Recipe to the ‘perfect’ Mother’s Day ad

Picture this — a mother who cooks, cleans, takes care of her kids, her in-laws, her husband and then goes to work. Sounds like the perfect mother that can do it all, correct? This is something that brands have been portraying in ads for generations. 

And if you wish to blend in with the rest of the crowd then buckle up because you're in for a ride. Today, we are serving up a recipe for the quintessential Mother's Day ad, that might not break any new ground but will give you what everyone else does. Follow along for the perfect recipe that will bake you the most accurate and stereotypical Mother’s Day ad. 

Celebrate motherhood for a day 

Mothers are selfless beings, so naturally, they don’t need to be celebrated all year round. Many years back, in the 1900s, some great man dedicated the second Sunday of May to mothers. And because it's on a Sunday, it is easy to take her out without taking a break from work, and it's easy to cook because there is no other plan for that day. And since then, it has become a norm. 

And as a brand, it only makes sense to continue the age-old traditions. So, dust off those spatulas and put on a show of gratitude for mothers on their designated day then completely forget about them for the remaining 364 days. Let’s face it, mothers anyway don’t like the spotlight, ask yours. 

Bathe in Pink

Yay! It's Mother’s Day, and nothing says ‘celebrating a woman’ quite like drowning everything in a sea of pink, floral, and everything mushy. There isn’t any need for nuanced messaging because plastering some rosy hues can do the trick as well. 

Since your consumers are smart, they will obviously connect the dots and understand that your commitment to celebrating mothers and empowering them is directly proportional to the saturation of pink in your branding. Because, pink = progress.
 
So go ahead, and change everything, from your logo, your website, and your social media feed into a pink wave. Anyways you already have assets from Women’s Day! 

The one-size-fits-all approach

What did a mother in ads look like 30 years ago in India? Probably a saree-clad, warm-looking woman, with either a belan, water bottle or some other ‘motherly object’ in her hand calling out to her kids or husband. 

But fear not, progress has been made. Now, the saree has changed to jeans, and the belan is replaced by a laptop, but the rest is pretty much the same. Making minor wardrobe changes to keep up with changing times has worked wonders for brands so far, and it can work for you as well.  

Who needs to showcase the diversity within motherhood, correct? Single mothers, queer mothers, mothers who adopt, foster mothers or the many other forms of mothers around the world absolutely don’t need any representation. So, don’t try to move beyond the stereotypes by fitting in with the rest of the minority groups, that would be such a hassle. 

Motherhood is pretty 

There should always be a ‘pure’ and ‘clean’ filter over all your Mother’s Day-related content because mothers don’t feel tired or overwhelmed when they are basking in the glow of maternal bliss.

Postpartum depression, the struggles of breastfeeding, or the struggles of going back to work after her maternity leave are real challenges. It's just something made up by the media to ruin the pure image of motherhood. 

So our advice is to stick to the pretty image of a mother and run with it, all the mothers will love the glossification of their ‘real’ struggles. 

Even if you decide to show them going through sadness, depression, and questioning themselves, show them that they will come out victorious and motherly, looking as pretty as always! 

Moms need special discounts too 

One of the amazing things about any kind of celebration is plugging in your products by giving heavy discounts to the consumers. And naturally, because it is Mother’s Day, what better way than to sell them ‘motherly products’ for cheap? 

Back in 2022, for International Women’s Day,  an e-commerce brand’s push notification read — ‘Dear Customer, this Women’s Day, let's celebrate You. Get kitchen appliances from Rs. 299.’

You can take inspiration from this brand, they saw an event, the consumer, their product, and drew a straight line across and connected them together. So marketers, let's seize this golden opportunity to exploit the spirit of motherhood for profit. 

Mothers = emotional 

Motherhood can only be portrayed in an emotional and tear-jerking form. Mothers can't be funny or have any other emotion. In 2018, Kraft Dinner, a Canadian brand tried to showcase how difficult it is for mothers to swear around their kids, using sarcasm and humour. This could work for them, but standing out from the rest isn’t a good option. After all, brands can be a victim of cancel culture by taking a stand. 

Unlearning from Kraft Dinner, your brand can always take inspiration from Bollywood’s classic, the Baghban trope and cue some piano chords to bring out some tears in your audience. This way, they will be able to connect with your ad and understand that their mothers are important and need appreciation (for a single day). Kyunki Maa toh Maa hoti hai. 

In conclusion, if the above discussion wasn’t abundantly clear, it was dripping with sarcasm. While it may seem amusing to poke fun at cliches and stereotypes that often dominate Mother’s Day ads, it's important to understand the underlying issue at hand. Mothers aren’t superheroes who can do it all without breaking a sweat. Even the best Superheroes go through a low phase, and so humans can, too. 

They aren’t a typical day to be capitalised on. They're real people with real struggles, joys, and complexities. They deserve to be celebrated on Mother’s Day and every other day in ways that acknowledge their diversity, individuality, and humanity.

So, while the sarcasm may have been biting, the message is clear — let’s move beyond the cliches and stereotypes and try embracing a more nuanced and authentic portrayal of motherhood.