• by Aaron Baar , December 12, 2016

When it comes to holiday decorum (and many, many other things), Mom knows best. But sometimes getting that advice means wading through a bevy of personal questions and nagging. 

Reynolds Consumer Products to the rescue. The brand, best known for its aluminum foil and storage products, has set up a texting hotline where consumers can get real-time advice from real moms, without all the inherent baggage. 

Beginning Monday (and through Dec. 23), consumers can text 937-TEXT-MOM (839-8666) to connect with a mom hailing from Chicago’s famous improv training center iO Theater. The on-call mom will offer a funny and helpful response within the hour. 

“We have a deep connection with our customers and fans during the holidays,” Mike Mazza, brand director for Foil at Reynolds Consumer Products, tells Marketing Daily. “This is a way for us to take away some of the stress of the season.”

A video to be seeded on social network channels and in paid digital placements shows how the Reynold’s help line is different from connecting with your real mom. In one case, a young woman inquires about the best way to store ham, leading to a cascade of ham-related responses, ranging from dinner last week to how much the stores are charging for ham. It’s enough to make the woman walk away from her phone.

The Reynolds response, however, is more direct: “Wrap it in Reynolds Foil and put it in the freezer. I know you’re busy, but you’re still my favorite.” Questions are not limited to food storage, however; one scenario depicts a man asking his mom whether to bring a date to the office holiday party. 

“We expect [the typical] questions that come around the holiday season,” Mazza says. “Generally, we believe in ‘Mom knows best.’ But we thought this was an opportunity to come through with real advice from real moms without the [baggage].”

The moms were selected out of iO based on their improv training and ability to offer quick, relevant responses with a dash of humor. While the moms are gamed for certain scenarios, Mazza is expecting them to come up with offbeat responses to unexpected queries on the fly. 

“We have confidence in these moms and their improv skills to respond quickly,” he says. “We’re aiming to respond within 5-10 minutes and certainly no longer than an hour.”