For Mother’s Day, Brands Acknowledge How Covid-19 Impacted Motherhood

Many moms haven’t had it easy throughout the past year. And brands didn’t shy away from this reality in their Mother’s Day messaging:

• Nivea’s ad told the story of a young woman who struggles to get along with her mom while working from her childhood bedroom during the pandemic.
• Teleflora’s campaign featured two kids explaining how difficult the past year has been for their mom.
• Saucony’s Mother’s Day video described motherhood as the “marathon that never ends.”

These campaigns are the latest examples of brands trying to more accurately portray what it’s like to be a mom. For instance, earlier this year, Frida Mom aired a commercial during the Golden Globes that showed new mothers grappling with the pain and confusion that can come with breastfeeding. Last year, an ad for Bodyform, a brand that sells period products, showed a couple suffering a miscarriage.

Our take: Marketers are ditching glossy depictions of parenting in favor of relatable ones, to try and show that they get how tough it can be. But companies that lack supportive parental leave policies, or perks for working parents, risk backlash if their ads say one thing while their practices say another. Remember when Nike told women to “Dream Crazier,” then faced criticism shortly afterwards for its treatment of pregnant athletes? — MS