Social Exclusion: A Bibliometric Analysis and Future Research Directions in Advertising

Advertisers have begun to recognize the role of inclusive advertising in consumer well-being. One way to increase inclusivity is to minimize experiences of exclusion using marketing tools. Although social exclusion is common in today’s world, current academic literature is mostly silent on how advertising can mitigate the negative effects of exclusion. This article initiates the discussion on inclusive advertising by systematically exploring the underlying phenomena of social exclusion and related concepts (e.g., marginalization, loneliness, and social isolation). Through a bibliometric approach and thematic content analyses that includes more than 490 articles published in the last two decades in marketing, including advertising, communication, and psychology journals, we evaluate the mechanisms and consequences of social exclusion. We discuss several avenues for future research, present propositions, and suggest guidelines on (1) how marketers can design inclusive advertising, (2) how advertising can cater to the needs of excluded consumers, and (3) how advertising may alleviate the negative effects of social exclusion and enhance consumer psychological well-being.