WILLOW
Don’t Just suck it up
What we dID
Willow believes that moms deserve better, and the “Don’t Just Suck It Up” campaign empowers them to demand it at every stage in their motherhood journey. The hands-free, wearable breast pump company sought to reach and connect with moms across multiple platforms as a relatable thought-leader, personifying the brand and driving traffic to their direct-to-consumer site.
Creative Concepting
Video & Photo Production
Social Content
Paid Media
App Threads
Website
Email
OOH
CAMPAIGN STRATEGY
To serve moms best, we asked them what makes motherhood so hard in the first place. The year leading up to this campaign magnified the antiquated systems and ideologies that stand in the way of women advancing in society, such as:
Those that are supposed to support mom most, actually support mom the least: the System and the Circle. We wanted to shed light on mom injustices in an effort to clue in society in on the barriers moms face, and rally dads and the village around mom to help remove them.
Government, employers, etc.
&
Family, mothers-in-law, friends, husbands, etc.
Big Idea
We built this campaign on a key insight from the last: once a woman becomes a mother, she’s forgotten about as a person. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Motherhood, working conditions, interpersonal relationships, and pumping don't have to be this way.
Mom’s needs often become secondary, but it honestly takes a village to raise a mom, too. So, we set the scene during the one celebration where her village may not always make mom-to-be feel celebrated: a baby shower, in all its cringey glory. Unsolicited parenting advice, uncomfy convos about her nips, over-the-top decor, and gifts that are never actually on the registry– pass the chocolate-filled diaper and let the party games begin!
Casting & Influencers
Bold, provocative, clever, relatable, and empowering were some of the tone descriptors for this campaign, so we needed a protagonist who fit the bill— or the pump. We found all of this and more in comedian and new mom, Iliza Shlesinger.
As a supporting digital cast of influencers, we sought out moms who embody the “free to be a person as much as a mother” spirit and have a strong sense of self outside of motherhood. Mom advocacy, relatability, identity, diversity, and following were filters that guided how we prioritized outreach.
PRODUCTION:
WOMEN-CREATED. WOMEN-RUN.
In a short skit centered around Iliza Shlesinger’s baby shower, we revealed some of the early social injustices first-time moms typically experience from those closest to them, while addressing the negative stigmas surrounding motherhood and breastfeeding in a bold new way that's both emotional and comedic.
Our production team consisted of predominantly women– including a woman director, Jamie Anderson, and DP, Valentina Vee. From script development (written by Iliza Shlesinger), to costumes and wigs, to the hazy lighting and lavish set design, we orchestrated every detail to emphasize how out of touch mom’s “circle” really is. Although they thought they were supporting her, they fell short of what she needed.
Digital Extensions
Our strategy aimed to meet mom where she’s already at through sources she trusts in as few steps as possible, with clear, action-driven messaging. This was done through the creation of a registry, similar to ones new parents set up for baby showers. But instead of baby gear, this registry included a variety of resources that cater to mom’s needs, from parenting advice that’s actually useful to services designed to make her life easier.
Social & UGC
Once we launched the hero video, social content across all channels—including static imagery, video, text-based posts, and memes—centered around continuing the baby shower registry narrative and digital extension. We leveraged the following platforms for immersive storytelling: Instagram (Reels, Grid, and Stories), TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook (especially Facebook Groups). The goal was to keep the conversation going, and that’s exactly how we would describe this campaign– a conversation.
Our two TikTok challenges garnered the most interactions via UGC. We showed moms they aren’t alone in their feelings or struggles by creating a ‘put a finger down’ challenge that centers on mom injustices they’ve experienced.
Put A Finger Down Challenge
In lieu of the unhelpful, unsolicited advice, we wanted to ask for theirs. What advice would they give themself as the mommy-to-be?
What No One Tells You About Motherhood Challenge
And moms agree that our society really does make some parts of motherhood suck– literally and figuratively. The response to the campaign was overwhelming.
PRESS
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![Iliza Shlesinger Breast Pump Ad]()
Take a Moment to Watch This Hilarious Iliza Shlesinger Breast Pump Ad
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![Iliza Shlesinger Unwraps the Horrors of Unwanted Parenting Advice in an Ad for Willow]()
Iliza Shlesinger Unwraps the Horrors of Unwanted Parenting Advice in an Ad for Willow
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![Iliza Shlesinger Gets Real About Breast Pumping and Why New Moms Deserve More]()
Iliza Shlesinger Gets Real About Breast Pumping and Why New Moms Deserve More
