Brands Can Showcase Parenthood With Nuanced Narratives

Social media has always been full of people who want to talk about their kids, but the internet has more recently made a joke of calling out parents who want to profit off their toddlers as alleged miniature philosophers, scholars and comedic geniuses. Assertions like, “My 3-year-old just told me to stand up a little straighter and remember my self-worth” are followed up by skeptics ready to offer their perspective: “I really don’t think that happened.” https://www.tiktok.com/@realstephenhart/video/7021688302034095365?_r=1&_t=8hWQwhnVh5K “When I decided to become a parenting influencer, I noticed that content was very, ‘I love my kids at all times, and we never have hard moments,'” said Aaronica Cole, who describes her platform as the antidote to curated motherhood content. “As a single parent at the time, I said, ‘Damn, this is not my life.'” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaronica Cole | Atl Blogger 🍑 (@aaronicabcole) While Cole has felt refreshed by a new tone on social media that welcomes humor and candidness about the struggles of parenthood, she has also noticed that these platforms thrive on the opposing extremes of “perfection or the hot mess express.” On social media, parenting is often defined as either a consistent source of bliss or consistent grounds for escape. Parents may feel like they also have to loathe the same things, share the same experiences and turn to the same coping skills. Rather than contributing a damaging sense of sameness around emotions, product needs and pain points, brands have an opportunity to uplift narratives that turn platforms into educational tools rather than a marketplace for comparison. And when marketers target parents, they can also speak to the aspects of their identity that are completely unrelated to raising kids. Replacing shame with strategic levity Holland Martini, co-founder of research firm GoodQues, finds that the transition into motherhood is often perceived as a boundless condition that touches every corner of your life. Interests, hobbies and skills are, at least temporarily, overshadowed by the all-encompassing state of motherhood, which can come with rigid expectations that begin at pregnancy. “Being a mom now, it’s like the world views you as having a condition that is motherhood, and it is your entire life’s being,” said Martini, who stressed that pigeonholing participants with antiquated research tactics can strip nuance from advertising. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Elyse Myers (@elyse_myers) Instead of asking participants how often they breastfeed, for example, the research firm might present them with a meme about how painful it is and ask for their feedback. According to GoodQues' other co-founder, Maria Vorovich, this strategy is also about challenging the perception that an emotionless approach is more advanced or scholarly—as modern research tactics can account for complicated dynamics. “It’s critically important to make someone feel understood in research,” said Vorovich. “Asking a question in the shape of a meme might make someone think, ‘I’m not alone, and this exists in the world as a culture artifact.'” Oversimplifying identity When Little Spoon launched its latest campaign, the children's food brand wanted to encompass the lives of caregivers before parenthood—and saw an 11-to-1 ROI within 24 hours of launch. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Little Spoon (@littlespoon) Tapping 1990s child stars—including Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s Melissa Joan Hart and Dawson’s Creek’s James Van Der Beek—to promote the brand's spin on Kraft Lunchables, Little Spoon identified that while nostalgic marketing had made its way to every corner of advertising, the child care space, and particularly healthy alternatives, was still saturated by more stoic narratives. The brand’s influencer strategy was executed by Julianne Fraser, president and CEO of agency Dialogue, who stressed that parenting content can be defined by commentary rooted in judgment as opposed to guidance and suggestions. In addition to adding a lighthearted tone to the category, the campaign also hoped to honor the multifaceted identities that caregivers develop both before and beyond parenthood. “You’re talking about a generation that’s not slowing down in their personal careers or ambition,” said Caryn Wasser, chief brand officer at Little Spoon, adding that the campaign spoke to the childhoods of parents just as much as those of their kids. “We like to call it a fresh take on the category, and you can imagine it's lent itself really well to the influencer space.” Promoting personal narratives over product According to Cole, a more honest representation of parenthood can start with sponsored content that feels less transactional, and she grappled with this question of how to present her experiences of parenthood after testing positive for a cancer risk gene and undergoing a double mastectomy. She said she felt a responsibility to educate her followers about the genetic test as an investment in a family's future, instead of just conforming to the typical "top 10 bras you need post-surgery" sponsorships that populated her feed. "A lot of content is colored in, ‘Here’s what to buy,’ versus, ‘Here’s what helped me navigate my experience,'" she said, adding that "these conversations are an important part of how we take care of ourselves and prepare for our children. I've always wanted to help and motivate people with my social media, and I don't think a false perception of perfection is going to do that." This story is part of the Connections and Collaboration special feature.

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Creators and Brands Can Showcase Parenthood With More Nuanced Narratives

Marketers benefit from embracing multifaceted identities

Emmy Liederman

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Emmy Liederman