2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Background

In the UAE, owing to a challenging socio-economic environment, the retail category tends to rely more on rational persuasion, playing the price-offs and discounts game, deprioritizing the role brands play in people’s lives. Now, mothers influence purchase decisions in a typical household in the UAE. So, most brands clamour for the attention of moms. And this was even truer in the retail category where mothers drive volumes and value. Brands are on the lookout for occasions to appeal to moms. Mother’s Day is a marquee event, but Mother’s Day is also a cluttered occasion. Several brands (especially in retail) appeal to the emotions of moms, with a gamut of loving, celebratory and gratitude-filled messages, along with promotions to gift something to moms. But they remain bound to the occasion. It’s almost like ‘limited time love’. On Mother’s Day 2019, how could Babyshop, a children’s retailer, stand out in the UAE?

Describe the strategy

In the UAE, over 70% mothers don’t screen themselves for breast cancer; a majority would rather not know they have breast cancer (and face the dangers of delayed detection) than know they have it and go through the treatment. Fear of losing hair or not looking beautiful because of side effects or undergoing the debilitating treatments, scares women. Ignorance becomes temporary bliss. But, with 1 in 8 women in the UAE at risk of breast cancer, the disease does impact many families. And without a mom in their lives, Mother’s Day feels empty for children. Early detection helps with over 90% survival rates. So, on Mother’s Day 2019, we didn’t get Babyshop to do a typical Mother’s Day campaign, thanking or celebrating mothers. We persuaded mothers to make Mother’s Day the day they pledge to screen themselves regularly for breast cancer, giving children ‘The Gift of Mom’ in their lives.

Describe the execution

On social media, a moving video that went viral, launched the initiative and positively provoked mothers and women to go give their children the Gift of Mom. From the social video: Crowdsourced messages from children, shared on social media, nudged mothers to get checked. We partnered with Aster Clinics to give women free screenings for breast cancer. On e-commerce sites, we promoted a free check-up card. Through e-hailing, a promo code, gave women free (and discrete) rides, to the free check-up at Aster. We also brought the digitally-driven idea on-ground. Children’s clothes in stores, had an extra tag, reminding mothers to check the size of what also mattered, besides clothes’ sizes. Fitting rooms educated mothers further. At check-out, women were encouraged to get a check-up done, for free, at Aster Clinics. Via eDMs, we kept reminding mom customers, every month, to remember to check themselves for signs of breast cancer.

List the results

Reached 22% of women pan-Gulf (more significant vs. target of 20% women in UAE). Featured on leading regional and global media platforms, including live TV segments. $2.7 million in earned media value (Babyshop’s previous best: $1.2 million). Rated among the 3 best Mother’s Day marketing campaigns of all time. Recognized in the Act Responsible Collection, in partnership with Cannes Lions. Gift-of-Mom codes redeemed by 18% of customers contacted (vs. 5% benchmark). With mammograms costing 650-1200 AED in the UAE (and often not covered by insurance plans!), mothers tend to buy items for their children than spend on an expensive screening, delaying check-ups. Hence, the free check-up cards in-store were motivating and drove +63% check-ups at Aster Clinics vs. trend of average monthly checks.