3 Mother’s Day Ads That Made Me Smile

We’ve all spent time paying tribute to the mothers in our lives this past weekend, each in our own way —with gifts, cards, flowers, phone calls, and even some light-to-moderate manual labor. Over the past few weeks, I’m sure you’ve seen your fair share of Mother’s Day themed ads, attempting to leverage the overwhelming appreciation the country is feeling for its mothers, and connect with potential consumers through relatable stories.

I thought these three ads from the NBA, Procter & Gamble, and Cadillac really captured the essence of the Mother’s Day spirit in a way with which I could personally relate. These ads stood out to me because of the common theme they all shared: They highlighted the role mothers play in enabling their children to participate in team sports, and to a broader extent, pursue their interests and dreams. Through 31 little league seasons of baseball, basketball, and soccer, I fancied myself quite the athlete growing up. While I may have taken it for granted at the time, looking back, I can recognize the time and commitment that it must’ve taken to make that all possible, and I appreciate the support and encouragement that I received along the way.

NBA: Last week, Kevin Durant gave a powerful, touching MVP acceptance speech in which he thanked his mom and called her “the real MVP” towards the end. This simple ad from the NBA consists of an excerpt from that speech, playing to a slow motion, black and white video of his mom cheering him on from the stands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B51Bs4u10ZA

Procter & Gamble:  For over 30 years, P&G has been a major sponsor of the Special Olympics. The above ad utilizes this partnership, telling the story of Special Olympics athlete, Molly Hincka, in a montage of videos and photos from her childhood with an emotional voiceover from her mom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owVvvjwjW7g

Cadillac:  This seven-minute short film from Cadillac and directed by Spike Lee tells the story of Teddy Bridgewater, the Minnesota Viking’s first round selection in the most recent NFL draft. It describes his mother’s struggle raising him and his family and then later battling breast cancer.  It’s a terrific story of perseverance, and it ends with him being able to thank her with a pink Cadillac for Mother’s Day.

Though I may not have had quite the level of professional success as the athletes in the above videos (sorry Mom, but there’s no car waiting for you at the end of this blog post), I would like to say that I am sincerely thankful for the commitment and support my own mother gave me in allowing me to pursue my dream… of becoming an SEM Specialist!

Happy Mother’s Day!