Embracing Sensitivity this Mother’s Day

As we begin the ramp up to Mother’s Day on May 9th, it’s important for brands and businesses alike to take a step back, rethink their approach to marketing communications, and consider their brand sensitivity.  

Matilda Rose Moir

While roughly $26 billion is spent in the US alone on Mother’s Day, it should be acknowledged that not all consumers chose to celebrate or even recognize the one day event, and this needs to be reflected within our marketing efforts. Advertisers should be supporting the consumers demand for inclusivity, recognizing how Mother’s Day can be a difficult time of the year for those who’ve lost loved ones, have specific family dynamics, or chose not to celebrate. 

Here’s some of the ways you can be genuine, support customers, and be sensitive to consumer emotions this Mother’s Day.

Opting Out

A vast number of individuals have lost loved ones over the last year due to Covid-19, and being reminded of that loss around key events such as Mother’s Day can be upsetting and painful. One way in which you can support those grieving is to offer all customers the option to opt-out of marketing emails and/or communications in the lead up to the one day event. This allows customers to take control of what they can and cannot see, permitting them to avoid potentially upsetting or triggering content. 

Take a look at how Bloom & Wild introduced an opt-out feature for sensitive occasions, and how it led to the formation of their Thoughtful Marketing Movement, which aims to improve the customer experience across the industry. 

Tailoring Ad Copy 

Ad messages around certain events such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can often be discriminatory towards individuals with specific family dynamics. More often than not, copy only resonates with, and applies to, a cis-gender, heteronormative “nuclear family”, which isn’t representative of society. This can be a serious pain point, causing upset for many consumers. With over 6.5 million families in the US with a single father, and over 191 thousand children living with same-sex parents, marketers need to embrace these statistics, and reconsider any potentially discriminatory copy. To guarantee inclusivity this Mother’s Day, brands should consider tailoring their messaging to appeal to a wider audience, and demonstrate that Mother’s Day can be celebrated by everyone and anyone – regardless of family situation. 

With 62% of consumers listing diversity as a contributor to the way they perceive a brand’s products and services, the value of inclusive messaging is immeasurable, and brands should be reflecting this within their advertising efforts. The Perfume Shop demonstrated this perfectly with an inclusive campaign we ran for them last year – ‘Whoever You’re Buying For This Mother’s Day’ – that demonstrated their recognition of the wide variety of people that celebrate Mother’s Day.  

Diversifying Your Creatives 

Going hand in hand with ad messaging, it’s also important to remember that creative content is just as detrimental to a consumer’s emotions when of an exclusive nature. There are many maternal figures that need recognition over Mother’s Day, and brands should strive for inclusive creatives that compliment their ad copy,  and are sensitive on both an individual and societal level. Creatives should demonstrate diversity, and apply (dependent on the situation and brand) to a wide range of ethnicities and demographics.

Have a look at Stockland’s ‘To All Those Who Mum’ Mother’s Day campaign that celebrated a range of mums across Australia – from traditional mums and stepmums to single parents and more. 

Widening Your Market

Don’t limit yourself to marketing the binary that motherhood equals femininity. A huge variety of people celebrate Mother’s Day and the way consumers purchase is changing – so be sure to tailor your strategy to support that. Think outside the box and use this opportunity to advertise a range of products that appeal to a larger demographic of shoppers. 

For more advice on how to be genuine within your marketing this Mother’s Day, and improve your diversity and inclusion outputs, explore The Value of Inclusive Marketing or get in touch with us today.

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