Mexican mothers have evolved from the stereotype of the "Blessed Mother" who sacrificed all for her children to the "Supermom" who balances career and family. Today's Mexican mother draws on both roles by feeling empowered as a woman and mother. This has implications for society as more mothers work and seek success and opportunities for their children through education and experiences. It also impacts brands as mothers now expect the best products for their families and will switch brands if a competitor offers a better option.

1. Motherhood in
Mexico 2013

2. 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.

3. "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”

4. Moms come in all shapes and sizes, but they do
have common wants, needs, and goals.

5. 71.6%of these
womenabove the
ageof 15 are
mothers
There are 57.5 million
women in Mexico
The facts
“ESTADÍSTICAS A PROPÓSITO DEL DÍA INTERNACIONAL
DE LA MUJER”
INEGI 2012

6. 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 mother
INEGI 2013.

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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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).

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.