The Power of Inclusive Language – Guide for Your Business [+Tips that Will Help you Adapt]

According to McKinsey & Company, 75% of Gen Z consumers claim they will boycott companies that discriminate based on race. Deloitte reports that 83% of millennials actively engage when they believe their organization promotes an inclusive culture.

Exclusion can occur based on various factors, including:

Language can consciously or unconsciously reflect these biases. Implicit biases, or subconscious or hidden biases, can also be reflected in language.

Inclusive language is not just about showing respect for others; it’s also about making sound business decisions. By adopting inclusive language in your brand strategy, you can reap several tangible benefits.

Inclusive language allows your brand to represent and embrace social diversity. This is especially important for younger generations, such as millennials and Gen Z, who are increasingly mindful of inclusivity and representation.

Brands that use inclusive language are perceived as more socially conscious, which can lead to a stronger brand image and reputation among consumers.

Inclusive language eliminates potential barriers related to discrimination and exclusion, allowing you to connect with a broader range of consumers.

Customers are more likely to identify with brands that use inclusive language, leading to increased engagement and loyalty towards your products or services.

While “avoiding” shouldn’t be the primary focus, it’s important to acknowledge that using non-inclusive language can lead to controversies and negative reactions from consumers, potentially damaging your brand image.

A positive brand image, customer loyalty, and a wider audience can all contribute to increased revenue for your business. Inclusive language isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s also a smart business strategy.

Let’s start with a few easy tips.

Did you know that writing in an easily understandable and digestible way is crucial in maintaining an inclusive language?

I’m pretty sure you have read (with great pleasure, of course) a document from the office, insurance provider, or lawyer at least once in your life. How much did you understand back then, and how much time did you waste trying to decipher it? What do strange, convoluted sentences mean? Why can’t it be written “simpler”?

So, to sum up:

Avoid using gendered terms like “mom” or “dad” when possible; instead, use gender-neutral language like “parent” or “guardian.” Be mindful of the diversity of your audience and avoid making assumptions.

Let’s give you a few examples.

As an exercise of sorts, think about who is excluded by words used in the sentences above.

Now, think about what could be done to prevent this from happening.

Often, even a bit of empathy and a broader perspective are enough to make the brand language inclusive, interesting, and colorful.

Of course, you can collect specific data about your target group. This will help you understand which genders you are primarily addressing or determine your customers’ ethnicity. This is a great strategy, allowing you to target your activities better. That’s why we recommend marketing personas and effective market analysis. But don’t assume that everything is as simple as it looks. And remember that accurate targeting =/= necessity of exclusion.

Sometimes, it seems like the “right” solution is to assume everyone is the same. Being sure that emphasizing differences is inappropriate is quite understandable. After all, most of us grew up believing it is better not to say anything, and if we don’t say anything, there the matter can rest. Right?

Well… Not really.

The fact that we are silent or omit certain issues does not change the fact that they exist; problems of disabled people are facts, lack of accessibility on the Internet is a fact, and discrimination for a variety of reasons is a fact.

Therefore, you, as a marketer (content creator, strategy creator, copywriter, or maybe the person responsible for branding or all brand communication?), should pay attention to all this.

Instead of ignoring problems, accept their existence and offer solutions, whether linguistic or related to how your brand works.

The main point is to ensure that diversity does not become a barrier to efficient communication. And yes, you must sometimes be clever and creative to combine it.

After all, marketing is a creative field, isn’t it?

Remember:

You can think of language as a spectrum of inclusivity. Some of what we say is consciously non-inclusive phrases that are quite easily avoided. Using gender-neutral language isn’t much of a challenge. There are also words whose offensive meanings we know and understand perfectly well, and even stereotypical sayings, e.g., in the context of gender – “boys don’t cry” or “driving like a woman.”

Sometimes, however, these meanings of words are buried a little deeper so that we can’t see them immediately. Think, for example, of the word “patron,” which comes from the Latin “pater,” meaning father (and think for a moment, why important figures are patrons, not matrons?). Similarly, we talk about “manpower” – this word seems gender-neutral on the surface, but it actually has roots in referring to male workers. While it might not be intended to exclude women, it can reinforce the idea that manual labor is a male domain. What can you use instead? Let’s go with the word “workforce”!

Remember that language reflects our culture in more ways than we think.
When writing content and creating videos or podcasts, check regularly whether you are not falling into the trap of stereotypes. That’s it!

So, to put it shortly:

If you have read anything about inclusive language, you probably know the common patterns and how we should “separate a feature from a person”. Recently, however, we hear more and more about identity-first language, which assumes that this approach is absolutely fine. So, what is the truth? And what is the difference between person-first language and identity-first language?

The voices I mention above are most often the voices of the people who have no problem referring to them directly (especially common among the Deaf and autistic communities), as their identity is part of their lives and should be natural. So, if we can have black hair, blue eyes, and a nationality or gender identity, we can also have a disability.

Cathy Wassell, chief executive of the Autistic Girls Network Charity in the UK, uses identity-first language. She cites research that shows that autistic people prefer this form of referring to them (e.g., Does Language Matter? Identity-First Versus Person-First Language Use in Autism Research), and adds:

Autism isn’t a handbag; you can’t pick it up or put it down. It’s a part of you, how you experience the world, how you react to things.

Cathy Wassell (source)

When speaking directly to another person, make sure you use their preferred language. How? Well, it’s not that hard! Just ask.

Suppose you are speaking to the general public or do not have the opportunity to ask a question. In that case, it is safer to use person-centered language rather than identity-centered language, as some people may not be comfortable with the latter.

And remember – it’s not about you ;). So even if you prefer a different way of speaking, respecting the preferences of the other person or group of people is paramount.

When writing articles, I often catch myself using phrases that are not inclusive (especially when I write in Polish, and try to avoid using gender everywhere – it’s really difficult).

Nothing is wrong with the fact that certain habits, inculcated for a very long time, remain. What matters is what you do with them. For instance, that’s why I go through my articles repeatedly: to make sure I didn’t let my habits get the better of me.

Why is this important?

Underrepresented groups want to see themselves and their worldview reflected in your brand. Demographic changes make values the most important factor when making purchasing decisions.

Below is an example of words worth using instead of common phrases that—even if not intentionally—carry certain prejudices or assumptions.

I’m serious. Don’t aim to be perfect. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but if you notice that a certain message has caused dissatisfaction, discomfort, or any negative feelings among your recipients, admit your mistake, draw conclusions, and move on.

We have seen many brand crises caused by excluding language usage, and trust me, you will definitely cope with an image crisis better by admitting you were wrong than by standing your ground and hurting even more people. Empathy isn’t “in fashion”. It’s something that should be standard.

Be mindful of cultural differences and avoid using language that could be offensive or insensitive. Use respectful language that does not discriminate against any group of people.

We keep our fingers crossed for your development and the introduction of inclusive language into brand communication – and if you need some copywriting support, we are here to help!