As pandemic restrictions continue to ease, forecasts for Mother’s Day predict significant spending, giving brands ample opportunity for promos, products and in-person events.

But factors that might cause some marketers to tread lightly this year include COVID-related deaths of parents and other sensitivities around the holiday. This has prompted some brands to allow consumers to opt out of marketing such as promotional emails—a strategy that gained traction last year. 

The holiday is also complicated by calls to boycott Mother’s Day to protest a possible move by the Supreme Court to strike down the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights, which came to light earlier this week via a leaked draft of a decision. “Stop shopping. Don’t go to work. Don’t interact with the economy in any way. Keep all transactions to zero,” states a website called mothersdaystrike.com launched by activist Allison Kolarik.

It’s too early to tell how such movements will affect spending. Before protest calls gained steam, research firm Numerator on Tuesday published a report projecting that 89% of consumers plan to celebrate Mother’s Day. It stated that roughly nine in 10 Mother’s Day celebrators planned to purchase something for the holiday, with categories including cards (52%), food (45%), and flowers (44%). The report suggested consumers were more concerned this year about inflation than pandemic concerns.

Amid the abortion rights debate, brands will likely be pressed to make statements—just as they have had to do during other recent periods when high-profile societal issues enter the public consciousness, such as during the Olympics when companies were asked to boycott China’s persecution of Uyghur Muslims. 

Simple messaging is best, said Vannessa Wade, president of Connect the Dots PR, an agency that focuses on brand images in the business, healthcare and nonprofit sectors.

“You don’t want to isolate your customers,” she said, and brands can still acknowledge Mother’s Day without getting into “murky waters” through methods such as campaigns giving general thanks to mothers. It’s unlikely that brands will address the news about the overturning of abortion laws directly, particularly as it is still unfolding, she added.  

When it comes to offering consumers the chance to opt out, “having that gentle nudge is smart business,” said Wade, and is “giving them that ability to breathe.” 

Below, how some brands are approaching the holiday. 

Products

Food is almost always a fail-safe gift. To this end, Tim Hortons is releasing a “Timbit arrangement” made up of donut holes. The 20 Timbits come in different flavors packaged in a red box.

KFC is putting its own twist on bouquets. In partnership with flower retailer ProFlowers, the brand is selling a “Kentucky Fried Buckquet” (pronounced “buck-kay”). It consists of fresh roses alongside chicken tenders on sticks.

Brands are also highlighting the benefits their products can have for mothers. Energy drink maker Aspire launched a campaign showing how the drink can help mothers, who it says are exhausted and need the extra energy. The brand is partnering with influencers such as “The Bachelor” participant Catherine Giudici Lowe. It’s also encouraging consumers to enter a giveaway competition for a self-care kit and use a discount code, “MOM22,” for 22% off its products.

Telling the stories of mothers 

Other brands have focused on highlighting the experiences of motherhood. 

DoorDash released a short film directed by Nina Meredith called “Memory Blooms,” about a 77-year-old mother with Alzheimer's disease who is taken back to her past through a bouquet of flowers given by her daughter. The spot touches upon the mother Jayne Neal’s past growing up in the Jim Crow south. It is part of a larger campaign that invites people to send in pictures of their mother with flowers in return for an email back from DoorDash with a bouquet recommendation.

Amazon created a campaign that launched on April 28 and will run through Mother’s Day about India’s all-female delivery stations, terminals that ship and receive goods, which were made to offer a safe environment for women to go to work.

Marshal Plan for Moms, led by Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani, has released a video that is a spoof on a pharma ad that aims to raise awareness about the pressures mothers face, such as guilt or exhaustion. The video, created by agency Fancy, is part of the organization’s broader mission to advocate for the public and private sectors to offer more support for women such as equal pay. 

Freelancing platform Upwork launched a campaign on April 29 that is advocating for mothers to be considered as valuable hires. The campaign’s hero spot includes a montage of mothers interacting with their children, with text at the end reading “Because what makes them a good mother also makes them a great hire.” The brand has also created a web page that will list working mothers brands can employ.  

Brands including Victoria’s Secret and Skims have released campaigns showing celebrities with their families. Kim Kardashian, who founded the shapewear line, posed with her daughter North for a Skims mother’s day photoshoot, while Victoria’s Secret got together celebrities such as Brooke Shields to sit with her daughter and talk about motherly love.

Events 

Some brands are taking advantage of the ability to host in-person events to promote their products.

Kimberly-Clark's Poise brand, which sells pads for bladder leaks that can affect mothers, is highlighting how it is preparing mothers to feel secure doing summer activities such as running with their children or going on theme park rides. The brand is hosting an event in partnership with touring inflatable theme park Big Bounce America, to launch its new ultra-thin pads. The NewYork event is the day before Mother’s Day, on May 7, and will be led by participants from “The Bachelor,” Jade Roper and Carly Waddell.

Cholula is also opting for an in-person activation. The hot sauce brand is combining its Mother’s Day celebration with Cinco de Mayo and worked with Netflix’s “On My Block” actress Jessica Marie Garcia, who had a baby in February, to present people in Los Angeles with a gift basket on May 5 containing ingredients (including Cholula) for a Mother’s Day brunch.