11 Million Moms Walk Off the Job

Last night wrapped up the fourth annual National Mom’s Nite Out.  In case you aren’t familiar with the event, it is a night for moms to celebrate motherhood with each other. Surprisingly, it’s not a Hallmark-created event but rather an event created by moms themselves. It was born five years ago out of a simple tweet from @MomTalkRadio that said “Mother’s Day is a lot of work for me, anyone want to join me for a national mom’s nite out?” The response was so immediate and fast that, in the first year, mothers across the United States organized more than 500 events in private homes, public streets and local malls.

In Apex, N.C., a group of bloggers closed the streets to host a party that included local retailers. Online, the four-hour Twitter party trended #2 trumped only by the release of “Star Trek.” Today, National Mom’s Nite Out boasts 1,100 events with over 100 of them being held at Simon Malls nationwide along with mom events in Korea, Puerto Rico, Canada and Australia.

So why did Moms embrace the idea of a national night out? Because it recognized a common behavior among moms and offered a solution. The reality is that Mother’s Day is actually a lot of work for mothers. Over 85% of mothers report that they have to devote multiple hours of Mother’s Day to the other moms in their lives (i.e., mothers-in-law and grandmothers). More than 70% of moms actually have to celebrate Mother’s Day with more than two other mothers in their families. They are preparing gifts and meals for grandmothers, mothers-in-law, and all the caretakers in the lives of their own children. What began as a day to celebrate Moms, in reality has become a day with lots of chores attached to it.

We recently asked 1,312 moms for their thoughts on taking a night off and Mother’s Day in general. We thought it would be fun to share them with you:

• 82% believe they deserve a night off; however, the greatest challenges are money and finding childcare. 
• When mothers do take a night off, they worry most about their spouse not putting the kids to bed on time.  Some even report a fear of Dad falling asleep on the job. 
• The majority reports having a night out with friends only twice a year while their spouse or partner averages one night a month.
• Over half would elect to have  dinner and drinks at their favorite restaurant during a night off followed by going to a chick flick.
• Overwhelmingly, moms wear black when they go out for a mom’s night out; however, they elect jeans over a dress and heels. And let’s not forget the hair: 76% of moms prefer to take their hair out of the ponytail and wear it down.
• 39% would be willing to give up their favorite snack for one year in order to have a night out with friends once a week.  Another 28% would give up television.
• 29% feel guilty while they are out, while 37% feel relaxed, and 13% even feel victorious in managing to take a night off.
• The service moms most like to receive to escape from the daily routine is a massage (47%) followed by a manicure and pedicure (38%).
• Finally, we had to ask the silly question: What celebrity guy would you most like to have accompany you and your friends during a night out?  Watch out, Ryan Gosling and Ryan Reynolds, you are in demand with the mom segment!

National Mom’s Nite Out is only one example of how brands can successfully connect with moms by identifying common behaviors and offering a solution. Fruschetta Pizza is leveraging the a mom’s desire not to cook on Mother’s Day. It identified that 86% of moms don’t want to cook on their special day so it has launched its Rally for Real Moms campaign, giving moms the chance to voice their thoughts on Facebook/fruschetta.  

It may be too late to launch a solution-based campaign for this Mother’s Day; however, these opportunities exist every day. Find the touch point that best aligns with your brand and get in step with the feelings of moms.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom marketers out there.  We hope you’ll enjoy National Mom’s Nite out and a task-free day on May 13.