Singapore – With Mother’s Day coming close, nearly two-thirds (64%) of Singaporeans think that it is an occasion to be celebrated, according to the latest data from marketing research firm YouGov. 

On the other hand, 15% of Singaporeans tend to believe that it is an occasion that people would not celebrate if it weren’t for social pressure from friends or family. A small percentage (5%) also tend to see it as more of a celebration due to pressure from brands.

Moreover, data from YouGov suggests that younger Singaporeans are more likely than older adults to consider Mother’s Day a legitimate event. 71% of Singaporeans who are Gen Z consider the day to be a proper occasion, compared to 24% who say otherwise.

This is in comparison to 62% of Gen X and 68% of baby boomers seeing Mother’s Day as a proper occasion, as do about 60% of millennials.

In general, Singaporeans were found more likely to believe that Mother’s Day is a proper celebration when compared to other days, such as, Father’s Day (61%), New Year’s eve (59%), dating anniversaries (28%), Valentine’s Day or International Women’s Day (24% each).

Only when compared to birthdays and wedding anniversaries, Singaporeans are less likely to consider it as a proper occasion for celebration. Thinking about the occasion this year, 55% of Singaporeans say they plan to celebrate Mother’s Day, with 41% of even those who believe Mother’s Day is celebrated because of social pressure intending to mark the day this year, as opposed to the 36% who will not.

When it comes to how they want the occasion celebrated, giving gifts is considered as the most ideal way to celebrate Mother’s Day (48%), followed by arranging an outing or vacation (46%), preparing a home cooked meal (40%), and taking over all household chores from them for a day (35%).

Comparatively, fewer Singaporeans consider giving a bouquet of flowers (28%), a heartfelt card (26%) or an amazing spa or wellness activity (21%) as a way to mark this special day.

Bangkok, Thailand – To celebrate Mother’s Day in Thailand on August 12, KFC wanted moms across the country to have the much-needed break they deserve in its ‘Let Mom Rest’ Campaign via Wunderman Thompson Thailand, which recognizes  that a mother’s duty should not be hers to carry alone.

In the campaign, KFC Thailand and Wunderman Thompson invited partners and family members to take over household chores as well as caring for the family, and to appreciate everything that their moms do.

The campaign also kicked off a quirky collaboration with recognized Thai brands with the word ‘Mother’ in it to replace their names, resulting in brands being packaged as ‘Father’s Kitchen Oyster Sauce’, ‘Father’s Rice’ and ‘Father’s Boiled Bamboo’. 

These limited edition mother turned father brand products were bundled into a free, limited-edition KFC ‘Let Mom Rest’ customer gift set, offered at KFC Samyan Mitrtown on August 12 with every KFC All in One Bucket order.

Park Wannasiri, chief creative officer of Wunderman Thompson Thailand, said, “No one denies being a mother is one of the toughest, most overwhelming, and most exhausting jobs! People in Thailand really appreciate the long-term commitment of being a mother – and brands do too! Motherhood is even highlighted in many food, household, and children’s products here, for example, canned fish, oyster sauce, or diapers.”

Meanwhile, Sakechai Choomuenwai, general manager of YUM Restaurants International, also commented, “On a special occasion like this, KFC takes extra pride in paying attention to all mothers, as we intend to create a new, ongoing trend that sees house chores and childcare transcend beyond a mother’s duty.”

“We want our Thai families to recognize that a mother’s duty should not be hers alone to bear; and one day in the year should never be enough to show our appreciation. This must become common practice amongst households. Fathers, life partners and extended family members should be mindful of the roles we all play – so that everyone helps each other beneath the strain of life,” he added. 

Philippines — In the Filipino culture, Mothers have often been called the light of the home but they are also every family’s anchor. For this year’s Mother’s Day, Jollibee is putting a highlight marker on the quality that makes moms the best -a mother’s resilience.

Done in collaboration with creative agency McCann Worldgroup, the campaign, entitled ‘Hinga’, celebrates the strength and selflessness of all mothers through a poignant and heartfelt Kwentong Jollibee Mother’s Day special video that shows how mothers continue to bravely face challenges for their family’s welfare. They remain, at all times, strong, resilient, and selfless.

Francis E. Flores, marketing head of Jollibee Global and Jollibee Philippines, said, “Children learn to handle setbacks and struggles from their mothers. It’s not an exaggeration to say that we take our strength from our moms. Through them we learn how to deal with small hiccups and minor annoyances like being afraid of storms to bigger challenges like injuries and sickness.”

Flores added, “With this special Mother’s Day video, we at Jollibee, want to thank our mothers for showing us how to love endlessly and how to be strong enough to face the challenges of everyday life.”

Set to the heartwarming tune of the popular Filipino band Ben&Ben’s “Ilang Tulog Na Lang”, the video, inspired by a true story shows the little things that convey how mothers are always there for their families. It highlights how moms bravely face challenges for their families–and even though they are also afraid, what rises to the surface is the need to ensure their families’ safety and happiness.

Speaking on the project, director Joel Ruiz shared, “Every Kwentong Jollibee may have different stories but at its core it’s the same: it’s all about love and family, and it’s all tied together by true stories and experiences, that’s what makes every film universally appealing. This Mother’s Day video is no different, and yet it’s so much more special because while directing this film, it felt like I was also paying tribute to my own mother and everything she did for our family.”

Ruiz previously directed the Kwentong Jollibee Valentine Series Homecoming in 2018, another episode in 2019 entitled Proposal, as well as the Father’s Day special video that same year.

Meanwhile, Sid Samodio, executive creative director of McCann Worldgroup, commented, “When we think about our mothers we think about their love and how they are the most fearless people we know. It’s with that truth that we created this short film: it’s a tribute to the strength of a mother’s heart, which she passes on to the people she loves.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – In this year’s celebration of Mothers’ Day, oral care brand Darlie in Malaysia has rolled out a new film titled ‘Expectations’, which portrays the struggles of motherhood.

The two-minute film is done in collaboration with advertising agency FCB Malaysia. It is the first in a series of brand initiatives by the brand that aims to show the story behind an authentic, confident smile as encapsulated by its tagline ‘Your Smile Shines’.

‘Expectations’ sheds light on the pressures that a mother constantly faces in raising the family. The film narrates how they are constantly met with unfettered opinions in becoming the ‘perfect’ parent such as if they are able to spend enough time with their child, if they are able to teach them proper etiquette, down to the food they provide to the family.

Ultimately, the film is a reminder to all mothers that they are not defined by the expectations of the world and that it is impossible to be perfect and to please everyone around them. 

“Doing your best for those who matter to you is already enough,” Darlie Malaysia reassures.

Melissa Wong, the marketing director of Hawley & Hazel Malaysia, shared that as a mother herself, she knows very well that motherhood is a constant struggle but the burden becomes heavier when moms are weighed down by not only their own expectations of themselves but also the expectations of others of what they should or shouldn’t do as a mother.

“That’s why, this Mother’s Day, we want to remind all moms that even though there will be times where you struggle and believe you’ve failed in the eyes of the world, doing your best will always be perfect enough, especially to the ones who call you ‘mom’,” said Wong.

Meanwhile, FCB Malaysia’s Creative Director Tjer Wang commented that this project introduces Darlie Malaysia’s belief that the only benchmark they should measure themselves against is their own. 

“Hence, in an era of unrealistic depictions of ‘perfection’, what matters most this Mother’s Day is that our moms are celebrated for all that they’ve done for us, despite the unrealistic expectations stemming from social media and the rigidity of societal norms,” said Wang.