Mother’s Day Email Subject Line Examples [Tips for Copywriters]

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For the last few weeks, I’ve been corralling all the Mother’s Day email subject lines that have entered my inbox. Even though the holiday is over as I write this blog post in late May 2023, I’m publishing this blog for two reasons. First, you can apply the tips to other holiday-related email campaigns. Second, it’ll be next Mother’s Day before you know it, which means someone will be searching for ideas. Make sure you scroll down to the video below because I share my screen, show you my collection of Mother’s Day email subject line examples, and discuss what works.

1. You must tread carefully around Mother’s Day marketing.

Thirty years ago, you might have gotten occasional reminders via TV ads or radio spots. But now we’re bombarded with Mom’s Day messaging for weeks leading up to the event thanks to social media.

And here’s the thing: It’s a tough day for many people, for many different reasons.

It’s tough for folks who are . . .

  • Grieving over the recent (or even no-so-recent) death of their mom
  • Dealing with a sick mother
  • Dealing with estrangement
  • Coming to terms with childhood trauma
  • Dealing with a contentious mother-child relationship
  • Struggling with fertility issues
  • Mourning the loss of a child
  • Worrying over a sick child

And that’s an incomplete list.

Companies have taken note. It’s becoming more common for brands to allow people to opt out of Mother’s Day marketing emails. This means the person remains in the main email distribution list, but they won’t get any Mother’s Day-related marketing.

I think this is smart. It shows empathetic marketing.

If you’re doing a lot of email marketing for brands, especially b2c brands, you’ll want to make sure you bring up this point with clients.

2. Mother’s Day isn’t the only holiday that can strike a nerve.

People are sensitive around other holidays, like Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, and even Christmas.

You obviously can’t please everyone. Nor should you have to pause your email marketing because it might upset some folks. But you need to be mindful (as always) about who you’re marketing to. If you’re a brand that sells primarily to women between 25 and 54, for example, you’ll want to carefully think through your Mother’s Day marketing.

3. Even with opt-out options, you might want to soften your messaging.

I’ve been seeing this more in general and from some clients specifically. They’ll cast a much wider net regarding who their message is aimed at.

You’ve likely encountered examples of this as well, where the messaging talks about “all those who’ve mothered—or who have loved like a mother.” That strikes a nice balance. You’re acknowledging moms, but also acknowledging those with mom-like qualities.

Bottom line: Always be mindful of your marketing messages.

4. Now, let’s look at some Mother’s Day email subject line examples.

In this video, I share my screen—and my inbox.

Also, check out my other blog post on time-sensitive email subject lines.

My two go-to tools:

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