The perfect mom makes room for the real mom: how marketing has (finally) changed its tune

Once an angel of the hearth, today she is a real, complex, imperfect and extraordinary woman. Mother's Day is not just a celebration to mark on the calendar, but a constantly evolving mirror of our society. And marketing, which has always intercepted collective feelings to transform them into advertising messages, knows it well: the way in which companies tell this day has profoundly changed, reflecting new sensibilities, roles and family models.

In the 80s and 90s, Italian advertisements painted a reassuring, but also highly stereotyped, image of the mother . The mother was the queen of the house , devoted to the family, often portrayed among pots and pans and clothes to iron. The most popular gifts? Household appliances and products, as if taking care of others was the only possible definition of affection.

With the arrival of the 2000s, however, things began to change. The face of motherhood became more varied, more complex and above all closer to reality. The mothers shown in advertising messages were no longer just impeccable housewives, but also professionals, athletes, creatives, multitasking women struggling with careers, children and personal dreams. And along with their profile, the offer also changed: alongside pans and food processors, jewelry, travel experiences, perfumes and moments of relaxation appeared.

In recent years, the turning point has become even more clear. Leading the way is neuromarketing , a discipline that analyzes how our brain reacts to emotional stimuli and thus builds campaigns capable of striking directly to the heart. This is the case of the #RisveglialaConTenerezza campaign by Kinder Brioss, which in 2021 combined augmented reality with personalized messages to celebrate mothers. Or like Gillette Venus, which staged the small daily gestures between mother and daughter, transforming them into a tender and powerful narrative.

But the change doesn't stop at emotion. Today, engagement is everything, brands don't just sell a product but invite the public to live experiences, tell personal stories, and connect with the message. Mother's Day is no longer just a celebration, but rather a collective occasion to share authentic emotions. And tomorrow? The future promises even more personalized marketing, thanks to the use of artificial intelligence and virtual reality. But, above all, we expect an increasingly inclusive story, made up of single mothers, same-sex families, adoptive parents, non-biological mothers. Motherhood is changing, and marketing has learned to keep pace. The perfect mother leaves room for the real mother. And perhaps, for this very reason, she is even more worthy of being celebrated.

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