I always thought it was brilliant when people called my mum, “Supermum.”
Why wouldn’t I? What kid turns their nose up at such recognition for their parents? And a tenuous claim to the mantle of SuperSon? Come on.
But I realise now, I was wrong.
Don’t get it twisted, Helen is as super as they come. But glorifying a single mother—especially one teaching 30 kids all day and raising 3 boys come home time—for doing literally everything isn’t something society should be celebrating. It sets an unhealthy expectation. A precedent no-one could realistically live up to.
At its core, the idea of “Supermum” is as fictitious as that of Superman.
IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE? NO, IT’S A MUM WORKING 40 HOURS A WEEK.
The seed for this article was planted when How&How began working with Trellis earlier this year. An intelligent health platform designed to ease the burden on mums and mums-to-be, it organises a lifetime of medical records in minutes—providing a platform that does its best to reduce the all-consuming pressures surrounding pregnancy, post-partum and parenting beyond.
Around the same time, I sat in on a SXSW panel of parental experts who shared a frustration with the “Supermum” label. Their message was clear. The term is outdated. It prevents honest conversations, glosses over normal struggles, removes dads from the equation, and repackages the notion of “managing to do it all” with the complimentary “how does she do it all?”
The conversation confirmed what we felt. That any brand speaking to mothers today needs a new language and, done right, that language could have the reverse effect on time-poor, plate-spinning mothers. And lessen the massive weight of expectation.
EMPATHY, EMPOWERMENT OR EFFECTIVENESS?
Being mums, knowing mums, Trellis’ brief was to create a brand—and importantly a voice—that felt different to the prevailing logic, and the three paths that usually follows:
1. The empathy of a Dove, embracing the messy, unfiltered “you’re not alone in this” portrayal of motherhood.
2. The empowerment of a Nike, celebrating strength, pride and endurance.
3. The nurturing path of a Pampers, positioned as that soft, reassuring constant.
Each has their merits, but none of them were quite right for Trellis. Part tech brand, part organiser, part generational knowledge bank, it didn’t need to inspire, pander or tell women how to feel. It had to prepare them for appointments, remind them to do their jabs, and help them see the full picture of their health. Extra kindness and bundles of joy weren’t the mandate. Trellis was more interested in creating a sense of expertise and confidence, now and well into the future.
It’s what inspired us to base the voice on the first person most of us meet on Earth: the midwife.
THE MOTHER OF ALL HEALTHCARE APPS
Stress-tested, steady-handed miracle workers, not only do they deliver exactly what mums need, they do it with formidable bedside manner. Occasionally curt, commonly courageous and always good for a story, they aren’t just another voice in your ear. Amongst helicopter grandparents and a great deal of crying, they are arguably the only voice you want to hear.
Having spoken to the mothers in and out of our studio, when it comes to their family’s health, all they really want are answers, action and the ability to tick things off as quickly as possible. It’s why Trellis doesn’t just mirror a midwife’s unflappable, no-varnish tone, it borrows their approach to messaging. Opening with clarity to grab attention, before adding charm and character. An on-brand way of saying form follows function.
There’s flex too, as there should be. The deeper you get into the experience, the more detailed the advice, summaries and descriptions become. A more imaginative trust message like “mom’s the word” might appear on the homepage, but is dialled back to “app-patient confidentiality” as you hit ‘confirm’ on your subscription. This dimension and depth lets Trellis speak to mothers in the right way at all the right times, reassuring them they’re in the safest hands possible.
It all adds up to a voice which feels different to other healthcare apps in the industry. Warm without the “we’re here for you”, confident without the backing of a billboard campaign, female-focused without alienating anyone in the family.
Intelligent writing that makes things as easy as A to Baby, guides partners through pregnancy and post-partum without holding their hand, and establishes a realistic picture of what it’s like to bring a child into the world.
Rejecting the “Supermum” myth to help parents do exactly what they need to: parent.
Read more about the entire Trellis project on How&How’s website here
Will Nicklin is the Head of Copy at How&How, leading on anything involving words and collaborating on all things creative across London andLos Angeles.
I always thought it was brilliant when people called my mum, “Supermum.”
Why wouldn’t I? What kid turns their nose up at such recognition for their parents? And a tenuous claim to the mantle of SuperSon? Come on.
But I realise now, I was wrong.
Don’t get it twisted, Helen is as super as they come. But glorifying a single mother—especially one teaching 30 kids all day and raising 3 boys come home time—for doing literally everything isn’t something society should be celebrating. It sets an unhealthy expectation. A precedent no-one could realistically live up to.
At its core, the idea of “Supermum” is as fictitious as that of Superman.
IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE? NO, IT’S A MUM WORKING 40 HOURS A WEEK.
The seed for this article was planted when How&How began working with Trellis earlier this year. An intelligent health platform designed to ease the burden on mums and mums-to-be, it organises a lifetime of medical records in minutes—providing a platform that does its best to reduce the all-consuming pressures surrounding pregnancy, post-partum and parenting beyond.
Around the same time, I sat in on a SXSW panel of parental experts who shared a frustration with the “Supermum” label. Their message was clear. The term is outdated. It prevents honest conversations, glosses over normal struggles, removes dads from the equation, and repackages the notion of “managing to do it all” with the complimentary “how does she do it all?”
The conversation confirmed what we felt. That any brand speaking to mothers today needs a new language and, done right, that language could have the reverse effect on time-poor, plate-spinning mothers. And lessen the massive weight of expectation.
EMPATHY, EMPOWERMENT OR EFFECTIVENESS?
Being mums, knowing mums, Trellis’ brief was to create a brand—and importantly a voice—that felt different to the prevailing logic, and the three paths that usually follows:
1. The empathy of a Dove, embracing the messy, unfiltered “you’re not alone in this” portrayal of motherhood.
2. The empowerment of a Nike, celebrating strength, pride and endurance.
3. The nurturing path of a Pampers, positioned as that soft, reassuring constant.
Each has their merits, but none of them were quite right for Trellis. Part tech brand, part organiser, part generational knowledge bank, it didn’t need to inspire, pander or tell women how to feel. It had to prepare them for appointments, remind them to do their jabs, and help them see the full picture of their health. Extra kindness and bundles of joy weren’t the mandate. Trellis was more interested in creating a sense of expertise and confidence, now and well into the future.
It’s what inspired us to base the voice on the first person most of us meet on Earth: the midwife.
THE MOTHER OF ALL HEALTHCARE APPS
Stress-tested, steady-handed miracle workers, not only do they deliver exactly what mums need, they do it with formidable bedside manner. Occasionally curt, commonly courageous and always good for a story, they aren’t just another voice in your ear. Amongst helicopter grandparents and a great deal of crying, they are arguably the only voice you want to hear.
Having spoken to the mothers in and out of our studio, when it comes to their family’s health, all they really want are answers, action and the ability to tick things off as quickly as possible. It’s why Trellis doesn’t just mirror a midwife’s unflappable, no-varnish tone, it borrows their approach to messaging. Opening with clarity to grab attention, before adding charm and character. An on-brand way of saying form follows function.
There’s flex too, as there should be. The deeper you get into the experience, the more detailed the advice, summaries and descriptions become. A more imaginative trust message like “mom’s the word” might appear on the homepage, but is dialled back to “app-patient confidentiality” as you hit ‘confirm’ on your subscription. This dimension and depth lets Trellis speak to mothers in the right way at all the right times, reassuring them they’re in the safest hands possible.
It all adds up to a voice which feels different to other healthcare apps in the industry. Warm without the “we’re here for you”, confident without the backing of a billboard campaign, female-focused without alienating anyone in the family.
Intelligent writing that makes things as easy as A to Baby, guides partners through pregnancy and post-partum without holding their hand, and establishes a realistic picture of what it’s like to bring a child into the world.
Rejecting the “Supermum” myth to help parents do exactly what they need to: parent.
Read more about the entire Trellis project on How&How’s website here
Will Nicklin is the Head of Copy at How&How, leading on anything involving words and collaborating on all things creative across London andLos Angeles.
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