One popular belief is the saying “advertising sells dreams”; and sometimes no matter how utopian they may seem. The goal is to sell, by attributing meaning to a certain product or service, usually of an emotional nature. Motherhood implies in itself an extraordinary emotional attribute for mothers and children; hence, Mother’s Day is the perfect date to exalt, even expose almost by way of obligation, gifts as samples of affection. However, what happens when these ideals become impossible?
The image of the mother in the traditional media, is usually more or less similar: young, beautiful, slender woman who is well-dressed and with make-up on (even though her house is freshly cleaned); a couple of beautiful children and, of course, a husband who pampers her. All smiling, all happy. However, it seems that these stereotypes in advertising are coming to an end, due to the direct criticism exercised by communities on the Internet in the face of changing social paradigms, as well as the gender roles, especially of women.
More and more young women are discarding the idea that the media tries to impose on them about their role as self-sacrificing mothers who, one day receive gifts, flowers and affection, to put up with being captive of their families for the rest of the year. The rejection of this archetype seems to be also the consequence of an image that doesn’t fit either their social reality or their personal maternal experience. In the United States, a survey revealed that 80% of first-time mothers feel depressed because their bodies don’t look like the famous ones, who after having just given birth show their abs without stretch marks in media and social networks. We are talking about the fact that advertising is negatively influencing the personal perception that women have of themselves, an effect contrary to what is supposed to be doing.
Then, you will ask: what do women want? How do I make my brand fit the date, without offending anyone? Well, the first thing is to stop conceptualizing “women” as a whole and start thinking of them as people who develop in different contexts, with varied tastes and unique interests. The second is to present ideas that are more faithful to the reality of the chosen target. That is, generate empathy through the creation of new social environments that empower women as a social actor capable of developing in the professional field, without undermining their responsibilities as mothers.
With this in mind, the brands should contribute to the normalization of the body of the postpartum woman as something natural and avoid the so-called “body shaming”.
At Mijo! Brands, the leading creative agency in digital marketing with a presence in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, we understand the importance of positioning your brand in line with current requirements and challenges. We know how necessary it is to generate empathy with the environment. Therefore, we support you with the generation of strategies so that your brand finds the ideal way to anchor in the sectors that you are looking for.
Mijo! Brands puts at your disposal its team of professionals, who will make your brand grow exponentially through effective campaigns and with social responsibility.
Carlos Becerra is Community Manager at Mijo! Brands. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Communication from the Autonomous Metropolitan University, UAM. He has experience in different marketing tasks with direct customer service. He considers his main strengths to be empathy and the search for creative solutions. He is a fan of stories regardless of the digital or analog format that transmits them. He is an enthusiast of animals as confirmed by his dog Toto, adopted in distant lands (Merida, not Kansas) and his cat Luis Miguel.