“Parents need support not judgement”. If there was ever a strapline for parenting in the time of the coronavirus, this from C&G Baby Club, is perhaps it.

The campaign, created by BETC London with support from MullenLowe Open on customer engagement and One Green Bean for PR, addresses one of the biggest, most toxic issues facing parents today: judgement.

Research shows that over half (58%) of parents in the UK feel judged every single week of their lives, a pressure which has intensified during lockdown. Comparison anxiety has heightened in the midst of social disconnection with parents judging themselves against an almost entirely fictional ‘great life they aren’t living’ on social media. 

Meanwhile the closure of soft play centres, baby classes and parks have added to the sense of loneliness and disconnection that can come hand in hand with becoming a new parent. Research shows that 42% of parents feel increased pressure from social media and two thirds (65%) feel isolated as parents.

This is where the ‘Love Don’t Judge’ campaign comes in, a simple creative execution based on a powerfully-emotive insight. The campaign aims to support parents in doing what feels right to them, while rejecting the judgement around their decisions, from whether to give a baby a dummy, to choosing pre-prepared baby food over creating your own.

The campaign features six real families sharing their own judgement stories which will hit a chord with parents. Each challenge is playfully communicated through slogans on babygrows. These babygrows not only appear in the TV campaign, but will be given away to 15,000 members of the C&G Baby Club. Slogans include ‘My dummy, my business’ and ‘I’ll walk when I’m ready’. 

Tom Hickton, Head of Brand at C&G Baby Club, explained: “Over half of parents we spoke to still think it is normal to be criticised for their parenting style. In fact, there’s only one way to bring up your baby – your way. Even when things feel uncertain, we want parents to know they should always trust their instincts.”

Nadia Doherty & Ann Moyse, Creatives at BETC London, added that the casting process saw the same stories and types of judgement come to the fore time and time again. As the team explained: “One thing became very clear: there is a huge amount of pressure, both internal and external, placed on parents to be perfect. But there’s no such thing as perfect. Especially when it comes to parenthood.”

At a time when parents are facing unprecedented pressure, for a brand to so clearly represent and reflect that lived experience is a powerful communication strategy.