Marketing to moms beyond Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate mothers and maternal figures, alike. The holiday, which was officially dedicated to Moms 111 years ago, also marks the beginning of the Q2 shopping season. Marketers have a three week window where consumers are actively researching and buying gifts for Mother’s Day. ¹

While a mid-April campaign kick-off is necessary to reach Mother’s Day gift givers, brands should also use this time to reconsider their year round efforts when marketing to Mom.    

Empathy in Marketing

Despite Dads taking on more domestic duties, Moms still handle the majority of a family’s shopping. American mothers collectively spend more than $2 trillion per year, which may seem like an easy win for most brands. ²

However, Moms are as loyal as they are selective. Appealing to modern Moms, requires skilled creative and an authentic voice.

At M2Moms, marketers come together to figure out how to garner a portion of the ‘Mom Spend.’ M2Moms, is a two-day “Marketing to Moms” conference in its 15th year. Last year, event panelists agreed that the main way to reach Moms is through empathetic creative. ³.

Moms want to feel that the brands they stock their homes with are in line with their family’s values. Similarly, Meryl Macune, SVP of global marketing at Kids II, a company whose brands include Baby Einstein, emphasized that marketers must aim for a less transactional relationship with mothers. ⁴

This can only happen with a blend of strong creative and media placements on platforms that Moms trust.

eBay’s Modern Mamas

An eCommerce platform may not seem like your first choice when it comes to making relationships with Moms feel less transactional. The majority of eCommerce experiences are just that; an exchange of credit card information for a package waiting at your front door. However, because eBay is an eCommerce platform fueled by passion, it achieves a high engagement rate. Users are lingering on the platform the way many of us cruise the aisles of our favorite brick and mortar stores.

There are 31 million mothers on eBay. The average mother is a millennial and shops for herself and loved ones. She peruses the Home & Garden Books, Dolls & Bears, Jewelry, and Health & Beauty categories. ⁵ The eBay Mom may be looking for a stationary bike for a bit of self-care or the latest baby gear or treating herself to a new piece of jewelry. Whatever the scenario, Moms spend an average of 47 minutes per month on eBay ⁶, giving brands ample time to deliver targeted messaging.  

The greatest gift advertisers can give Moms this Mother’s Day, is a commitment to better advertising. With moms more stressed out than ever ⁷, marketers must demonstrate empathy in their creative and media placements. In this competitive landscape, mothers will support the brands that understand how to talk to them.

1. Rakuten Marketing, April 2018
2. Forbes, June 2017
3. The Atlantic, October 2018
4. The Atlantic, October 2018
5. eBay 1st Party Data, April-May 2018
6. comScore Plan Metrix, Audience Profile, Jan 2019
7. GFK Consumer Life, December 2018