The American Advertising Federation’s Mobile Bay chapter will host an afternoon panel on disability inclusion in marketing and media on Sept. 23 at Innovation Portal in Downtown Mobile.
The session is titled “Designing Inclusion: Disability Inclusion in Marketing & Media.”
The Panelists
- Jennifer Cooley, United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile
- Stephanie Jacobs, Goodwill Gulf Coast
- Hannah Barr, Exceptional Foundation Gulf Coast
All three organizations work directly with people with disabilities in the Mobile area, which puts the panel’s expertise on the service-provider side rather than the agency side.
What the Panel Covers
AAF Mobile Bay says the event gives attendees a chance to hear from local leaders sharing insights on creating more inclusive, accessible marketing and meaningful representation.
“Whether you’re in marketing, media, design or simply interested in creating a more inclusive community, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss,” the organization said.
Two Distinct Topics
The framing pairs two subjects that are frequently discussed together but operate differently in practice.
Accessibility is largely technical. It covers whether a website works with a screen reader, whether video carries captions, whether color contrast is sufficient for low-vision users, and whether a form can be completed without a mouse. These are measurable against established standards, and failing them excludes people from content regardless of intent.
Representation is editorial. It concerns who appears in the work, how they are depicted, and whether people with disabilities are shown incidentally — as customers, professionals, participants — or only as the subject of a campaign about disability.
A campaign can be well-represented and inaccessible, or technically accessible and never depict a disabled person at all. Practitioners generally find the first easier to talk about and the second easier to fix.
Details
- What: Designing Inclusion: Disability Inclusion in Marketing & Media
- When: Afternoon of Sept. 23
- Where: Innovation Portal, Downtown Mobile
- Host: AAF Mobile Bay