Dignity in Marketing: Building Trust with Integrity
By David Best
“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” – Lee Iacocca (1924-2019), American automotive business legend
The big idea
Marketing is, at its heart, about communication. It’s not just about grabbing attention, but about leaving people with a lasting impression. And in today’s crowded marketplace, one principle rises above the rest: dignity.
People may forget what you said. They may forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.
Dignity is the recognition that every individual has inherent worth and value. It means showing respect, fairness, and empathy—regardless of someone’s status, abilities, or circumstances. When applied to marketing, dignity ensures that your brand communicates not only effectively, but ethically.
Why dignity matters in marketing
A lack of dignity often shows up as indifference—ignoring, diminishing, or dismissing people’s humanity. Inaccessible websites, thoughtless messaging, or exclusionary campaigns send the message: “You don’t matter.”
Marketing with dignity, on the other hand, elevates your brand by treating people as whole, valued human beings. It means aligning your business values with your communications strategy and ensuring your marketing doesn’t reduce people to stereotypes, insecurities, or profit margins.
Ask yourself: Do your marketing communications reflect your values?
The Three Marketing Models: Coercion, Deception, Persuasion
1. Coercion – “You must, or else…”
Purpose: Intimidate, pressure, or exploit vulnerability.
Effect: Removes free choice, often leaving consumers resentful.
Example: Inaccessible digital services where disabled users are forced to accept poor functionality but still pay full price.
Coercive marketing sacrifices long-term trust for short-term control.
2. Deception – “This isn’t true, but we’ll make you believe it.”
Purpose: Control emotions and maximize profit.
Effect: Damages credibility and leads to lawsuits, loss of market share, and reputational harm.
Example: Accessibility overlays marketed as “full solutions” that actually break assistive technologies and compromise user privacy.
Deceptive marketing may win attention today but destroys loyalty tomorrow.
3. Persuasion – “Here’s why this matters — the choice is yours.”
Purpose: Educate and influence through trust.
Effect: Builds loyalty, flexibility, and long-term growth.
Example: A brand that integrates accessibility from the start (semantic HTML, captions, keyboard navigation) and uses AI tools as enhancements—not substitutes.
Persuasion respects free choice and creates sustainable customer relationships.
The market you can’t afford to ignore
Accessibility is not just about compliance—it’s about opportunity.
– In Canada, 27% of people aged 15+ (8 million individuals) live with disabilities.
– Globally, 1.6 billion people—22% of the world’s population—live with disabilities, representing $18 trillion in spending power.
– In North America and Europe, this community controls $2.6 trillion in disposable income.
If your marketing excludes this audience, you’re not just ignoring people—you’re ignoring a massive market.
Removing communication barriers
Marketing effectiveness can be measured through three core principles of accessibility:
1. Delivery Method – How your content reaches people.
2. Perceivability – Whether your content can be seen, heard, or experienced.
3. Understandability – Whether your message is clear and usable.
When barriers exist, your brand loses reach, trust, and revenue. Removing communication barriers, shifts consumer dignity from information to knowledge, and knowledge is power.
A practical checklist for dignified marketing
1. Delivery Method (Access & Flexibility)
- Content available across multiple channels (web, social, email, print, audio).
- Websites/apps navigable by screen reader and keyboard only.
- Events include live captions, transcripts, and optional ASL.
- No autoplay content without pause/mute options.
- Forms allow adjustable timeouts.
2. Perceivability (Accessible Formats)
- Alt text for images and infographics.
- Captions and transcripts for all video/audio content.
- High-contrast, scalable fonts.
- No flashing or strobing visuals.
- Authentic representation of disabled people in campaigns.
3. Understandability (Clarity & Usability)
- Plain language and clear instructions.
- Consistent structure with headings and bullet points.
- Accessible forms and error messages.
- Content in multiple languages, including sign language where possible.
- Inclusive social media practices (#CamelCase, alt text).
The Bottom Line: Marketing with Integrity
Marketing is more than selling — it’s storytelling with responsibility. Every interaction is an opportunity to affirm dignity or deny it.
When your campaigns embrace accessibility, clarity, and respect, you don’t just expand your audience—you build a brand people trust.
Dignity isn’t just good ethics. It’s good business.
David Best is a digital communication strategist who helps organizations improve productivity, scalability, and market reach through innovation and inclusive design. With a degree in software engineering and experience at IBM Canada, he has developed performance-driven strategies that enable businesses to access untapped markets and strengthen customer engagement through digital accessibility. Blinded in childhood, David combines lived experience with technical expertise, making him a recognized speaker and facilitator who challenges leaders to rethink how they engage both talent and customers with disabilities. His approach demonstrates how accessibility not only removes barriers but also creates measurable value and competitive advantage. Guided by the belief that investing in people builds resilient organizations and stronger communities, David equips businesses with the tools to thrive in an increasingly diverse marketplace.
Profile: About David Best https://www.bestaccessibility.consulting/about-david-best/
LinkedIn: Connect with David https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebest99/?originalSubdomain=ca
Podcast: Practical Accessibility Insights https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/practical-accessibility/
Top 10 Leading Speakers to Follow in 2025 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/top-10-leading-speakers-to-follow-in-2025/ar-AA1O2Yya
