​Maltesers supports maternal mental health awareness with new campaign

To mark Maternal Mental Health Month, Maltesers has launched #TheMaternityReturn, a new social media first campaign highlighting the ups, downs, and challenges mums face on returning to work after maternity leave.

The launch sees the Mars Wrigley owned brand team up with both Channel 4 and BuzzFeed, Inc as part of the wider activity, to help provide a platform for mums returning to work to share their stories and break down taboos around the challenges, emotions, and experiences they face when returning to the workplace after maternity leave.

As a continuation of the campaigns created last year by AMV BBDO #TheMassiveOvershare and #LoveBeatsLikes, #TheMaternityReturn is the third instalment in a series of campaigns from Maltesers as part of its multi-year partnership with charity partner Comic Relief.

Speaking about the campaign, Leah Dyckes, Brand Director, Maltesers said: “We are excited to have continued our partnerships with Channel 4 and Buzzfeed, Inc . As ever for Maltesers, we look to always highlight the light and the dark through humour, whilst addressing the tricky and taboo subjects that are often overlooked. Through engaging content as part of Channel 4’s Late Night Feed series and authentic, thought-provoking content produced by Buzzfeed, we hope to have demonstrated that the return to work can often be overwhelming and a real struggle for many mums but that there is always help and support available.”

On how the brand has helped mums to date through sharing stories, Leah adds, “As a result of our work to support mums last year, we saw over 200,000 mothers engage with our support resources and we have seen the highest ever volume of social conversation, we want to continue this engagement in order to help as many mums as possible through sharing and signposting to resources.”

Building on the brand’s humorous identity, Late Night Feed: The Return to Work, a comedy special, was created in partnership with broadcaster Channel 4, following Late Night Feed: Being A New Mum.

The next instalment of this comedy short commission sees Harriet Kemsley, Dr Punam Krishan and Anna Whitehouse share the joys, challenges and laugh-out-loud moments of returning to work after becoming a mum. From the expectations and concerns of the first day, to the realities and rewards that come with the return to work, these three working mums share personal experiences that are widely relatable, all told with candour, warmth and humour.

Channel 4 and Maltesers have partnered on this project to offer comfort, community and laughter to mums returning to work across the UK. Late Night Feed, the social-first film from 4Studio will live across Channel 4’s YouTube, Facebook and Instagram channels.