’s diversity (or lack thereof) has a direct impact on how they perceive its products and services. So, for me, the question we should be asking ourselves isn’t ’why be inclusive’?, but ‘why not be inclusive?'.

Why not choose to represent the many people who are under-represented? Isn’t that part of how we build a more equitable society?

Why not choose to represent the many people who are under-represented? Isn’t that part of how we build a more equitable society? Representation is a choice and, as brands, we set the brief. If we want to be inclusive, let’s be specific about who we want to include from the outset. We shouldn’t wait for strategists, creatives or directors to pick up that responsibility. We have the power to kick start the process, to short cut the debate about inclusion so there is no debate about inclusion.

Above: giffgaff's recent commercial took into accounts those who are deaf, using British Sign Language.

The Unmistakables’ Diversity & Confusion report found 88% of employees say they care about D&I yet only 46% engage. The sad truth is that the more we defer taking action to others, the less chance action has of happening.

We’re very lucky at giffgaff to work closely with our members (customers) every single day. Our recent TV advert resulted from an ask of one of our long-standing members, Aleks. Aleks challenged us to be more inclusive, and consider making an ad for individuals who are deaf, using British Sign Language instead of speech. It didn't take long to think about it. It was a challenge we were up for.

Surely, it should be commonplace for people to be represented by brands?

In a wonderful moment of serendipity, the registered charity, the Manchester Deaf Centre, had reached out to us to make us more aware of the needs of the deaf community. They offered deaf awareness training that we funded for our own team, and the Stink creative and production teams too. We needed to educate ourselves before work began, and it was important we didn’t make that education Aleks’ responsibility; it was ours.

The really engaged team at Stink worked with Remark! as a consultant on our British Sign Language translations. They filmed an interpreter signing the script which was slowed down and used to guide the British Sign Language. A comment from Remark! really stuck with me, when they said “it will be great for the deaf community to see something like this on screen.” Surely, it should be commonplace for people to be represented by brands?

Above: giffgaf's work with Made by Blah.

Pre-pandemic, we worked with Made by Blah on a soap box tour of the UK, giving the public the chance to share their opinion of giffgaff. We realised a small soapbox wasn’t inclusive to everyone, and to make sure any member of the public had a chance to share their view, we worked with Disability Consultant and activist Will Pike to create a better experience for all.

If you want to be inclusive, it’s key to make the experience equal for all.

Will uses a wheelchair and gave us a great piece of advice that was so poignant; by creating one larger box, with slight modifications made to hold more weight, a lip added to prevent the feeling of falling over the edge, and a metal ramp, our campaign became inclusive for all. We didn’t have two separate soapboxes. We had one for all participants. Will referred to his experience of getting on and off buses as a wheelchair user, describing how the alarm sounds, the ramp appears and people are waiting. It doesn’t make for an equal experience. If anything, it singles you out. 

If you want to be inclusive, it’s key to make the experience equal for all. If that means having a ramp erected all the time, even if there is no one using a wheelchair around at that moment, so be it. The ramp’s presence is a visual cue of inclusion, it enables curiosity to be involved for all, and not just some. Accessibility for all at all times is so important.