Channel 4 unveils Disability Comms Playbook

Channel 4 Sales has released its Disability Comms Guide and Playbook, developed with Bupa, Purple Goat and Initiative. The resource offers practical guidance for creating more inclusive advertising across TV, digital and social platforms and builds on momentum from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

The Playbook aims to help the industry improve the representation of disabled people long after the Games’ spotlight. It provides actionable advice, best practice recommendations and links to further learning, helping brands and agencies embed inclusivity throughout campaign development.

Resource designed to build confidence in accessibility

Alongside the Playbook, Purple Goat is providing a wider training programme and in-person workshops for agencies. The campaign was developed by Channel 4 Sales’ Partner Labs, the in-house creative partnerships team, working in collaboration with Purple Goat, with Initiative brokering the partnership.

Sam Hicks, head of advertiser strategy, Channel 4: “We are proud to be launching the Disability Comms Guide and Playbook, which we hope will evoke lasting change within the industry. Coming together with Bupa, Purple Goat, and Initiative, we encourage agencies and brands to find tips and resources to build confidence and make sure everyone has the tools to make advertising truly representative.”

Partners emphasise authentic representation

Angelique Waker, brand and marketing effectiveness director, Bupa: “We believe that health is shaped first and foremost by lived experience. Our award-winning Health Is campaign is a testament to how we embed inclusivity into our work and ensure accessibility is at the heart of what we do. This work reaffirmed that showing the everyday realities, ambitions, and challenges of disabled people in their own words, should be instinctive and this handbook builds on that commitment. It offers the industry clear, practical guidance so that representation isn’t left to interpretation, but grounded in accuracy, respect, and cultural relevance. By equipping partners with the right tools, we can shift how disability is depicted and create a more honest and inclusive picture of what health really means. We are delighted to be part of this playbook to both lead and support others in the industry.”

Dom Hyams, global client director, Purple Goat: “Since the agency was founded, we’ve seen how powerful the impact of educating, empowering and building confidence around disability inclusion can be for those around us. This playbook builds on the industry leading, progressive conversation that both Channel 4, Bupa and Purple Goat have championed around the Paralympic Games, ensuring that we utilise this platform to create a legacy of genuine societal change.”

Industry collaboration drives progress

Will Spence, CEO UK and Ireland, Initiative: “Our award-winning work with Bupa showed that inclusive media has the power to change both behaviour and industry standards. That is why we are proud to facilitate the launch of this Playbook. It gives marketers the clarity, guidance and ambition needed to push the industry forward and make inclusive planning the norm rather than the exception. This Playbook is a decisive step forward for the industry, turning intention into accountable action and setting a new benchmark for what good looks like.”

Channel 4 Sales is expanding its accessibility commitments, with a requirement from spring 2026 for all adverts delivered to Channel 4 to include closed captions. It also aims for all creative partnerships to feature subtitles as standard.

Channel 4 continues push for inclusive advertising

The broadcaster further supports inclusive representation through its Diversity in Advertising Award, which returned to the brief Inclusive by Design for the second consecutive year. Tesco, BBH and EssenceMediacom were recently named winners of one million pounds worth of advertising space across Channel 4’s portfolio, following Currys’ 2024 Sigh of Relief campaign, which achieved a sales ROI of 23:1 by the end of October.

The full playbook can be accessed here.

www.channel4.com

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