Mother's Day 2023 ads: The hand that rocks the cradle rules brands

Controlling 85% of all domestic purchases, mothers are known as the CFOs of the house. These buys include everything from food to clothes to cars. To ignore such an important demographic would be a folly for marketers, given that the hand that rocks the cradle not only rules the world but also influences purchases, shapes marketing strategies and changes the business trajectories of big brands.

That being said, the idea of motherhood hasn’t undergone a sea change in the last 70 years of Indian advertising with little to no nuances in the portrayals. Moms are shown as infallible, selfless beings whose lives revolve around their kids. In recent years, ads are getting more progressive, giving viewers a more balanced representation of mothers today.

Mother’s Day 2023 falls on Sunday, May 14^th. To mark the occasion, brands across categories have tipped their hats to moms all over the world. Here is our pick of some of the best Mother’s Day ads this year that have dared to be different with well-rounded portrayals of what it means to be a mother today.

Air India

The Indian airline company has honoured moms all over the world for “the small things they do to make big journeys possible.” The campaign #ItsAMomthing is made of vignettes that showcase how moms across the world send their kids off on journeys, from giving them lucky charms to warm hugs.

Amazon

Amazon brought out a fun-filled spot featuring the mothers of employees. Hilarity ensues when each mom is asked what their child does for a living. The ad film has been conceptualized by Kinnect.

The company has also conceptualized the #DeliverTheLove campaign, highlighting how we take moms for granted.

Catch Spices 

While a tad bit maudlin, Catch Spices scores for highlighting the problems of sex workers who often have to eschew motherhood due to social stigma. The campaign has been conceptualised and produced by Grapes.

redBus

“Give maa a break,” says bus ticket booking company redBus for its Mother’s Day campaign. The ad shows a typical exchange between a concerned mom and a son at a bus stop before the ride arrives. However, it’s not the son who is going on a trip this time; it’s the mom. The ad is centred on the premise of giving mothers a well-deserved break from the everyday grind.

Philips Avent

Sania Mirza smashes all the social expectations and shackles put on women after motherhood. The tennis star headlines this Mother’s Day ad for Philips Avent, showcasing how women can make a professional comeback even when society is pulling them back.

Zomato

Food delivery aggregator Zomato has the paid an ode to mothers by not only tweaking the brand name to "Mazoto," (because "ma always comes first), but also mo(m)difying the app's interface.