How Advertising to Moms Is Changing

Parenting isn’t easy and advertising geared toward moms is beginning to frequently reflect that as well.

According to AdWeek, more and more brands are shifting from presenting a stereotypical perfect family to portraying the realistic struggles of life with the ultimate goal of connecting better with millennials.

“Trying to be a perfect parent is impossible, and frankly, the best parents are the imperfect ones,” said Adam Chasnow, an executive creative director at a Colorado-based advertising agency. “Younger parents seem more open to doing parenting their own way, not just repeating the way they were brought up or relying on one source of parenting information.”

Meredith Hirt, a writer for a youth research firm, said the message of realism is resonating very well in an era where 60% of mothers say they’ve experience mom-shaming or the public criticism of their parenting choices.

“More than four in 10 in both the U.S. and U.K. (44 percent versus 42 percent, respectively) say they feel better about themselves as a parent when other parents admit to their own parenting mishaps and challenges,” Hirt said. “Thus, they want brands to provide honest marketing campaigns with relatable portrayals of the challenges of parenting, as well as moments that show more performative parenting to provide humor.”

As the demand for realistic messaging continues to rise, marketing companies admit that making a personal connection with potential customers is becoming more challenging, but it’s not stopping them from trying to earn your hard-earned dollars.

“Life was easy when you could depict the American family as Dad going to work and Mom staying at home with two kids eating a bowl of cereal in the morning,” brand consultant Allen Adamson said. “That world is long gone, and there is no one-size-fits-all anymore.”