Opting out of Mother's Day marketing

[PK99]

Over the past week or so I've had a number of e-mails from shopping sites I use (mainly foodie) offering the option of opting out of their Mother's Day mailshots "....as this is a sensitive issue for some..."

Don't recall that ever before.

Is there some joined-up thinking going on?

 

[DCLane]

There was a push for 'the thoughtful movement' last year providing the option to opt out at the Direct Marketing Awards: https://dma.org.uk/awards/award/thoughtful-marketing-the-story-behind-the-movement

 

[Sharky]

Think it's a flawed strategy. Receiving marketing, you can just delete without thinking about it. To receive a question, requiring a response, to remind you that you no longer have a mum is probably worse.

 

[Cathryn]

I rather like it. Mothers' Day can be so fraught - people who have lost mums, who have bad mums, who would love to be mums, who lost babies...I think it's a kind thing to do.

 

[Moodyman]

On the face of it, it's nice.

But isn't it a form if inverse marketing? By portraying themselves as being thoughtful, they're etching themselves into consumers' minds. They're actually marketing by offering not to market.

Remember, marketing is creating brand awareness and is distinct from advertising, which is about persuasion.