Saucony Reveals a Special Video for Moms Experiencing COVID-19 Burnout Ahead of Mother’s Day
With Mother’s Day around the corner, Saucony has a special message for the moms experiencing burnout.
The running standout revealed a new film today — “The Marathon That Never Ends” — geared toward raising awareness of the disproportionate burnout of mothers, which it said has become an even greater issue since the arrival of COVID-19. Here, Saucony highlights the parallels between running a marathon and motherhood, and also explains how working moms in particular have faced more challenges throughout the pandemic year.
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“The idea was born out of an 11 p.m. conversation between Saucony moms. After seeing the staggering numbers from our consumer research that highlighted the struggles and excessive burnout women are facing during the pandemic, and experiencing ourselves, we were inspired to acknowledge the seemingly small moments of motherhood that compound to make every day feel like a marathon,” Saucony senior marketing director Jessica Newton — who is a mother to “A sassy, curious girl” — told FN. “The power of the story is its ability to connect and surface the challenges we’re all facing. If we can spark a touch of joy because someone can say ‘Yup, been there, done that, felt that,’ then we’ve done our job.”
Saucony teamed up with director Quinn Katherman and Hummingbird Content Studio to create the film, which features real moms in order to capture the “authentic, challenging and often messy view of mothering during the pandemic.”
“No one is telling the real story about what moms have been through the past year,” Katherman said in a statement. “The truth is that even when we’re not actually running, as moms we are running nonstop. I know this because I do more running at home than anywhere else, and the real mothers featured in this spot do as well. It was incredible to work with a powerful team of moms to bring this to life. We were pumping between and during takes, fielding kid meltdowns and bringing as much of daily life to the screen as possible. I’m so glad that Saucony wanted to tell this story and I hope that the moms that see this feel seen this Mother’s Day.”
In a release today, Saucony said its Consumer Insight Team conducted a survey to see how the pandemic has impacted moms in unique and dire ways. The brand said its survey found that 57% of the moms polled reported their well-being has become worse since COVID-19 arrived. Also, Saucony’s survey stated 89% of the moms said they are somewhat extremely burned out, and 77% acknowledged that their mental health has been the top contributor to burnout.
“As a working mother myself, I know how tough it has been for parents, in particular moms, as the impact of this global pandemic continues to affect everyone’s lives,” Saucony president said Anne Cavassa in a statement. “Being a mother, especially now, is like running a never-ending marathon. Emotional, excruciating and exhausting, mothers are hitting the pandemic wall, with most feeling the mental and physical symptoms of a maxed-out life. Through this film, we hope to raise awareness for the unique struggles that women continue to endure while celebrating their strength, love for family, and undeniable hope for a finish line filled with joy and triumph.”
Saucony will deliver the video today via Saucony.com.
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