Is it inclusive enough? An investigation of consumer responses to inclusive product lines

Purpose Brands are increasingly committing to improving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within their marketing practices. One way that brands can show their commitment to DEI is by offering inclusive product lines. This paper aims to examine the strategic implications of offering inclusive product lines by investigating consumer perceptions of product lines with more (versus fewer) options as well as product lines that cater primarily to minority (versus majority) consumers. Design/methodology/approach This research uses three online experiments and one secondary data set to test the hypotheses across two consumption contexts (makeup and clothing). Findings Consumers perceive product lines with more options and a distribution of options that skews toward minority (versus majority) consumers to be more inclusive and moral, which leads to more favorable attitudes toward the brand. In addition, consumers perceive product lines with balanced options to be as inclusive and moral as those with minority-skewed options. Practical implications This research provides practitioners with valuable insights on how to increase favorable consumer perceptions of their brands’ DEI strategies. Originality/value This paper contributes to the emerging literature on brand inclusivity in the marketplace. Specifically, it sheds light on why brands have been criticized for launching product lines that, ostensibly, include many options but may not go far enough to address marketplace inequalities that disadvantage underrepresented consumers.