Inclusive marketing and disability: value creation strategies for organisations and society in the toy industry

ABSTRACT

Issues of diversity and inclusion increasingly influence the purchasing process and brand loyalty of new generations of customers. Additionally, scholars and policymakers are calling for a more inclusive society and advocating for the integration of people with disabilities. However, there is a lack of research investigating these issues from a marketing perspective. Using a strategy of inquiry regarding in-depth multiple case studies from different players of the toy industry, this paper highlights how to set marketing strategies that develop and communicate new offerings by promoting both Marketing and Social Value and fostering the social inclusion of children with a disability. The proposed model contributes to the emerging literature of Inclusive Marketing and will help marketers implement a socially inclusive approach.

KEYWORDS:

• Inclusive marketing
• disability
• children
• value creation
• toys
• case study

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank three anonymous reviewers for their accurate and helpful comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Analogous to previous work (Dias de Faria & Moreira Casotti, 2019), we use the term ‘children with a disability’ (CWD) to underline a ‘person-first approach’.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Barbara Masiello

Barbara Masiello is Associate Professor of Strategic Marketing at the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”. Her research focuses on sustainability issues in strategic marketing, collaborative innovation processes, and place and tourism marketing.

Antonella Garofano

Antonella Garofano is Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”. Her main research interests deal with heritage marketing, business longevity, industrial tourism and corporate museums as engagement tools.

Francesco Izzo

Francesco Izzo is Full Professor of Strategic Management of Innovation at the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”. His research focuses on innovation management, cultural and creative industries, and social entrepreneurship.

Enrico Bonetti

Enrico Bonetti is Full Professor of Marketing at the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”. His research focuses on services management, place and tourism marketing, food marketing and marketing communication.