In 2018, food manufacturing company Kellogg’s launched Rice Krispies Treats’ packaging featuring Braille in the US. The packaging was created for children with visual impairments so that they wouldn’t miss out on receiving messages from loved ones in their lunchboxes when they came back to school. Called ‘Love Notes’, the Braille stickers were designed in the shape of a heart and each sticker sheet included uplifting phrases like ‘You’ve Got This’ to ‘Love You Lots.’ Furthermore, the brand developed a re-recordable audio box with the product inside and a 10-second pre-recorded auditory message for children who are auditory learners and don’t read Braille. The audio box messages offered re-recorded options of over 1,000 times so that parents could share messages with their children throughout the school year.
At the centre, the brand released a campaign featuring an 11-year-old girl named Eme Butler-Mitchel and her mother, Tabby, sharing the girl’s heartfelt feelings about being included.
The accessible packaging and its marketing campaign reached over 3 million views with over 267 million earned impressions and 471 placements across media. Organisations and teachers across the country ordered the product to give to their students. Such was the impact of accessible packaging.
Beyond packaging, Braille has also been found in environmental design. In Peru, around 950,000 people are visually impaired and another 145,000 are blind. To help them navigate public spaces, cement brand Cemento Sol partnered with Circus Grey Peru and installed a system of tactile tiles called ‘Sightwalks’. These tiles were used in public spaces to help visually challenged pedestrians navigate and identify essential services and places. This innovative design project helped the brand win the Design Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2024.
Arnab Ray, Executive Creative Director at Landor shares, “Braille is one of many mindful interventions that can help people with visual impairments feel seen, valued, and empowered. By making inclusivity a core value, these brands create a sense of belonging and comfort for consumers who may otherwise feel marginalised.”
According to the World Health Organisation, globally, at least 2.2 billion people have near or distance vision impairment. In India, estimates suggest that approximately 4.95 million are blind and 70 million are vision-impaired. Overall, 33.8% of the Indian population aged 45 and older have distance visual acuity impairment or are blind, and the economic productivity of blind adults was estimated to be INR 64 billion in 2020.
Despite the high number of visually impaired individuals in the country, brands in India are yet to widely adopt inclusive packaging in their products and services.
What’s stopping brands from adopting Braille
Landor’s Arnab Ray shares why there’s a delay in adoption. “Integrating Braille into packaging can be complex, as it requires specialised machines and expertise that are not widely available.”
Despite a growing willingness among forward-thinking agencies to champion accessible designs, the larger market has been slow to embrace this approach, according to Shashwat Das, Founder Director of Almond Branding.
Das notes, “Barriers such as additional production costs, limited awareness of its benefits, and challenges in integrating tactile elements into aesthetically appealing designs have kept inclusive packaging from becoming mainstream.”
Many brands remain hesitant and view such innovations as optional rather than essential. Additionally, the inclusion of Braille in labelling affects labour and printing costs with an increase of 5 to 25%. However, should that stop brands from embracing inclusivity, especially when it could help reach the community otherwise ignored that collectively have nearly $8 trillion globally?
A study suggests that companies that improve the accessibility of their products see a 28% increase in revenue. Keeping inclusivity in the centre, brands like L’Occitane have been including Braille and tactile features in their packaging.
Simi Dewan, Deputy General Manager & Country Head, L’Occitane comments that the brand’s goal is to ensure that everyone can experience the beauty of nature, regardless of their abilities. By adding Braille and tactile features to its packaging, it aims to enhance accessibility and independence for customers with visual impairments.
Incorporating inclusivity in their product packaging has also had positive effects on the brand.
Dewan notes, “Incorporating Braille on our products has enhanced our connection with customers who value tactile information, enabling them to confidently identify and use our offerings. It has been warmly received, especially by those who appreciate tactile features in their daily lives, fostering greater independence and trust in our products.”
Another example of a brand that included Braille on its packaging was Future Consumer Limited’s body-wash brand, Think Skin. For the same, the brand collaborated with Ajay Kumar Reddy, the captain of the Indian Men’s Blind Cricket Team and touched upon the gift of touch.
Globally, following its 2014 campaign ‘Share a Coke,’ Coca-Cola introduced Braille in its cans and bottles so that the visually impaired could share the experience like any other individual. With over 500,000 personalised Braille cans and bottles, the brand observed a 7% growth in sales.
Similarly, Nestlé’s KitKat and Nescafé. Unilever’s Dove and Lipton, Johnson & Johnson, and Procter & Gamble (P&G) have included Braille on packaging to help visually challenged consumers identify and use products safely.
In India, ITC’s liquid antiseptic brand Savlon had also introduced new packaging for the product marked with Braille, aimed at inclusion. The brand’s campaigns featured a woman handling utensils in a kitchen and a man shaving. When they hurt themselves, the product packaging helps them navigate the disruption.
However, amongst the estimated 50 million people living with visual impairments, only a fraction are literate in Braille.
Kruti Berawala, Co-Founder, Stratedgy notes that the same issue exists globally: millions of people struggle to access vital information on medicine packaging. She notes that when the percentage of Braille readers is so small, brands hesitate to invest.
However, Berawala continues, “The recommendation isn’t about the present-day numbers. It’s about setting a long-term precedent for accessibility, and understanding that this investment isn’t just about the number of people reading Braille today, but the ethical and strategic value it will bring over time.”
Additonally, L’Occitane’s Simi Dewan mentions that one of the challenges posed was ensuring that Braille packaging did not impact the aesthetic or functionality of its product designs. Moreover, incorporating Braille across a wide range of packaging required careful planning to ensure consistency and quality for the brand.
Dewan shares, “We overcame this by working closely with accessibility experts and designers to find a balance between our brand’s visual identity and the need to make our products more accessible.”
Over the years, the brand has refined this process to ensure that its products are both visually appealing and accessible.
Why accessibility is so important
While India is yet to widely adopt accessible packaging due to the challenges posed, accessibility is becoming more of a necessity than a luxury, according to Kruti Berawala. Many countries, in Europe and North America, are tightening regulations around accessibility in packaging.
Berawala continues that pharmaceutical companies are skilled at navigating complex regulatory landscapes. She says that the addition of Braille to packaging doesn’t have to be an overwhelming burden but can be an extension of their existing commitment to safety and consumer care.
“For people who are visually impaired, having access to crucial information like dosage, side effects, and expiration dates can make all the difference in ensuring their health and safety. This is an opportunity for brands to demonstrate thoughtfulness and real commitment to all consumers.”
Shashwat Das of Almond Branding continues that early adopters of inclusive packaging stand to differentiate themselves significantly, enhancing brand perception and building a reputation for empathy and social responsibility.
“By prioritising accessibility, brands demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity, which resonates deeply with modern consumers. For India, the journey might be long, but the rewards—enhanced loyalty, market differentiation, and a stronger brand legacy—make it an essential investment for the future.”
This is especially important given that consumers today are increasingly aware of what brands stand for, whether that’s environmental sustainability, inclusivity, or social responsibility.
Simi Dewan of L’Occitane has observed that accessibility isn’t just about adding features like Braille; it’s about creating a holistic, thoughtful experience that enhances the lives of customers.
However, Dewan notes, “Integrating accessibility into packaging design from the outset is essential. It’s important to involve experts and listen to feedback from the community to ensure the solutions we create truly meet their needs.”
While challenges like costs and design complexities exist, and regulatory changes are needed, the long-term benefits of brand loyalty, differentiation, and ethical value outweigh these barriers. By prioritising accessibility, brands can lead the way for a more inclusive future, especially since the expectations of accessibility are universal.
