For Mother’s Day, Brazilian beauty brand O Boticário has rolled out a campaign that moves away from celebratory tropes to interrogate a more complex emotional territory of the ‘empty nest’. Titled 'Departures,' the campaign draws on social listening insights that show the theme is largely associated with loneliness, attempting instead to reframe it as an evolving, shared experience.

Conceptualised by Brazilian agency AlmapBBDO, the film uses a train journey as a metaphor for motherhood and time. It follows two protagonists, a mother and her son João across life stages, from infancy and adolescence to adulthood, marking a series of moments that signal quiet separations and independence of the child from the parent, culminating in the child eventually leaving home as an adult. Each moment is staged as a 'departure,' positioning motherhood as a progression of 'letting gos' rather than a singular loss. Set to a rendition of The Blower’s Daughter, the narrative leans into nostalgia and memory, using transitions between train compartments to mirror the emotional spectrum.

What we think about it: The insight is globally relatable and hits home, despite the film being set in Brazil and in an unfamiliar language. 'Empty nest’ syndrome isn’t something brands usually talk about and remains underrepresented in Mother’s Day storytelling. While the train metaphor may feel familiar, it’s handled with enough sensitivity and restraint to land emotionally. That said, the brand connect feels a tad diluted, but the campaign's strength lies in a subtle but necessary shift in how maternal narratives are publicly acknowledged in a more honest, relatable way.

Carolina Carrasco, director of branding and communications, Boticário Group, said, “Mother’s Day is one of our most hotly awaited campaigns of the year, because it’s part of our culture to step into the conversation in a truly authentic way. And, as the favorite brand to give as a gift,* we saw that our role was to go beyond the business itself – to keep on sparking conversations and identification. This year, we chose a universal topic charged with cultural truths: motherhood as a series of new beginnings. We believe that being a mother means mastering the art of saying goodbye at each stage of growth – from your arms to their first steps, the outgrown clothes, the nest that opens up to the world. Through our campaign, we sought to legitimate the emotions that are part of every mother’s journey, showing that motherhood is an eternal departure we call growth.” 

Camilla Massari, chief impact officer and VP - client services and business, AlmapBBDO, said, “Motherhood is also about learning to let go, and that’s not something that usually comes up in conversations about Mother’s Day. That’s why, when we decided to look at the ‘empty nest,’ our idea was to help recognize a reality that’s often silent, but is a powerful presence in the relationship between mothers and their children. By making room for these small goodbyes, which are filled with love, pride, and transformation, we can forge an even more genuine, relevant connection with the people living through those changes every day.”  

Beyond the film, the campaign extends into a broader 360-degree rollout, enlisting public figures and creators to reflect on personal experiences of maternal separation, both online and offline.

CREDITS

Agency: AlmapBBDO

Advertiser: O Boticário

Title: Departures

Product: Institutional 

Campaign: Mother’s Day 2026

President and CEO: Filipe Bartholomeu

CCO: Pernil

VPs of Creative: Fernando Duarte and Henrique Del Lama

Creatives: Júlia Malavazzi, Rafael Reis, Tiago Embrizi, and Victor Laars

Head of Innovation: Sérgio Mugnaini

Head of OOH: Fabiana Carmel

Head of Content: Renan Bianco

Creative Director (Key Visual): Marcus Sulzbacher 

Director of Operations (Key Visual): Caroline Rua

Designer (Key Visual): Fabio Girardi

Project Manager (Key Visual): Monyque Klautau

COO: Rafaela Alves

Chief Impact Officer and VP of Client Services and Business: Camilla Massari

Client Services: Andressa Duo, Guilherme Lopes, Isabella Oliveira, Isabella Barreto, and Gabrielly Muniz

CSO: João Gabriel Fernandes

Strategy: Daniela Ferrari, Felipe Fonseca, Julia Martins, and Beatriz dos Santos. 

Media: Francisco Custódio, Suellen Kiss, Nathalia Aguiar, Ana Carolina da Silva, Pedro Henrique, Sofia Duarte, Maria Carmosini, and Ana Beatriz Aguiar

Executive Producer: Stella Sette - The Box 

Photographer: Hick Duarte

Set Designer: Greta Cuneo

Digital Production:

Head of Creative Tech: Lillian Cavallini

Project Manager: Juliana Sousa

AV Production: Diego Villas Boas, Juliana Henriques, and Indaiara Pelizario 

Production: MyMama Entertainment

Director: Kid Burro

Creative Assistant: Luigi Madormo

Director of Photography: Bibi Bianchini

Art Director: Luana Demange

Editor (Hero): Caroline Leone

Editor (Digital): Gui Yuki

Producers: André Pinho, Mayra Faour Auad, and Gabrielle Auad

Executive Producer: Nathalie Gautier

Client Services: Rafael de Paula

Assistant Coordinators: Paulo Marco and Gabriel Eusttaquio

1^st Assistant Director: Juliana Pellegrino

2^nd Assistant Directors: Eloisa Mendes and Artur Miller

1^st Assistant Camera: Rodrigo Gonçalo

2^nd Assistant Camera: Adriano Araujo

Video Assist Operator: Carlos Puchivailo

Production Director: Nani Matias

Assistant Production Managers: Kayane Cabral and Adri Lyra

Production Coordinator: Kayelle Cabral