By Allie Naughton, Director, Strategy & Insights, Listrak
Mother’s Day is an important moment to honor moms everywhere, celebrated in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand on May 10, and on other dates elsewhere around the world.
For retailers, Mother’s Day remains one of the most important seasonal moments, with 84% of US adults planning to celebrate this emotionally-driven holiday. The NRF reported an estimated $34.1 billion in spending for Mother’s Day 2025, making it the second highest demand holiday outside of Nov/Dec holiday season.
For marketers and consumers alike, Mother’s Day is a key moment. Here’s why it matters, and how marketers can make lasting consumer connections.
Why Mother’s Day matters for marketers
For marketers, Mother’s Day is a critical gifting time of year. If brands are thoughtful in their marketing execution, they can accurately meet their customers’ demand. Consumers are primed to spend, making it essential for brands to deliver timely, relevant messages across the right channels to capture demand. With many shoppers delaying their purchases until the final week, the countdown to Mother’s Day is an important time for marketers to make meaningful connections with consumers.
The holiday helps drive predictable revenue fast, bridging the revenue gap between winter and summer seasons when demand typically slows down. The holiday also affords marketers with the opportunity to to turn everyday products into “must-buy” gifts, preventing inventory stagnation by moving seasonal, excess, or giftable products quickly.
What’s more, Mother’s Day means marketers have a unique moment to emotionally connect customers to their brand, overcoming message fatigue with refreshed, emotionally driven storytelling and building goodwill with meaningful narratives.
Here are 7 ways to connect with consumers on Mother’s Day:
- Keep it simple. Not every Mother’s Day message needs to rely on transactional CTAs. Simple, thoughtful campaigns that focus on appreciation rather than promotion help humanize your brand and strengthen emotional connection. A genuine “Happy Mother’s Day” message can build goodwill, reinforce loyalty, and keep your brand top of mind without overwhelming customers.
- Deploy clever copy. Playful, mom-inspired phrases like “mom advice” can tap into shared memories and instantly capture attention while adding humor and personality to your brand.
- Focus on customizable gifts. Customizable gifts feel more thoughtful and personal, making them especially meaningful for Mother’s Day. Highlighting personalization options helps customers create one-of-a-kind presents, increases perceived value, and drives higher engagement and conversion.
- Offer last-minute discounts. Promoting timely discounts creates urgency, while clearly communicating shipping deadlines builds confidence and removes purchase hesitation. If they miss shipping cutoffs, offer e-gift cards.
- Remind mom to treat herself, too. Mother’s Day isn’t just about giving to others — it’s also a moment for self-recognition, and “treat yourself” campaigns resonate by empowering customers to celebrate their own hard work and personal milestones.
- Highlight inclusivity. Inclusive Mother’s Day campaigns reflect the diverse realities of modern motherhood. Celebrate all types of mother figures – moms, grandmothers, new moms, pet moms, mother figures and more – by offering nontraditional gift ideas, and avoiding a narrow focus on traditionally “female” products, brands expand their reach, build stronger emotional connections, and make more customers feel seen and valued.
- Remember to provide opt-outs. Mother’s Day can be sensitive for many customers, and providing an opt-out shows empathy and respect, helping your brand build trust and demonstrate emotional intelligence.
Making Mother’s Day more than just a promotion
With the right strategy, Mother’s Day becomes more than a seasonal promotion — it becomes a moment to deepen engagement, increase conversions, and position your brand as part of your customers’ most meaningful celebrations. Brands that succeed focus on emotional storytelling, inclusive messaging and actionable cross-channel campaigns that simplify gifting will create genuine connections that deliver results in the short and long-term.
About the Author
Allie Naughton is Director, Strategy & Insights at Listrak, which recently launched its Mother’s Day Playbook.
