Mother’s Day: How brands started early this year to catch up with consumer sentiments 

Mother’s Day has always been a heartfelt celebration, but in 2025, it’s evolving into something more strategic and commercially significant. 

According to recent insights from Hansa Research, brands are rolling out their campaigns earlier and focusing more heavily on gifts. This shift is being driven by changing consumer behaviors, increased digital engagement, and a heightened emphasis on personalisation and sustainability.

Mother’s Day campaigns hit the market earlier than ever this year, and with good reason. Hansa Research found that 62.1% of consumers started planning for Mother’s Day significantly earlier than in 2024. Nearly 90% began shopping ahead of time, reflecting a growing emphasis on the occasion.

“This proactive approach shows just how much importance consumers are placing on the celebration,” said Piyali Chatterjee Konar, Executive Vice President at Hansa Research. “Brands have responded by launching campaigns earlier to align with this forward-thinking mindset.”

Social media and the increasing digital influence are also playing a major role. With consumers browsing, planning, and even shopping online well in advance, marketers are adapting with timely and targeted campaigns that capitalize on digital trends.

While emotional and experience-driven narratives still hold relevance, this year’s campaigns are notably more gift-focused. Over 62.6% of consumers expressed a preference for tangible gifts, a clear indication that sentiment is now being packaged, quite literally, into the items being given.

The rise in eco-consciousness is another factor contributing to the evolution. Brands are not just offering products, they’re curating sustainable, personalised gifts with eco-friendly packaging, adding both emotional and ethical value.

“Consumers are now seeking gifts that offer emotional depth and personal relevance,” Konar noted. “This blend of emotion and material value is what’s driving the current gifting trend.”

The data also points to a surge in popularity for specific types of gifts. Personalized and sentimental items lead the charge at 67.4%, followed closely by wellness and self-care products (58.6%). Even traditional gifts are seeing a resurgence (45.5%), especially among those favoring a nostalgic touch.

Notably, personalized and experience-based gifts (66.2%) are climbing in favor across generations, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z, who value uniqueness and thoughtfulness in their gift choices.

Different regions and generations are celebrating in distinct ways. Metro city dwellers are more inclined toward luxury and bespoke gifts (61.6%), while Tier 2 and 3 towns show a growing preference for online gifting platforms (58.1%). Southern India, on the other hand, continues to embrace traditional gifts (34.9%), highlighting strong cultural continuity.

Generationally, Millennials (56.8%) and Gen Z (53.5%) are leading the shift toward customized and experience-led gifting, indicating a broader cultural change in how Mother’s Day is celebrated.

For brands, the message is clear: campaigns need to start early, be digitally savvy, and emphasize personalization. Emotional appeal remains essential, but it’s being expressed more frequently through curated, meaningful gifts than through traditional advertising narratives.

As Hansa Research points out, “Mother’s Day 2025 is more emotionally charged, digitally driven and sustainability-aware than before.” To succeed, marketers must meet consumers where they are, early, online, and with gifts that speak volumes.