Text reads 'Make Room for the Mother' in large red and purple letters on a light purple background.
Text on a beige background that reads, 'New Mothers are as common as new babies' in large, red, italicized font.

MAKE ROOM FOR THE MOTHER · MAKE ROOM FOR THE MOTHER · MAKE ROOM FOR THE · MAKE ROOM FOR THE MOTHER · MAKE ROOM FOR THE MOTHER ·

MAKE ROOM FOR THE MOTHER · MAKE ROOM FOR THE MOTHER · MAKE ROOM FOR THE · MAKE ROOM FOR THE MOTHER · MAKE ROOM FOR THE MOTHER ·

Close-up of a quote in red text on a beige background that says, 'so why is she still missing from the card shelf?'
Text on a lavender background encouraging support for a campaign to help new mothers on card shelves around the world by April 3, 2027, with a call to follow the campaign on social media.

How you can help

THE PUBLIC
Ask for the Mother

• Sign the petition
• Ask for a New Mother card
• Share the campaign
• Tag your local card shop or
favourite card maker
• Tag @matrescencepress when
gifting a New Mother card

CARD MAKERS
Make for the Mother

• Create a card for the New Mother
category
• Encourage your stockists to include the
New Mother category on their shelves
• Tell us you’re participating so we can
include you in campaign promotions

RETAILERS
Make Room for the Mother

• Stock New Mother cards from the
card makers of your choice
• Give the category a visible place on
the card shelf
• Encourage your current card makers to
make a card for the New Mother category
• Tell us you’re participating so we can
include you in campaign promotions

SIGN THE PETITION
A woman holding a giant card that reads "MAKE ROOM for the mother", to promote the campaign
A woman holding a giant card that reads "MAKE ROOM for the mother", to promote the campaign

A frankly ridiculous campaign to update the card shelf

A person standing on steps holding a large sign that says, 'MAKE ROOM for the mother,' with additional text about a goal to create for new mothers. and fashion collection signage. There is also aon the steps that says, 'TO: THE CARD INDUSTRY FROM: CULTURE.'
A woman with short dark hair, wearing sunglasses, a dark shirt, and blue jeans, holds a yellow sign with red text that reads, "New Mothers are as common as new babies so why is she still missing from the card shelf?" She is standing on steps outside a building with large columns. Another woman with blonde hair, wearing a white coat, stands in front of her. In the background, there are mannequins in a store window and children sitting on a bench.
A man holding a large yellow sign that reads "To: The Card Industry, From: Cultures". He is wearing sunglasses, a dark shirt, and jeans. A photographer is taking his picture while various people are sitting and walking in the background on a city street with large building columns.
Person holding a sign that reads 'MAKE ROOM for the mother' standing on city stairs in front of a store window display with mannequins.

You may be wondering…

  • No. The goal is neither ownable nor achievable by one brand.

    For New Mother to become a recognised card category, we need many card makers making for it and many retailers making room for it.

    Any brand or retailer can benefit from growing the category, but the most important benefit goes to mothers. Visibility on the shelf means their becoming is a moment worth marking.

  • Because the card shelf is a small reflection of what our culture considers worth acknowledging.

    When a baby is born the traditional default is to buy a baby card. Culture is shifting, people want to centre the mother - it’s time for the card shelf to catch up.

  • The campaign was born in Melbourne, Australia, but the gap it addresses is global.

    New mothers are everywhere. So are card shops. Card shops stock cards from international card makers therefore the category of New Mother can be adopted by any maker or retailer around the globe.

  • Yes. Most are Mother’s Day cards, given to women after they are already mothers. New Mother cards mark a different moment: the beginning.
    They recognise the woman becoming a mother at the same time a baby is born.

  • Not at all. There is room for both. We already have a well-established New Baby category.
    Every new baby comes with a new mother. We’re simply asking the card shelf to make room for the mother alongside it.

  • Get the mother a card.

    • Ask for a New Mother card when you’re in a card shop.

    • Sign the petition.

    • Share the campaign.

    • Tag your local card shop.

    • Send it to a card maker you’d love to see make for the mother.

  • Create a card for the New Mother category and let us know you’re participating by 14/02/27 so we can include you in campaign updates and promotions, as well as offer your card to retailers as they curate their New Mother category.
    The card does not have to be themed around matrescence, nor is Matrescence Press offering creative direction.
    The card should be in your own brand voice, what you think your audience would buy for a new mother.

  • Stock New Mother cards from the makers of your choice and give the category a visible place on your card shelf. Let us know you’re participating so we can include you in the campaign.