Mother’s Day, at its core, is the celebration of motherhood, womanhood, and maternal bond. It is one day where we objectively ponder in awe about all that our mothers do and all that a woman can do.
To be more precise, Mother’s Day celebrates the female influence or the maternal figure in one’s life such as teachers, aunts, grandmothers, or even the kind librarian.
💌 Flowers and greeting cards are the most popular Mother’s Day gifts.
One Day Is Worth Two Tomorrows??
With so many mothers and caretakers, it isn’t surprising that mother’s day has become a billion-dollar industry! In 2018 alone, over $23 billion was spent on Mother’s Day.
It has been commercialized to the point that the founder of the holiday, Anna Jarvis herself, has criticized that this has become a capitalistic phenomenon that is celebrated in 46 countries around the world.
This inflation in a one-day holiday is also the reason why big companies employ specific marketing strategies to get the optimal business.
In this article, we explore the history, the best campaigns and gift ideas for Mother’s Day, as well as some tips to make this day as special as it has always been.
But if you need a gist of this article, check this video out first:
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💌 In the vast majority of the world’s languages, the word “mother” begins with the letter M.
The History of Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day dates back to Ancient Greece when the goddess Rhea was honored during their annual spring festival.
In other words, Mother’s Day, quite simply, has been noted to be celebrated for thousands of years. Given the diverse world we live in, it should be of no doubt that Mother’s Day has its own history, significance, and differences.
The modern Mother’s Day celebration was known to be popularized by Anna Jarvis, who started the tradition by organizing a small service to honor the day her mother passed away.
Anna’s mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, was an advocate for women’s rights, and often organized Mother’s Day assemblies to help improve infant mortality rates in her community.
To garner support, Jarvis trademarked the phrase ‘Mother’s Day’ and ‘second Sunday in May.’ The Mother’s Day commemoration stuck, and most communities started observing the celebration every second Sunday of May.
In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson announced an official national holiday on Mother’s Day. In the U.S., Mother’s Day is observed on the second Sunday of May, which is the 9th of May this year.
However, this special day is celebrated on different days for the rest of the world (Britain – March 14. Armenia – April 7, etc.). In a small landlocked country – Nepal, Mother’s Day is always observed on a no-moon day which does not have a consistent date.
The reason for the varying celebration of our mothers, aka Mother’s Day, is linked to the lunar calendar and each countries’ individual tradition.
The history of Mother’s Day has been theorized as resulting in granting women one day for themselves, without having to tend to the household and children, which used to be the case not so long ago.
It can perhaps further be condensed into a simple sentence, “observed everywhere, but differently.”
💌 Carnations are the flowers typically associated with Mother’s Day.
Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
Getting the perfect gift for your mother on Mother’s Day can be a taxing task; what exactly constitutes a ‘perfect gift’ for your mother anyway?
To make it easier for you, we have compiled a list of Mother’s Day 2021 gift ideas that just might be perfect.
These tips aren’t exclusive to just individuals searching for the perfect mother’s day gift; the listed ideas can also be applied by any business choosing to have Mother’s Day offers.
1. Thoughtful
Every child is special to their mother, but a foolproof way to become their favorite child is by getting your mother something very thoughtful. This is why most brands focus on providing personalized gift items.
A thoughtful present doesn’t have to be expensive. It simply has to convey the love and care you have for your mother. For example, a personalized cup or a diary can work wonders.
2. Needed
One instant way to earn some brownie points with mothers can be getting them something they need but haven’t yet gotten a chance to get it themselves.
For instance, the beauty box by Boxy Momma comes with several self-care goodies aimed at keeping your mother happy. For a sassy momma who loves Yoga, a subscription to the YogaClub may tip her hat in your favor.
3. Tear-jerker
While no one wants to make their mother cry, we can all agree that bringing our mothers to happy tears is a very rewarding experience for both parties involved.
One particular instance I’d like to share is when one of our colleague’s cousins (who burns even water) surprised her mother on her birthday with perfect blueberry pancakes (something she always makes on her birthdays).
While this cost virtually nothing, her mother still considers the pancakes the best gift she has ever received.
One may also choose to sign up for a DIY class on flower arranging or jewelry making to gift their mothers a never-before-seen work of art exclusive to her!
4. Ironic
Another great gift idea that customers love is one that is ironic and brings a smile to their mother’s faces.
For instance, the ‘I WINE it that way’ wine glass is an ode to your mother’s love for the Backstreet Boys (and let’s not kid ourselves! What’s not to love?) and wine!
However, one important thing to note and what makes this Mother’s Day different is the prevalent pandemic which calls for some different marketing strategies for Mother’s Day.
Meaning, one must primarily avoid strategies that involve any breakage to the safety guidelines put in place for the safety of us and our mothers. This also means that normal Mother’s Day activities and experiences have been hindered somewhat. As such, it is best for brands to get their gifting strategies to go digital.
Some services may be able to integrate very personal and intimate family-related activities such as a cozy dinner. However, given the current situation, it may be best to focus on physical products that can be ordered and delivered with safety measures.
Something a company can do is to devise a gift list for mothers or highlight the benefit of their particular products that are suitable for mothers. It could also communicate the role their specific product plays in creating a bond between a mother and her children.
Look at the American cosmetic company, Aveda, which, with their poignant campaign, reminds every child of the role and influence their mother has had and will continuously have in their lives.
💌 36% of Americans plan to buy their mom jewelry.
Marketing Campaigns for Mother’s Day
The importance of seasonal marketing is tapping into the national and international celebrations and holidays that are already on the consumers’ minds.
Not to mention the opportunity to connect with new audiences that may otherwise have been missed as it involves promoting specific products and services that only line up with certain times of the year. For example, the marketing strategies used during the Chinese New Year.
As you can see, there is no industry restriction on marketing your company’s products or services on Mother’s Day. The beauty of marketing is connecting with your customers and making your own rules.
So whatever your business may be, you will have customers, and your customers will have some kind of mother figure in their lives, if not mothers, to get them a gift on Mother’s Day from you.
💌 Mother’s Day is the biggest flower buying day of the year in Britain.
Curating Content for Mother’s Day 2021
If you are looking at how to prepare content for Mother’s Day 2021, a simple but effective tip would be to use Aristotle’s three main forms of rhetoric: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos.
Used for thousands of years in persuasion, employing the art of Ethos (appeal to credibility/ethics), Logos (appeal to logic/data), and the most effective, especially for Mother’s Day, Pathos (appeal to emotions).
If you have a keen eye, you can easily spot this rhetoric in some of the best Mother’s Day marketing campaigns of all time. Like Procter & Gamble’s 2012 ‘Mother’s Day Olympics’ advertisement, which voices the “Proud sponsor of moms” theme.
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It showcased a real mother-daughter duo and their struggle to overcome physical disabilities. Using real stories can help tug on the viewers’ heartstrings.
The quirky campaign of Brawny Paper Towel is another great example that is shown from the perspective of a toddler, seeing their mother rush to save the day.
The “Once a Mother, Always a Giant” campaign was loved by mothers all over the world as it showed them as the real superheroes that they are.
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The #PamperHerWithPretty campaign from Ulta Beauty incorporated social media and had a wide engagement with its customers. Women from all over the world were asked to share the best beauty tip they ever received from their mom, bringing to light the beautiful bond that moms and daughters share.
Aspiring brands may be able to draw their own unique hashtags to promote their campaigns. Just remember to communicate the part your brand, company, or product can play in making someone’s mother feel special this Mother’s Day.
💌 More calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year.
Header Image Source: Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash
How did you like May Thawdar Oo’s blog post “Best Campaign Strategies and Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day”? Let us know in the comments if you have anything to add, have another content idea for beauty content marketing blog posts, or just want to say “hello.” 🙂
