Winning Mother's & Father's Day Marketing with High Impact Advertising

Each year, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day drive billions in retail spending as families celebrate the people who mean the most to them. These holidays aren’t just about tradition, they’re about creating meaningful moments, which is exactly where brands can make a lasting impact. In 2024, consumers were projected to spend a combined $55.9 billion on these two gifting moments alone, making them prime opportunities for advertisers to connect with engaged shoppers via occasion-based marketing. 

But standing out during these peak shopping periods requires more than just showing up. Brands that win understand the motivations behind each holiday, the unique behaviors of shoppers, and how to craft high impact seasonal advertising campaigns that capture attention and inspire action.

Read on or download the full The Big 5: the Advertiser's Guide to $1.2T in Shopping Moments report to maximize your retail advertising campaign’s success during Mother’s Day and Father’s Day this year.

Mother’s Day Advertising: Thoughtful, Unique, and Emotional 

Mother’s Day is all about thoughtful, sentimental gifts—with 2024 consumer spending projected to reach $33.5 billion. Shoppers prioritize gifts that feel personal, unique, and create lasting memories. The top Mother’s Day purchases? Jewelry, special outings, flowers, and greeting cards. 

Who’s shopping for Mother’s Day? 

• 54% are female 

• Average age: 39 

• Average household income: $85K 

How to reach them with Mother’s Day campaigns: 

• Capture early planners with connected TV and high impact video ads. Gen Z and Millennial gift givers start browsing weeks in advance, so engaging storytelling in your CTV ads can set the stage for later purchases. 

• Appeal to emotion with personalized messaging. Skip generic ads and highlight intimate family moments with messaging like “For the Woman Who Gave You Everything” or “Because Mom Magic is Real.” 

• Use interactive ad formats to simplify shopping. Feature real customer moments in rich media ads, with unboxing reactions, heartfelt thank-yous, and interactive gift guides to ease decision making for overwhelmed shoppers. 

Father’s Day Advertising: Personal, Fun, and Experiential 

While Father’s Day may not get as much attention as Mother’s Day, it still saw a massive $22.4 billion in consumer spending in 2024. Like Mother’s Day, these holiday shoppers want to give gifts that are unique and create special memories, with top purchases including special outings, clothing, and gift cards. 

Who’s shopping for Father’s Day? 

• 64% are female 

• Average age: 45 

• Average household income: $78K 

How to reach them with Father’s Day campaigns: 

• Retarget Mother’s Day buyers. Many shoppers are already in gift buying mode—remind them that great gifting doesn’t stop in May with high impact display and interactive video ads that transition seamlessly into Father’s Day promotions. 

• Showcase different dad personalities. Avoid generic messaging and highlight dads as individuals. Whether he’s the grill master, the adventure seeker, or the tech guru, speak directly to his personality with messaging like “For The Dad Who Can Fix Anything.” 

• Make shopping fun and easy. Capture attention quickly with bold, high impact creative that engages busy Millennials. Use interactive product cards, quizzes, and polls in your high impact display and video ads to help them find the perfect gift effortlessly. 

Own the Moment with High Impact Ads 

With billions in spending at stake, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day present major opportunities for brands to connect with consumers in meaningful ways through seasonal marketing campaigns. But success requires more than just presence, it demands innovation. The right mix of storytelling, personalization, and interactive ad experiences can transform retail advertising campaigns from background noise into memorable moments that drive action. 

Want to make the most of your occasion-based marketing with this year’s top shopping moments? Download our full report, The Big 5: The Advertiser’s Guide to $1.2T in Shopping Moments, for deeper insights and winning seasonal ad strategies.