Prompted by a recent Mumbrella article exploring the commercial impact of disability inclusion in advertising, this piece looks at what better representation could mean for outdoor, tourism, caravan, camping, boating, fishing and adventure brands.
I read a Mumbrella article recently about disability inclusion in advertising and the commercial uplift that comes from better representation.
It is a good article, and I agree with the point being made, but it also made me think about the industries I spend most of my time working in. Outdoor, tourism, caravan, camping, boating, fishing, 4WD and adventure brands are constantly talking about freedom, access, getting away, seeing the country and creating better experiences. That is basically the language of the industry.
The issue is, a lot of the marketing still shows a pretty narrow version of who gets to enjoy those experiences.
You see the same types of people, the same types of families, the same types of couples, the same campfire scenes, the same people standing beside a caravan or boat looking like they have just walked out of a catalogue shoot. There is nothing wrong with that, and those customers absolutely exist, but they are not the full market.
There are families travelling with kids who have additional needs. There are older Australians who still want to tow, tour, camp and explore, but who need things to be easier, clearer and more practical. There are people with visible and invisible disabilities who fish, camp, travel, buy gear, book accommodation, influence purchase decisions, and spend money across these categories. There are carers, partners, parents and friends who are also part of those decisions.
That should matter to brands, not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it is commercially relevant.
The part I think brands need to be careful with is making inclusion feel like a campaign in itself. That is where it can start to feel forced or tokenistic. You don't need to make the disability the whole story. You don't need to over-explain it. You don't need to put a spotlight on someone and say, “look how inclusive we are.”
In a lot of cases, the better approach is much simpler than that.
Show the market as it actually exists.
If a caravan brand is talking about family touring, then family touring should not always look the same. If a holiday park is talking about access to great locations, then access should mean something. If a marine or fishing brand is talking about getting people on the water, then who are the people being shown? If a 4WD, camping or adventure brand is selling confidence, capability and freedom, then that freedom shouldn't only be represented through one very able-bodied version of the customer.
This isn't about turning every piece of marketing into an accessibility statement. It's about being more aware of what the work is actually saying.
A person using mobility equipment at a holiday park shouldn't feel unusual in a campaign. A family choosing a caravan layout because it works better for their needs shouldn't be seen as a niche story. Someone with hearing loss going through a dealership handover, a traveller needing easier access, a child with sensory needs enjoying a quieter campsite, an older buyer wanting better steps, better lighting or clearer information; these are not fringe scenarios.
They are real customers.
And for many brands, they are probably already customers. They are just not being properly seen.
That is the part that stands out to me.
Inclusion shouldn't only be thought about at the point of creating an ad. It should be considered much earlier than that. In the product. In the website. In the booking process. In the dealership experience. In the photography. In the captions on videos. In how information is explained. In how easy it's for someone to understand whether a product, place or experience is right for them.
That is where better marketing starts.
Because if your industry is built around freedom, travel, access, and experience, then you can't ignore the people who may experience those things differently.
The opportunity for outdoor, tourism, and adventure brands is not to jump on inclusion because it is topical. The opportunity is to do a better job of reflecting the actual market.
Because when people can see themselves in the story, they are far more likely to believe the brand has thought about them. And when a brand has thought about more people, it usually does better work.
That is not just good ethics. It is good marketing.
About the author
Bernard Raffaut is the founder of Rugged Lane Industries®, a marketing and brand consultancy focused on the outdoor, tourism, caravan, camping, marine, fishing and adventure sectors. He has spent more than 30 years working across brand, marketing, content, partnerships and commercial strategy, helping businesses connect more clearly with the markets they actually serve.
