• by Danielle Oster , May 10, 2024

According to a recent study from the National Retail Federation Prosper Insights & Analytics, 84% of U.S. consumers are expected to celebrate Mother’s Day this year, and they’re anticipated to spend around $33.5 billion – a historical figure second only to last year’s record $35.7 billion in spending.

With 48% prioritizing finding gifts that are unique or different, and 43% looking to create a special memory -- more than in past years -- brands may not be able to rely on their typical strategies to court consumers for this holiday.

Here’s how three CPG brands are navigating their marketing pitches to consumers looking for the perfect gift for mom.

Marias Gamesa

PepsiCo-owned Mexican cookie brand Marias Gamesa is reviving its “Cafecito con Marias Gamesa” brand platform ahead of Mother’s Day, which is designed to act as a “virtual community of support for Latinas navigating motherhood in the U.S.”

For this year, the brand is partnering with parenting podcast "Super Mamá," and delving into topics about relationships and prioritizing personal interests.

The approach follows a recent brand survey finding Latina mothers in the U.S. aren’t leaning on community or family support systems, including the mother figures in their lives.  According to the survey, 64% of Latina moms felt relieved after reaching out to their own mothers for support following difficult parenting situations, but 70% reported feeling too overwhelmed or stretched for time to give their mothers a call.

So the brand’s centering its digital campaign around prompting consumers to give Mom a call with its “Márcale a Mamá" spot, running across Meta, YouTube, and TikTok through Mother’s Day. The brand is also promoting viewers on social media channels to give mom a call, utilizing the  “#MárcaleAMamá” hashtag.

The cookie brand is also partnering with a group of four Latina mother content creators as part of the campaign. dubbing the group the “Marias Gamesa Squad.” This influencer marketing team will share real motherhood experiences on their social channels, as well as appearing as guests on the "Super Mamás" podcast.

Emma Sleep

Emma knows working moms are tired. The brand, which sells mattresses, bed essentials and other sleep-related items, focused its Mother’s Day campaign on the 71.2% of mothers globally who the company says are working either part-time or full-time jobs, while still taking on the bulk of household chores and childcare.

Citing Stanford University research by Daniel Abrams about the influence and benefits of hearing a mother’s voice on childhood development, the brand is offering a way for moms to let their kids hear their voice, even when they can’t be there IRL. Emma created a bedtime story about the relationship between a mother and child, and the importance of sleep, which it is sharing as a free e-book. It’s inviting moms to record themselves reading the story so their kids can fall asleep to the sound of Mom's voice.

M&Ms

Does Mom have a sweet tooth?

M&Ms created a “Mom Dispenser” for Mother’s Day (which dispenses M&Ms candy, not mothers). The nostalgic contraption -- available in versions reading “Best Mom Ever” or “Happy Mother’s Day” --  is for sale for $54.99 on the brand’s website, and is filled with M&Ms candies with user-chosen personalized text delivering a nice message to Mom every time she turns the crank for a handful of the candy.

The “Mom Dispenser” is the central component of the personalization approach offered on M&Ms’ dedicated Mother’s Day page, which also includes a series of gift box, gift jar, and gift bottle options.

A competing brand, Dove Chocolate, addressed moms who needed some job-hunting help in its distinct approach to Mother’s Day -- which we covered in full here.