Introducing The Family Edit
Let's explore the wild world of how brands market to modern families.
UPPAbaby. Frida Baby. Hanna Andersson. Melissa & Doug. Bluey.
Before I became pregnant with my daughter in early 2020, these brands didn’t mean much to me. Fast-forward five years, and I’ve engaged with these brands nearly every day of my life as a parent, forming pretty strong opinions about each of them.
As both a mom and someone who has spent my career analyzing brands, trends, and cultural shifts, I’ve noticed how the world of parent and baby-focused brands is changing—and how little media coverage and analysis there is that really connects the dots.
Parent and Baby Brands Are Getting a Modern Makeover
Millennial parents are bringing their digital fluency and values into how they shop and spend. Gen Z parents are cementing these shifts even further. Growing up during economic roller coasters and social upheaval, both groups care about sustainability, ethics, and corporate responsibility—and they expect brands to be transparent, engaged, and to acknowledge the often challenging realities of modern parenthood.
But it’s not just about values—it’s also about style. Today’s parents don’t want to be solely defined by parenthood, and they want their products to go beyond function. They gravitate toward brands that reflect their aesthetic, personal identity, and lifestyle. Companies that nail this connection are the ones parents keep coming back to.
The Missing Link: Connecting Brands with Modern Parenthood
And yet, when I look around, I see a disconnect. Parenting and motherhood-focused sites cover product recommendations, expert advice, and personal stories, and a handful of business-focused research companies have reported market valuations, but neither is explaining the deeper cultural shifts driving these brand transformations.
That’s where this newsletter comes in. I’ll be covering brand launches, marketing shifts, product innovations, and cultural moments shaping family life today. Whether you’re a parent curious about the latest trends or a business navigating this space, I hope you’ll find something here that sparks your interest.
About Me
I’m a writer, editor, and content strategist who’s spent my career exploring how businesses connect with consumers. As Content Director at Skift, I lead the development of thought leadership and branded content, working with executives across travel, hospitality, and tech. Before this, I was an analyst at eMarketer, covering consumer trends, demographics, and the evolving digital landscape. I also have an MA in Media, Culture, and Communication from NYU.
More importantly, I’m the mom of a 4 ½-year-old daughter (I’ll call her “Moonie” for purposes of this newsletter), which means I had a true pandemic pregnancy (wild times). I live in Brooklyn with her and my husband.
Here are some of the trends I’m excited to dig into:
New brand and product launches, collabs, and indie brands & startups disrupting the traditional parent, child, and baby market. Think: Hanna Andersson x Baggu, the rapid rise of Coterie, Bobbie, The Nugget and Yoto, Ms. Rachel’s massive Netflix deal, etc. There’s a lot to cover here.
How more traditional “legacy” brands are refreshing themselves to appeal to a new generation of families. For example, did you know that in late 2024, Carter's redesigned its retail stores, updated its product offerings, and launched a new ad campaign, all focused on appealing to Gen Z parents?
How brands are rethinking physical spaces and IRL experiences to appeal to today’s families. Some thoughts here include: We’re seeing a reimagining of what play spaces can look like. The response (or lack thereof) to a global family travel boom. Those luxury post-partum retreats.
The growing second-hand economy for kids’ gear and clothing. Let’s dig into what’s happening on Poshmark, ThredUp, Facebook Marketplace, Buy Nothing, brand-specific Facebook and WhatsApp groups, and in second-hand small businesses, like Brooklyn’s beloved Parachute and Owl Tree Kids.
How tech and AI are reshaping family life. So many apps and digital products have been launched to streamline traditionally “messy” experiences of parenthood, like caretaking, community-building, productivity, and planning and organization. For full transparency, I tend to be skeptical of many of these—some things in life just can’t be optimized—though I live and die by my Google Calendar.
Research and data studies explaining “how families live now.” I’m excited to flex my data research muscle again here. It’s been a while!
***I feel like the world of mom, baby, and family social media influencers is a beast of its own—and there are already people covering this in-depth, like Sara Petersen with —so I don’t think I’ll go *too* deep into this sector specifically—but you never know.
A few things to know up front:
I'll do my best to post weekly, give or take. I'm juggling my 9-5 job, parenting Moonie, and trying to keep some semblance of a social life.
I expect that the format of this newsletter, the topics I cover, and/or the way I cover them will evolve as I grow into writing it. I’d love to eventually include interviews with founders and marketers—and potentially parents themselves—as well as brand case studies / deep dives. I’m not totally sure what this newsletter will look or sound like in a few months, but I know I have a strong starting point.
Let’s get into it.
News & Highlights Roundup: Parent, Kid, and Baby Brands
Bluey’s already huge—and the Heeler family’s influence is only growing. Last week, a Global Marketing exec at BBC Studios announced that they’re recruiting two Global Heads of Brand & Marketing and an EMEA Head of Brand & Marketing to help grow the Bluey brand. Truly a dream job, right?
According to the post, Bluey was the No. 1 most streamed show in the U.S. last year, has 10 million Youtube subscribers, and is a Diamond Creator brand (I had to look that up, but seems like it’s a pretty big deal when you’re a brand on Youtube).
There’s also a Bluey-branded Lego line launching in June (these look really cute and fun) and a Disney movie coming out in 2027. Will my then-seven-year-old be too cool to care? I hope not.
It’s been really interesting to see Lovevery evolve with its consumer base. When I became a parent in 2020, its products were mainly centered around the infant and toddler stages. The launch of their Reading Skill Set and Real Life Play Kitchen show that the brand is thinking beyond those earliest years.
I’m definitely curious to see if they expand into the older kid, tween, and teenage stages in years to come.
👶 Storq launched a line of Stroller Charmz.
Storq’s launch makes sense, as this new generation of parents prioritizes personal style and self-expression beyond parenthood.
The product description reads: “Bag charms for your stroller! Stroller charms! Aka fun accessories to make your baby gear trackable but also cute.” So these mini pouches are meant to hold Airtags? I agree, they’re cute—the Daisy style would be my pick.
I haven’t really paid attention to Storq since I created my baby registry back in 2020, but I’m loving the designs of their Slumber Party Nap Mats and Indoor/Outdoor Play Mats, too.
Shoutout to for including this in their Substack a few weeks back.
Yoto’s three volumes of kid-friendly audiobooks, produced in collaboration with Pottermore Publishing, include: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," "Quidditch Through the Ages," and "The Tales of Beedle the Bard."
Admittedly, I’ve never read Harry Potter—and we use our Yoto Player at bedtime every night—so I’m looking forward to entering this world with Moonie in a few years.
Another crazy highlight: Time spent gaming has surged 65% in four years.
This report is super interesting—the last time it was conducted was in early 2020, just before COVID hit, so it shows how children's media usage and habits have changed since then.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks so much for reading. I’m excited to dive in, share what I’m discovering, and hear your thoughts along the way.
- Alison
As an ex-brand strategist and flailing new mum this looks so up my street. Looking forward to reading, Alison, good luck!