The past two years of shutdowns have caused Mother’s Day plans to change dramatically. This year, as we gradually return to a more normal way of gathering, we will see some carryover habits from years of Covid celebrations. We will also see a newfound excitement over being able to meet up in person with family and friends for holidays previously missed.
The data shows that Mother’s Day spending has been steadily increasing since 2018, reaching about $28.1 billion in 2021 in 2021, which was an increase of over $1.4 billion compared to 2020. This year will likely mark another increase in spending as consumers ages 25 to 34 plan to spend more on their gifts, up from $367 million total in 2021.
Retailers and brands should plan on taking advantage of the return to in-person celebrations and increases in overall spending by properly planning their marketing strategies for Mother’s Day. We searched the web for the best advice to share, which includes:
- Who are the target shoppers and who are they buying for?
- What are they likely to buy?
- How can you reach them and convert?
1. Evolving Traditional Notions of Motherhood
More than ever, Mother’s Day gifters aren’t just shopping for their mothers, but often include other women in their lives including grandmothers, sisters, daughters, girlfriends, spouses, friends and any other caregivers they wish to celebrate.
Who will be making most of the purchases for mother figures? 2021 data shows the biggest spenders are Millennials aged 25-34, who spent around $367 million last year. This age group has many figures to shop for, as older Millennials might have children of their own while still purchasing gifts for their parents.
Mother’s Day is also one of the most widely celebrated holidays, with around 94% of Millennials participating in celebrations of some kind. Mother’s Day is a holiday that crosses all ethnic, religions, backgrounds and cultures so it is important to be inclusive in messaging when choosing a campaign. This is especially important since inclusivity in messaging is an issue that’s important to Mother’s Day big spenders, with 77% of millennials reporting taking some type of action after seeing an ad they thought was diverse or inclusive.
2. Consider Gifts Other Than Flowers
While flowers still make up more than half of Mother’s Day purchases, consumers are increasingly focused on gifts more personalized than the traditional flowers and chocolates. 2020 and 2021 Mother’s Day gift guides included a wide range of gifts from the more traditional jewelry, candy, clothing and perfumes to consumables like brunches, dinners and spa treatments.
Presents that include group experiences have become progressively popular after shutdowns encouraged everyone to increasingly value quality time spent with loved ones. Retailers should take advantage of this new trend by focusing on gifts that bring loved ones together through a joined activity or event. About half of survey respondents last year indicated they were gifting a special outing, which was the response just following flowers and greeting cards. This 2022 Mother’s Day guide focuses on activities and personalized gifts in addition to any traditional presents.
For more information on optimizing ecommerce for the gift buyer, register for CommerceNext 2022 from June 21-22nd in NYC.
3. Get Creative With Your Messaging
Many Mother’s Day celebrations will reflect the trends initiated in 2020 and 2021. Here are a few ideas for targeting Millennial shoppers with a mix of traditional and trendy campaigns, using some of the best campaigns from the past few years.
- Produce heartwarming content that touches on themes of appreciation, compassion, generosity and love (like P&G)
- Increase loyalty rewards using Mother’s Day promotional codes
- Use real stories through user-generated content to include mothers from all backgrounds (similar to the real families used in this Brawny commercial)
- Run a contest encouraging consumers to describe their mom
- Use your own community of employees (like Dick’s Sporting Goods)
- Create a Mother’s Day gift guide for shoppers unsure how they want to celebrate
Whatever Mother’s Day campaign you decide to undertake, consumers are excited to take advantage of a return to in-person festivities and will likely welcome the chance to celebrate the mother figures in their lives. Take advantage of this excitement by planning early and perfecting your Mother’s Day messaging.
As you prepare your own Mother’s Day gifts, flowers might be top of mind. FTD is an industry leader in online flower delivery and has over 100 years of expertise in holiday gifting. Register for CommerceNext 2022 to hear from Charlie Cole, CEO at FTD, in his keynote presentation on how FTD has updated the brand for the digital age and positioned it for accelerated growth.
This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating all the mothers and caregivers in our community. Thank you for all that you do!
