A Wren Says

It came as an email a few weeks ago. “We know that Mother’s Day can be hard for some people. If you would like to opt out of these emails, please let us know.” That is a paraphrase, but it is the gist.

Over the past couple of years, I have seen more e-mails like that in my inbox, surrounding both Mother’s and Father’s Day. Honestly, when I first saw it, it came across as incredibly considerate. But of course, it is just marketing.

This is how I imagine it went down. Brands noticed a steep uptick in opt-outs from their email communications in May and June. When they investigated, they learned it had to do with the messaging around the holidays. Getting messages like that could be really hard for someone grieving loss or a ruptured relationship with a parent.  As a result, people may choose to get off the mail lists to avoid seeing that. The brands lost complete contact with them not because of how people felt around the brand, but rather the holiday. An alternative way this may have come about is that brands have been paying more attention to how people have been talking about these holidays and how the messaging has impacted them. In either case, creating a specific opt-out for holiday specific communication means brands can maintain the relationship in other ways while also demonstrating compassion. It is a win.

When I say it’s just marketing, I don’t mean to seem cynical. Moreso, I mean to show that this is another example of marketing at work. It is building a specific solution to meet a need. Even it is not specific to products, even if it isn’t selling, it is still marketing, and a great example at that.

Have you noticed these messages from brands? What were your initial thoughts?