Motherhood in Mexico 2013

Disclaimer: The only purpose of this presentation is to share some thoughts on recent

changes we have observed in Mexican Moms. Information published in this presentation

is not specific to any of clients and was obtained through public domain statistics and

through our own observation.

"She is my first, great love. She was a wonderful, rare woman - you do not know; as strong, and steadfast, and generous as the sun. She could be as swift as a white whiplash, and as kind and gentle as warm rain, and as steadfast as the irreducible earth beneath us."

D. H. Lawrence, “On Motherhood”

Moms come in all shapes and sizes, but they do

have common wants, needs, and goals.

71.6% of these women above the

age of 15 are mothers

There are 57.5 million women in Mexico

The facts

“ESTADÍSTICAS A PROPÓSITO DEL DÍA INTERNACIONAL DE LA MUJER”INEGI 2012

The facts

• In 1960 the average was 7 children per woman, today the average is 2.7.

• Women aged 20 to 24 have the highest percentage of births (28.5%), followed by those

of 25 to 29 years (26.2%), and it continues to decrease until it reaches 0.2% in women

aged 45 to 49.

• 25% of Mexican homes have women as head-of-household.

• 44.1% of mothers are part of the workforce, however 97.9% combine domestic chores

with extracurricular activities.

• One-third of mothers work in the informal sector, another third in companies and

17.4% in institutions.

• Nearly half of mothers who are currently looking for a job, quit their previous jobs to

dedicate themselves entirely to child rearing, more than one third (36.9%) was

dismissed due to being a motherINEGI 2013.

But transformation is cooking— the world is changing and it’s reflected in the new

stereotypes.

Stereotype

noun

1. A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or

idea of a particular type of person or thing:

the ideal.

Oxford English Dictionary

The evolution of mom: From the “Blessed Mothers” to the “Supermoms”

When the ideal changes it reflects a change in society’s values and attitudes.

The Ideal Blessed Mother.

The golden age of Mexican cinema (1936-1969) only portrayed two types of women, the

submissive and good mother (protagonist), and the other woman who used her body to

get her way (antagonist); which led to a clear image of what a good woman should strive

to be: the “Blessed Mother.” This marked nearly half a century of expectations for

Mexican women.

The truth however, is that being a blessed mother implies an incredible sacrifice. “Giving

anything and everything for children”, which is psychologists have found leads to “a

series of dissatisfactions of women, ranging from low self-esteem, excess insecurity, an

implicit narcissism and frustration in life.” For this reason, the “Blessed Mother” sees in

her children a longing for everything that she could never have, that causes her to live

vicariously through her children, raising a generation of women of “yes we can”

mentality.

José de Jesús González Núñez, President of the

Research Institute for in Clinical and Social Psychology (IIPCS).

The Supermoms

The Supermom appeared only in the last few decades as a replacement of the former

archetype of the good housewife in the US and as a result of women raised by the

blessed mother. Working moms and single moms have been around in Mexico for

decades, however recently due to Supermom archetype there is an empowering that

goes with it.

Being a Supermom is a shift that arose due to a degree of in satisfaction amongst women

with their role in society and in their own home and cultural changes that allowed women

to realize themselves both professionally and personally. This generation of moms was

raised by “blessed mothers” who gave them all the tools to succeed and today they are

doing just that. However the “Supermom” is facing professional and personal sacrifices in

order to make things run smoothly both in the home and at work, causing them to shift

priorities constantly, i.e.: school recital vs. regional meeting.

The reality

The modern Mexican mom is taking positive aspects both from the blessed mother and the supermom. The blessed mother showed her the importance of family values and education and the supermom the importance of being a woman, as well as a mother.

Leaving Mexican moms feeling empowered to be a woman and mother.

Real Moms Speak

“This is one of the greatest challenges of today…being a supermom, a super coworker, and a super wife. But I would never want to give it up.”-- Ema

“Whether it is enthusiasm, or the belief that we can handle everything, amazingly working moms are always anxiously about taking on extra responsibilities at work, at school, or with our extended families (though we have no idea at that hour they will get done).”--Karla

Real Moms Speak

“I feel guilty for not to being able to be like other moms at my daughter's school who are always there helping and collaborating, so I accepted a position on the school board that doesn’t require me to be at the school.” --Maria

“We grew up in a generation that has taught us that we have "equal rights" to excel as men, so we are more competitive in the workplace and in our family life.” --Gloria

The Results

• 40% of Mexican homes depend on the woman’s salary.*

• Women are getting married later in life because they are seeking professional and

personal success first, and later success in creating their own families.

• Women believe the future is being built every day, therefore they are constantly

looking for opportunities to better themselves and their families, both professionally

and personally.

• Though in Mexico women on average get paid 5% less than their male counterparts,

recent global trends suggest that soon, women, especially in entry-level jobs, will be

paid equal and even more than men.**

*”Mujeres ganan 5% menos” CNN Expansión** “Why is 30 not the new 20” TedTalks.com

Implications

The result: Moms are constantly

looking to better their children’s

lives by giving them better

opportunities, including ones they

didn’t have.

Today there are 9X as many early

childhood development centers as

there were a decade ago. More

children study abroad than ever

before, and more families travel

as part of a learning experience.

Implications

Moms are raising a new generation of

Mexico that believes that everything is

possible and will not accept failure or

substandard as an option. They are

raising a generation of

“empowerment.”

Much like Millennials today, these

children will grow up in a culture

where entrepreneurship, globalization,

and “self-identification” are the norm.

They will be the first generation of

citizens of the world.

Implications

The result: Moms are constantly

looking for to opportunities to look

and feel like they are awesome

moms. Knowing that good is no

longer good enough, they search

for products that make

themselves and their children

stand out.

Brand Premiumness is no longer

just brand name, but rather how

brand’s personality and ideals are

aligned with Mexican moms.

Implications

The result: Moms not only want

the best for their families, they

expect it.

Women are no longer compelled

to buy a brand due to its history,

or her loyalty to it, today a

purchase is based on the best

possible product for her needs at

the lowest possible price, leaving

zero room for error from brands—

creating brand switchers.

Thank you!