Who really wants a pair of fluffy pink slippers for Mother’s Day

If you acknowledged Mother’s Day growing up, what do you recall buying for your Mother? A vacuum cleaner? Iron? Fluffy pink slippers? Pretty pink flowers? That saucepan she really, really wanted? Marketers of the 80s and 90s were on-point for gender stereotypes.

It’s said, according to marketers around the world, that in the 2020s our beloved Mothers still really want a few special items each year for Mother’s Day: fluffy slippers (ideally pink); cookware; household appliances; pyjamas and dressing gowns (also ideally pink); maybe a piece of jewelry; definitely a lovely indoor plant; oh, and breakfast in bed.

How is it that we continue to be bombarded with stereotypical messaging around what our mothers really want, and apparently, need, this Mother’s Day.

How is it that marketers today still adhere to the old gender, and gender-role stereotypes of yesteryear. Have marketers today not caught up with society? Or is it simply this, lazy marketing, and those that have the largest share of market and share of voice get noticed more? Has segmentation stalled that much?

Go to any shopping mall the day before Mother’s Day and watch the many bamboozled partners (men and women) wandering around looking completely befuddled, with kidlets happily announcing they know what Mummy wants, and importantly, what Mummy neeeeeeds!

Of course, kids are marketers’ best friends. Little sponges that they are. When they see colour and happy smiling faces of Mums wearing pretty pink pyjamas with fluffy pink slippers they are like moths to a flame. And, you can bet your bottom dollar partners will follow suit and be out of that shopping centre quick smart with requisite pinkness in hand!

Why is it that we here at marqued marketing are getting so hot under the collar about Mother’s Day marketing? Simply, we received one too many emails and SMS messages along the lines of “Mum’s kitchen rules”, “What Mum really wants”, and “25% off all gowns and slippers”. Really?

We jumped onto the website of a department store to see how they were marketing Mother’s Day. To their credit, Mother’s Day wasn’t their headline act. But it didn’t take long to scroll and find, apparently, all mothers want handbags, sleepwear (check), clothes, kitchenware (check), and jewelry (check). So, apparently, if Mums aren’t cooking, they’re sleeping.

So, why is it that we are still portraying these gender stereotypes? Generally, at Father’s Day, marketers go crazy for all things outdoors, bbqing, sports, books, and cars. Are we hearing this right? Mothers want to stay home, while fathers are looking to escape the home?

Where are the marketing efforts showing mothers that aren’t interested in pink fluffy slippers, indoor plants and kitchenware? And we’re not talking just marketing activewear! Marketing can do one of two things: represent the general consensus of society, or alternatively, set the tone for society. Always has, always will.

If society is ever going to move on from these so-called traditional gender stereotypes, aren’t times like Mother’s Day and Father's Day the perfect times to do so. And it starts with marketers shaking the proverbial tree. Yes, we agree, some brands just have bigger budgets, greater share of market and share of voice, therefore they are the most visible. If this is the case, shouldn’t these be the ones that lead the charge.

Or is it simply safe (and dare we say, lazy) marketing, to simply tow the gender stereotyping party line?

Ok, if you’re a fashion retailer with sleepwear product lines. Mother’s Day is the perfect time to ramp up your marketing efforts. We get that. It is the law of economics: when there is more money circulating in the economy, your marketing investment increases to ensure you have a greater share of voice in the market. It also helps that Mother’s Day falls at the beginning of a new season (as does Father’s Day interestingly), so it stands to reason that there is newness galore and the perfect opportunity to give Mum something new for the coming months.

But maybe, just maybe, it’s time to rethink the creative? Rethink the strategy? Hells bells, why not break the internet and go with black fluffy slippers instead of pink in your lead promotions? Wouldn’t that be revolutionary!

Heaven forbid Mums that really want a cordless drill! None to be found in any marketing efforts. We’re not talking about tokenistic efforts that are wrapped by the traditional stereotypical marketing messages.

Let’s also not even go there with the lack of diversity in most marketing materials, that’s a whole other blog in itself!

When are we going to stop marketing stereotyping gender roles and really portray today’s society and community? Isn’t that what good marketing is about? Understanding your audiences and speaking to them in their language? We’re sure lots of Mummas really love their fluffy pink slippers, and the great cookware, but does everyone? Personally, we’d love a cordless drill!