MALTESERS® CONTINUES MISSION TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD FOR WORKING MUMS WITH NEW CAMPAIGN ‘MOTHERLOVER’

The Motherlover campaign aims to spotlight the issues and challenges faced by mothers in the workplace while also ensure everyone knows what they can do to lighten the load for working mums.

The social, OLV, OOH and audio campaign launches alongside impactful partnerships with Peanut App and The Guardian.

MALTESERS has launched its new Motherlover campaign, continuing the brand’s long-standing commitment to lighten the load for women, using the power of laughter and togetherness. This year, the Motherlover campaign uses the iconic MALTESERS brand platform and its cheeky, intimate, and honest tone of voice to shine a light on the challenges faced by mothers in the workplace and the ways those around them can step up.

Despite societal changes designed to make things more equal, new research commissioned by MALTESERS has revealed that many of the burdens of combining work and home life still fall on working mums. In fact, 55% of mums in the UK say they need more help from employers and colleagues to be the working mum they want to be.

In response, the Motherlover campaign, created in conjunction with AMV BBDO, brings a refreshing approach to the subject, celebrating the village around mums and uses the brand’s iconic tone to highlight the ways different people can lighten the load, whether that be colleagues, employers, partners or friends and family. 

The addressable campaign features 10 targeted messages, all designed to give different communities a role to play in supporting the working mums in their lives. Each message has been inspired by the real stories and experiences shared by mums.

Leah Dyckes, Maltesers Brand Director UK said: “Whilst becoming a parent drastically changes a woman’s life, the expectations and structures at work and home aren’t changing quickly enough – and too often the onus is on the women to fix “women’s issues”. We must, therefore, shift this dynamic by asking everyone around women to step up, to show empathy, and do what they can as allies to lighten their load.”

‘Motherlover’ is the fourth instalment in a series of campaigns from MALTESERS since 2021 and forms part of the brand’s multi-year partnership with Comic Relief, working towards a future where women no longer face injustice. Together, both organisations are working to lighten the load for working mums and help women thrive.

On how the brand purpose has strengthened since 2021, Leah adds, “We noticed during previous campaigns that there was a large volume of conversations around the topic of mothers in the workplace and so, for this campaign, we wanted to focus on this area by commissioning research and using our brand platform to start conversations with working parents in order to understand more about what they want and need. MALTESERS has been celebrated for tackling taboos and smashing stigmas and we will continue to use our platform to support women on societal issues that affect women’s mental well-being, with our charity partner Comic Relief.” 

AMV BBDO’s Creative Julia Merino, who developed the campaign alongside Ricardo Porto, said: “We needed to ensure that the campaign was rooted in real experiences, advisory and research. We worked with The Outsiders to develop a thought-provoking white paper that highlighted the realities of being a working mum. Leveraging the iconic MALTESERS tone of voice, we turned these stories into celebrations of the everyday heroes who lighten the load of working mums. Humour is an under-utilised emotion that has the power to reach those who might not otherwise engage with a topic like this. As a working mum myself, I hope this campaign inspires people to think how they can better support the working mums in their lives”

William Harrison, EssenceMediacom’s Senior Account Director who led the campaign’s media planning, said: “We knew that taking an addressable approach to this campaign would be central to our ambition of lightening the load for working mums. Identifying and speaking to communities that we can empower as allies of working parents, with messaging that’s relevant to them and rooted in insights from our research. This has informed how we activate across OLV, Social, OOH and Audio.” 

The Motherlover campaign will be supported across social, OLV, OOH, audio and in-store over 10 million MALTESERS packs which will carry messaging from real mums, bringing to life ways to lighten the load.

The launch also sees the Mars Wrigley owned brand team up with The Guardian and Peanut App, the first online community to connect women through all stages of motherhood. With Peanut, MALTESERS has created a new content hub ‘Work & Motherhood’ which provides actionable tips, tools, and real-life advice from real mothers. Women can join the in-app ‘Work & Motherhood’ group on Peanut powered by MALTESERS. Together, this group and content hub aims to facilitate honest and open discussion about the challenges working mothers face and to spotlight the ways in which those around them can step up to support.

Furthering its work, MALTESERS is also collaborating with The Guardian to produce a series of positive and helpful articles and content, bringing to life the allyship around and experience of working mums. As part of The Guardian partnership, a private comedy tour will be held across select UK workplaces with comedian and mum Jess Fostekew.

MALTESERS, in partnership with Comic Relief, is working towards a future where women no longer face injustice. Together, we’re working to lighten the load for working mums and help women thrive. 

Find out more about this: maltesers.co.uk/lighten-the-load

Mars Wrigley is donating £500,000 in 2023 to Comic Relief, operating name of Charity Projects, registered charity in England & Wales (326568) and Scotland (SC039730)– ENDS –

CREDITS:

Client: Mars Wrigley

Brand: Maltesers

Campaign title: Maltesers Motherlover

Creative Agency: AMV BBDO 

CCO: Nicholas Hulley and Nadja Lossgott  

Creative Directors: Martin Loraine

Creative Team: Julia Merino, Ricardo Porto, Charles Olafare and Josie Finlay

Strategy: Emily Brydon, Ester Montfort-Ribes, Mark Bell

Account Team: Richard Moloney, Matt Thomas, Kate Harris, David Stokes, Elizabeth Heath-Apostolopoulos

Producers: Maggie Scriven, Olivia Fryer

Design: Tom Harris

Production Partner: Ben Nash, Bangerz&Nash Ltd.

Director/Photographer: Sam McElwee

DOP: Oliver Dahmen

PR agency: Freuds Communications Ltd.

Media agency: MediaCom

Research Agency: The Outsiders

Source: MARS, Incorporated

  AMV BBDO, Maltesers, Mars Incorporated