• by Sarah Mahoney , Yesterday

The most revealing thing about this Mother's Day marketing season may not be how much Americans plan to spend. It's who some of the biggest campaigns are chasing. Kay Jewelers thinks it's the husband, fumbling for the right gift. Teleflora thinks it's the mom, quietly and constantly wondering if she's doing enough.

The campaigns arrive as Mother's Day spending is projected to hit a record $38 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation, blowing past last year's $34.1 billion and the previous record of $35.7 billion set in 2023. On a per-person basis, consumers plan to spend an average of $284.25, also a record. Despite economic uncertainty, 84% of Americans plan to celebrate.

Jewelry leads all gift categories in terms of dollars, with spending expected to hit $7.5 billion. Kay is planting its flag with humor. In a social-media campaign developed with Whistle Sports, it stars NFL star Christian McCaffrey getting coached up by his father, NFL veteran Ed McCaffrey, on the finer points of Mother's Day gifting — just in time for Christian's first Mother's Day as a rookie dad.

"I've spent my life following playbooks, but becoming a dad is a whole new game," the younger McCaffrey says in the press release.  "It's about taking what I've learned from my parents and helping others feel more confident when it comes to gifting."

"The Husband Playbook" is running on Kay's social channels — Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and X — through May 10.

Teleflora is coming at the holiday from the opposite emotional angle. Rather than solving the gift-giver's anxiety, the floral delivery service addresses mom guilt head-on. A new national survey commissioned by Teleflora and conducted by Kantar found that 91% of mothers experience mom guilt, and nearly three in four say they worry at times they're not doing enough for their kids. Working moms report even higher levels, at 94%.

The brand's new spot, "If You've Worried," follows a mother through the quiet, relatable doubts of daily life — feeling too strict, not present enough, simply not enough — until a surprise bouquet puts it all in perspective.

Gen Z and millennial moms are driving the guilt numbers, with nearly half of Gen Z moms and 40% of millennial moms reporting daily mom guilt. And 84% of moms with children at home say they need more reassurance that they're doing a good job, a figure that climbs to 94% among Gen Z moms.

"Moms are too often under tremendous pressure, carrying the invisible load of managing a household on their shoulders," said John Ludwig, Teleflora's vice president of marketing and ecommerce, in the announcement. "This campaign is an ode to moms and our way of saying, 'We see you, and we thank you.’"

Teleflora, which partnered with parenting experts from Big Little Feelings to unpack the survey findings, noted that May's Mental Health Awareness Month makes the timing especially resonant. The campaign is running on connected TV, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and parenting-focused podcasts.

Flowers, meanwhile, aren't just an emotional gesture — they're the overwhelming first choice, chosen by 75% of celebrants. NRF projects $3.2 billion in flower spending this Mother's Day.