For many consumers, Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate the moms in their lives and treat them to something special. However, for others, it can be an emotionally challenging time.

“Over the past few years, I’ve seen more and more people comment on Mother’s Day campaigns about how it is triggering for them, reminding them how they’ve lost their mother or mother figure,” said Shianne Smalling, senior manager of growth marketing at New York City-based Levain Bakery.

That’s why, starting in 2022, Levain began asking consumers if they’d like to opt out of Mother’s Day campaigns ahead of the May holiday.

• “We’re a brand people turn to for comfort,” said Smalling. “We want our audience to feel like we’re showing up for them.”
• While some brands might be concerned that opting consumers out of a specific campaign could hurt sales, it had the opposite effect for Levain.
• “We actually got some fans out of it,” said Smalling. “Some even said it encouraged them to make a purchase.”

Knowing that Mother’s Day isn’t the only holiday that could trigger consumers, Levain has duplicated this process for Father’s Day and remains very cautious about any holiday-related marketing.

Why it matters: Consumers want to feel known and respected by the brands they do business with.

• For example, 40% of adult consumers worldwide say they want brands to personalize communications based on the interests and preferences they supply to the brand, according to a February 2023 survey by Airship.
• “Anytime you enter a transaction with someone, you’re building a relationship with them,” said Smalling. And if you’re not holding up your end of the relationship, it's unfair to expect them to hold up their end.”

This was originally featured in the EMARKETER Daily newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.