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HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! Had you forgotten? Don’t worry, there’s still time.
As time passes social media and online marketing is becoming bigger and bigger business, with the aim for most companies being to get something to go viral. Well, to get something to go viral for the right reasons:
Irish boys and girls often have a, well, slightly dependent relationship with their Mums.
So it’s hardly surprising that the one day a year when everyone’s mother gets to put her feet up is a big deal for marketing purposes – for every entity imaginable from hotels to hospitals, huge firms to small businesses.
Perhaps surprisingly, Mother’s Day is the most searched for of the big three ‘days’ in Ireland via Google, the others being Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day. In fact, in 2015 it’s not even a close competition:
And where in Ireland is Mother’s Day most searched for? Why in Athlone of course. They care about their Mums in the midlands, and so they should.
So, Mother’s Day is big business.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, John Ring, managing director with digital marketing specialists Tinderpoint, described what makes a truly affecting online advertising campaign.
“The most effective campaigns are those which are able to tell a story, something the Irish are renowned for, which makes video the perfect medium,” says Ring.
People need to be able to relate and that’s why the likes of Youtube are key.
It makes sense that companies would make the most of Mother’s Day, because it’s something that’s bound to put a smile on the public’s face and that makes advertising done right all the more memorable.
Ring pinpoints Lidl’s video (below) for Mother’s Day as a brilliant example of storytelling and advertising at their best in unison.
That’s because so many Irish mothers have children who have left our shores, and would love to be home on Mother’s Day.
That mixture of a storyline, a bit of emotion and a humility from the brand – Lidl’s own presence in the video is very subtle – is the perfect combination.
He’s not wrong, as you can see:
So what sort of stuff is to be avoided?
“If you’re telling a story you need to be very respectful, that’s most important,” Ring says.
Anything that seems wilfully hurtful is to be avoided like the plague, particularly on social media where things are so unregulated.
There are lots of people who have lost Mums, who have never known a Mum, who have lost kids, they’re Mums too they just don’t have their children, you really have to be so, so careful.
And any mention of any kind of -ism or -ist is definitely out!
Makes sense.
So without further ado, here’s TheJournal.ie guide to Mother’s Day marketing past and present, from the:
Sublime
… to the Good
That one’s for sugar-waxing (yes, that kind of waxing) by the way, which is a thing.
… to the not so good
… to the awful / reprehensible / completely brilliant
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mums out there. You’re the best.
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My 4 year old made the cutest card for Mother’s Day in playschool on Friday. He went on to explain to me that the card was actually for his Dad… You need a thick skin in this business I tell ya..
Oh Andrea, I feel your pain. I haven’t had my card yet. There is one in the house somewhere. My youngest is hell bent on trying to give it me herself. Her older brother is stalking her to ensure she doesn’t give it yet as my eldest is away at the Feis. 4 hours the great card drama is going on lol
Yes yesterday searched the ends of the earth for a card, with Mam on it.
Wtf is with the Mum or Mummy, its so English. Its not Mum or mummy or Mom or Mommy.
MA,MAM,OR MAMMY.
It’s down to where you live I reckon and if your male or female. A country girl friend ( whom is in her 30s ) of mine calls her folks Mammy & Daddy.
To me for my folks it’s Mom & Dad. To my nephew & niece it’s Nana & Granda.
There’s no right or wrong.
I always called my mother mum, but I was born and reared in England and even though I’ve lived in Ireland since the mid seventies some things you do never change.
Both my sons however have always been more comfortable calling me and their dad by our first names.
Mam not mum.
Beat me to it. Comfortably the worst thing to happen in the history of cards is the use of “mum” instead of mam. Puke
Ma
Mam is what you call the queen when she’s knighting you.
When I’m knighting the queen she calls me daddy.
The stuff in your dreams isn’t real, you know.
That would actually me ma’am and short for madam. If you’re going to troll even a mother’s day article then at least get your facts straight.
Which queen?
Queen Pam du Lamh.
Freddie Mercury
A love that ad. Enjoy the day with ur mam, mum, mammy. I’d give anything for just one more day.
Spend time with her. If you can’t do that, ring her. But, for God’s sake, don’t think a text message is good enough. It isn’t.
Sometimes we’re so busy growing up, we forget our parents are growing older.
Same here. 14 years last month and still miss her.
Everyday should be Mother’s Day….
The only woman people can love and be extremely afraid of in equal amounts…
Mammy.
And for those of us who’s mothers are interfering, overbearing, narcissistic, guilt tripping, constantly blaming, never supporting, differentiating between siblings women….
Happy Sunday.
Ma
Any greeting cards out there with “Mam” instead of “Mum” … ?
My evil brothers when I was younger told me to bring a cuppa tea up to my mother for mothers day.
Didn’t know how to make tea.
They said, put 9 tea bags, empty them in to a cup, and 9 sugars,and milk, off I went delighted with myself to do something nice for me mammy, I near poisened her, all I could here was my brothers laughter downstairs
Wishing all the lovely mums a very happy mother’s day and a very special wish for the mums who are working today. Hope you ladies have a nice day!
Miss you mam and wish I did and said I love you more while you were around.
I miss the mothers days when my kids were small and so excited to bring me breakfast in bed and their presents. It’s like Santa really the older the kids get the less exciting it is.
The memories of cold toast ripped apart by lumps of cold butter all to be washed down with cold coffee (which was always announced that they know they aren’t allowed use the kettle so made it with tap water) at anytime after 630am. The joys.
Ah yes, soggy cornflakes made with undiluted dilute orange, and a slice of buttered toast (read bread) made in the telly toaster (video player).
Thank god he grew up to be a graphic designer and not a chef.
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