JCDecaux Reach has published research arguing that out-of-home advertising is failing to represent disabled audiences despite their high engagement with the channel. The study, called "Representation in the Real World," was done in partnership with The Diversity Standards Collective, and it matters to anyone planning or selling OOH and DOOH inventory because it points to an audience segment that is watching screens and posters more than most but rarely seeing itself in the creative.

According to the research, 80% of disabled people say they rarely or never see themselves represented in OOH advertising, compared with 72% across all media. At the same time, JCDecaux says 91% of disabled people would be more likely to consider a brand that included a disabled person or story in an OOH campaign.

The company also reports that disabled audiences are frequent viewers of OOH. Over four in ten people with physical disabilities (43%) and neurodiverse individuals (41%) say they see OOH advertising at least four times a week, compared with 28% of non-disabled audiences. JCDecaux says one in three disabled people report moderate or higher attention to OOH ads.

JCDecaux frames this as a commercial gap rather than purely a social one, citing the UK's "Purple Pound," the collective spending power of disabled people and their households, estimated at £274 billion annually and as high as £446 billion when total household spending is included. The release does not specify the source or methodology behind those spending figures.

Rich Miles, CEO and co-founder of The Diversity Standards Collective, said brands should distinguish between putting a disabled person in an ad and genuinely including them, and that disabled audiences respond better to depictions of normality, humour and everyday life than to one-off, tokenistic stories.

The research also found a halo effect beyond the target group: JCDecaux says 74% of non-disabled respondents are also more likely to consider a brand that includes disabled people in its OOH advertising.

What JCDecaux is offering advertisers

JCDecaux Reach, the company's division focused on reaching diverse and underrepresented audiences through OOH, says it has built a methodology using publicly available data to identify the most accessible OOH environments across its UK digital and classic network. Combined with creative and planning guidance, the company says this lets brands and agencies plan campaigns aimed at closing the representation gap.

The announcement does not detail how accessibility is scored for site selection, which formats or screen types are covered, or whether the tool is available to agencies outside the UK. For operators and media owners, the research adds to a growing body of audience data that advertisers may ask media owners to act on when planning creative and site selection, though JCDecaux's findings apply specifically to its own UK network.

---

The announcement in full

Reproduced from DailyDOOH for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.

A Significant Disability Gap in Advertising

JCDecaux Reach today revealed new research, ‘ Representation in the Real World ‘, in partnership with The Diversity Standards Collective, highlighting a significant gap, and opportunity, for brands in Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising.

The research shows that four in five disabled people rarely or never see themselves represented in OOH advertising (80%, compared to 72% across all media), despite strong engagement with the channel.

Crucially, nine in 10 disabled people (91%) would be more likely to consider a brand if it included a disabled person or story in its OOH campaign. OOH advertising, demonstrating a clear commercial opportunity for brands that get representation right.

Rich Miles , CEO and Co-Founder of The Diversity Standards Collective, told us “Brands shouldn’t confuse putting someone in an ad with genuinely including them. Our research with JCDecaux shows that disabled people notice the difference between tokenism and representation grounded in real lived experience. They responded much more positively to normality, humour, joy and disabled people simply living their lives. The best way for brands to get that right is simple: bring disabled people into the process from the start, listen to their experiences and use that insight to create advertising that is more relevant and effective for everyone.”

Disabled audiences are not only present in OOH environments, but are actively engaging with them. Over four in 10 people with physical disabilities (43%) and neurodiverse individuals (41%) see OOH advertising at least four times per week, compared to just 28% of non-disabled audiences. In addition, one in three disabled people report paying moderate or higher attention to OOH advertising, reinforcing the channel’s ability to capture attention at scale.

Together, these findings highlight a clear imbalance: high reach and attention, but low representation.

The opportunity for brands is significant. The collective spending power of disabled people and their households in the UK, known as the ‘Purple Pound’, is estimated at £274 billion annually, with some estimates as high as £446 billion when total household spending is considered.

In addition to demonstrating the scale of OOH’s reach, the research shows that how disabled people are represented matters. Disabled audiences responded positively to representation grounded in lived experience, particularly when disability was shown as part of everyday life rather than treated as a standalone story. Importantly, this effect extends beyond disabled audiences, with 74% of non-disabled respondents also more likely to consider brands that include disabled people in OOH campaigns, creating a powerful halo effect.

“Brands that actively address accessibility, prioritise natural pause points, and diversify their representation have a real opportunity to win the hearts and minds of all consumers,” said Thanh Catachanas , Director, JCDecaux Reach. “OOH advertising exists in shared, everyday environments and should reflect the communities it reaches. This research shows that authentic representation isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a proven driver of engagement and growth.”

The research also outlines clear steps for brands looking to get this right. To connect with disabled audiences effectively, brands should focus on three key principles:

Prioritise authenticity over tokenism — representation must be grounded in real lived experience

Design for accessibility from the outset — campaigns should be easy to read, navigate and engage with in real-world environments

Reflect the diversity of disabled experiences — moving beyond a single stereotype to show disability as part of everyday life

Together, these approaches help ensure campaigns are not only inclusive, but more effective for all audiences.

JCDecaux has also developed a methodology to help brands put these insights into action. Using publicly available data, JCDecaux has identified the most accessible OOH environments across its UK network digital and classic sites. Combined with best-practice guidance on creative and planning, this enables brands and agencies to deliver campaigns that are both inclusive and effective, helping to close the representation gap.

JCDecaux Reach is the company’s programme dedicated to helping brands connect with diverse and underrepresented audiences through Out-of-Home advertising. By combining community insight, creative best practice and data-led planning, Reach enables brands to deliver campaigns that are both more inclusive and more effective.

You can download the full research report here .

This entry was posted

                  on Thursday, October 22nd, 2026 at 09:45 @448
                    and is filed under DailyDOOH Update .

                  You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.


                        You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site.

About DailyDOOH Editorial Team Technology Team

AdAI: OOH – Conference Series 2023/2024 2025

AdTECH: OOH Conference Series 2016 – 2022 2022. (Our Eight Events) 2023 2024

Past Events CITY BRIEFINGS The DailyDOOH Gala Awards Returns To New York Thought Leadership Summits

The DailyDOOH Gala Awards Returns To New York

The Software Holocron (Digital Signage, Gesture, Kiosk and Touch)

Categories CEO SPOTLIGHT (101) DailyDOOH Update (15,299) DailyDOOH.net (16) Events (708) Guest Contributions (15) Housekeeping (59) Jobs (81) Scuttlebut (10,383) The Hub (5) Vlog (34) Will Work For Love (42)

Recent Entries #ISE2027 #WhenWorldsUnite #AI Business Keynote Pioneering Trans-Tasman #OOH Campaign Electrosonic Becomes @WomeninAVIT Sponsor ViewSonic Opens London Hub A Significant Disability Gap in Advertising Book Now for Future Leaders 2027 Sharp’s Chicago Executive Experience Center Primis ‘Push For More’ #LinkNYC Campaign London @DPAAglobal Breakfast at @WPPMedia Global Acquires UK Based Alight Media

ISE2027 #WhenWorldsUnite #AI Business Keynote

Electrosonic Becomes @WomeninAVIT Sponsor

A Significant Disability Gap in Advertising

Sharp’s Chicago Executive Experience Center

Primis ‘Push For More’ #LinkNYC Campaign

London @DPAAglobal Breakfast at @WPPMedia

Meta Register Log in Valid HTML5 WordPress

Read the original at DailyDOOH