Australian mums now have a new way to see which family, children and household brands have genuinely earned the trust, recommendation and approval of the mums who buy them.
Mum-marketing specialist Mumpower has launched Mumpower Approved™, a new mum-backed research and recognition program that puts brands to the test with 2,391 Australian parents, uncovering what drives brand choice and recognising those that genuinely earn mums’ trust, recommendation and love.
That focus on trust carries particular weight at a time when household budgets are under pressure.Â
- Forty percent of mums said they would rather pay more for a brand they trust.Â
- Almost sixty percent said brand trust and price are equally important.Â
- Just 1% put price ahead of brand trust.
For brands, the challenge is becoming more complex.Â
Consumers are more considered about how they spend, challenger brands are competing harder for loyalty and marketing budgets are under greater scrutiny. Understanding what customers genuinely think before deciding where to invest next has never been more important.
Mumpower Founder and CEO Christie Nicholas said Mumpower Approved™ had been more than a year in development, informed by research with more than 1,000 mum shoppers about what they need to see before they believe a brand is genuinely trusted, recommended or loved. Input from 11 leading brands and a major national retailer helped ensure the program also works commercially.Â
“Brands can tell mums they’re trusted, loved or recommended. But after 17 years in this space, one thing is clear: mums trust other mums most. They do the research, weigh up the options and have enormous influence over which brands earn a place in the family budget. So ultimately, they should have a say in whether a brand has actually earned that endorsement,” Nicholas said.
“Mumpower Approved puts her voice front and centre with not just one mum or one expert, but the customer at scale.” Nicholas said
More than a seal:Â
Mumpower Approved™ starts by finding out what thousands of Australian mums really think about a brand, both its customers and the mums it hasn’t yet won over.Â
The research uncovers where brands are winning, what may be stopping others from choosing them and what customers genuinely value. Brands receive customer insight, reviews and advocacy content, while those meeting the qualification standards earn Mumpower Approved™ seals they can take to market.
What does it take to become Mumpower Approved?Â
Brands cannot buy a seal and participation does not guarantee one. Recognition is determined by qualified Australian mums with first-hand experience of the brand.
There are three Mumpower Approved™ seals mums qualify brands for.
- Trusted by Mums requires at least 90% of mums surveyed who have used/purchased the brand to positively trust it.
- Recommended by Mums requires at least 90% of mums surveyed who have used/purchased the brand to positively recommend it.
- Loved by Mums requires an average customer satisfaction rating of at least 4 out of 5.
“The standard has to mean something. When a mum sees that seal, we want her to know there is genuine customer evidence sitting behind it." Nicholas continues
Here’s what that looks like in market:Â Â
Meet the inaugural Mumpower Approved brands:Â Â
Six brands have earned Mumpower Approved™ recognition in the inaugural program after putting their reputations to the test with Australian mums.Â
Some of the findings include:
Medela: Mums overwhelmingly trust the breastfeeding brand, with 95% of 1,564 mums who had used or purchased Medela positively rating it for trust. Its trusted reputation, recommendations from healthcare professionals and reliable product performance stood out among mums.
Springfree Trampoline: Mums gave Springfree Trampoline an outstanding 4.66 out of 5 average satisfaction rating. Safety and longevity emerged as powerful reasons mums choose the brand, with “built to last” particularly resonating with parents.
GAIA Natural Baby: Mums gave the baby skincare brand an average 4.42 out of 5 for customer satisfaction, praising its gentleness on delicate and sensitive skin, natural ingredients and how easily the products fit into everyday family routines. Among 1,934 mums who had used or purchased GAIA Natural Baby, 91% trust the brand.
Nido Early School: Nido Early School earned all three seals, including 92% positive trust and 90% positive recommendation among mums who had enrolled their child. Caring educators, genuine relationships with children and a safe, welcoming environment were important reasons mums chose the brand.
Nuby: Trusted by 90% of mums who had used or purchased the brand, Nuby was valued for its broad range of baby and toddler products that help solve everyday parenting challenges, with practicality, convenience and accessibility standing out.
Baby Sensory and Toddler Sense: The baby and toddler activity brands earned all three seals, with 9 in 10 mums who had experienced the classes positively rating both trust and recommendation. Helping children develop new skills and giving mums a reason to get out of the house also stood out in their experiences.
Medela’s Director of Marketing Margarita Magdalinos said the results were particularly meaningful for a brand that places enormous value on the trust it has built with mums:
“Hearing directly from Australian mums about their experience with our brand is incredibly powerful. It gives real weight to the Medela brand, while giving us fresh insight to keep evolving and responding to what mums need from us. Brand growth is strongest when it is grounded in genuine customer advocacy.
Mumpower Approved™ is a brilliant example of elevating the customer voice from insight to influence, giving mums a meaningful role in shaping and validating the brands they trust." -Medela
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Springfree Trampoline’s Vice President Southern Hemisphere Megan McKenzie adds:
“We know the strength of the Springfree Trampoline brand and we invest heavily in delivering high quality products and services. But having Australian mums independently validate it is incredibly powerful. We will celebrate this validation in the lead up to our busy period, Q4.” - Springfree Trampoline
Giving mums more power:Â Â
Mumpower’s mission is simple: help mums instantly recognise brands that have genuinely earned the backing of other Australian mums, while giving brands that earn that trust a credible way to prove it.
“Mums have always been powerful advocates for the brands they genuinely believe in. Through Mumpower Approved™ we’re making her voice impossible to ignore,” Nicholas said.
“Ultimately, we want Mumpower Approved to become something mums recognise and look for because they know other Australian mums helped put it there.”
The inaugural brands will now share their Mumpower Approved™ status across advertising, digital, social media, retail and other customer touchpoints, and it will be backed by a strong UGC, Influencer and PR campaign giving consumers visible, mum-backed validation.
Further information about Mumpower Approved™, the inaugural brand results and research is available on request, along with interviews, imagery and participating brand spokespeople.
