RJ and Makay

Today marks the ten-year anniversary of the day the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law. Its enactment has presented both challenges and opportunities for banks.  Customers with disabilities are a unique market, and they make up quite a large group.  The U.S. Census Bureau reports that there are 54.4 million people who are limited in their activities due to a long term disability.  This equates to about one in five U.S. residents, or 19% of the population. Among these people, 35 million have a severe disability. These numbers represent quite a lot of potential customers for financial services firms.

Marketing to people with disabilities requires a little more planning, however, but can have very rewarding results for both the customers and the banks making the extra effort to attract them. Although all banks were required by the Americans with Disabilities Act to make specific changes, such as designing automated teller machines that are accessible to people with disabilities, a few have kept moving forward with additional initiatives to market to this group.  What are some of the ways financial services firms have marketed to people with disabilities? Below are some examples we have seen over the last decade: