Every once in a while, a product launch doubles as a marketing masterpiece. Recently, Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty released a new fragrance, and it wasn’t just the scent that caught the attention. It was a bottle. Designed with accessibility in mind, the easy-to-use insert quickly became a hit, sparking discussion and praise from accessibility advocates and consumers alike.
The takeaway for marketers is hard to miss. The inclusive design decision became the campaign itself, delivering a cultural impact beyond any ad money. And the lesson for marketers is equally clear: accessibility drives loyalty, improves brand reputation, ensures compliance, and serves as a measurable growth driver.
Accessibility as a campaign strategy
Rare Beauty’s commitment to accessibility was not a one-off. From packaging to pricing to its ongoing advocacy of mental health, the brand has consistently embedded inclusivity into its DNA. That integrity is important. Consumers can tell the difference between a stunt and a plan, and they reward brands that lead with values.
And Rare Beauty is not alone. Across industries, leading brands are increasingly touting accessibility as a differentiator, not a footnote. Apple has always highlighted accessibility features as part of its product storytelling, positioning itself as something new rather than static. Microsoft has done the same by showcasing inclusive design in mainstream campaigns, including dynamic gaming products that reframe accessibility as a driver of innovation and engagement. In fashion and retail, brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Unilever have brought dynamic design into the visual space, incorporating accessibility into product presentation and brand identity rather than positioning it as a niche offering.
According to research from Edelman and McKinsey, 73% of Gen Z prefer to buy from companies they believe in, and 70% say they try to buy products from companies they think are relevant. These are not preferred, standard expectations that can redefine the way marketers approach building trust and growing their audience.
18 billion market traders do not see
More than 1.3 billion people worldwide live with a disability, and together with their friends and family, control more than $18 billion in spending power, according to the Return on Disability Group. For marketers, this is not just about compliance. It’s about growth, reputation, and building real trust in one of the world’s biggest groups with the biggest passion for consumers. That passion translates into powerful communication.
In an interview with AudioEye’s A11iance Team, a group of people with disabilities who regularly share feedback about real-world accessibility experiences, one member said, “If I find a website that works for me and works really well for me, I will always recommend it to friends and family because I want people to have the same experience that I have.”
As another member of the A11iance Team, Maxwell Ivey, put it, “The cheapest form of advertising is word of mouth, and people with disabilities can have the loudest voices when we find people who are willing to make an effort. Because it’s that sincere effort in the long run that is most important to us.”
When accessibility becomes part of the customer experience, it creates something that money can’t buy: trust and loyalty that grows through advocacy. But the opposite is also true. In a survey of assistive technology users, 54% said they don’t feel eCommerce companies care about getting their business.
Most of the brands are still competing with the oversaturated demographic while looking for this opportunity in plain sight. In doing so, they leave credibility, representation, and revenue on the table.
This is where many brands stumble: accessibility often stands on the shelf. Marketers are investing heavily in packaging, in-store display and product design, while the digital experience, the first and often primary touch point for customers, lags behind.
As accessibility-led design continues to generate attention, credibility and earned media, the gap between physical product innovation and digital experience has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
AudioEye’s 2025 Digital Accessibility Index found an average of 297 accessibility issues per web page that are only detected automatically. Each represents a conflict in the customer journey, a lost conversion, or a compliance risk under frameworks such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
Just as no campaign can be launched without a product review or formal testing, no digital touchpoint should go live without an accessibility review.
Four steps marketing leaders can take
Too often, affordability is considered a management risk rather than an acquisition benefit. The winning traders will be the ones who flip that script. Here are four actions to start with.
1. Make accessibility your campaign hook
Don’t hide it, earn it. Brands like Rare Beauty have proven that inclusive design is something matter. Create campaigns where accessibility is not a footnote but a differentiator that draws attention and loyalty.
2. Include it in your product plan
Accessibility should not sit on the sidelines. Make the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) alignment part of your brand guidelines, alongside typography, logos and tone. When accessibility is integrated, it becomes second nature to every campaign.
3. Use data as your proof point
Marketers are storytellers, and numbers tell the story. Track accessibility improvements such as fewer barriers reported by users, higher accessibility scores and fixes such as improved alt text, color contrast or form usability. Connect those metrics to existing business results like conversions, reach, and sentiment to show how accessibility drives ROI, not just compliance.
4. Protect accessibility as product safety
Just as you can never risk brand safety in ad placement, don’t risk it in your digital touchpoints. Every update, seasonal campaign, or product drop must be noted for accessibility. Trust and reputation are too important to be left in the open.
Competitive Advantage
The launch of the Rare Beauty fragrance proved something powerful: if you lead with accessibility, the story writes itself. Loyalty truly builds, and momentum flows naturally.
But here’s an opportunity: most brands haven’t. They treat accessibility as a compliance check box instead of the growth strategy it truly is.
For marketers, that’s a wake-up call. Accessibility builds credibility. It improves brand reputation. It keeps your product compliant. And it drives measurable growth in all marketing efforts.
Rare Beauty showed how accessibility can take attention off the shelf. The next step is to make sure it goes online. Because when every touch point welcomes everyone, every campaign increases its impact.
