At Babylist, our goal is to ensure expecting parents feel seen, heard, and supported in their parenting journey.
When it comes to social platforms, content from celebrities, influencers, and even friends and family can often feel picture-perfect and unattainable - especially for expecting parents. Idyllic baby bump announcements don’t often highlight the insomnia, nausea, and acid reflux that come with pregnancy.
We set out to change that with this campaign. Our objective was simple - build snackable and relatable content that shows our community of expecting parents that they're not alone.
Our idea was to show how pregnancy is the great equalizer—even celebrities accidentally pee, battle swollen ankles, and navigate complex emotional journeys. We set out to harness these universal experiences by creating content that bridges the gap between aspirational and relatable.
Our creative approach was rooted in authenticity and realness. Instead of boasting about the perfect baby bump or glowing skin, we wanted to highlight the real challenges that pregnant women face from influential perspectives. And we wanted to do it with a mix of humor, honesty, and unrelenting support.
Where did that lead? A content campaign that leaves our community feeling seen and heard — not alone.
The groundwork for this content campaign began in 2023 when Babylist made the strategic decision to open a physical space in the heart of Beverly Hills. Unlike traditional retail spaces, the showroom wasn’t built with selling products in mind. It was designed to not only give expecting parents an immersive experience to discover and test baby products IRL as they build their registry but also to create a share-worthy space for hosting and supporting influencers and celebrities in their pregnancy journeys.
With the Beverly Hills Showroom in place, our team developed a white-glove registry service that allowed us to turn celebrity baby prep into compelling TikTok content. Beyond showcasing products, we wanted to capture and share real stories and genuine emotions that reflect the universal journey of parenthood.
Our team of gear experts, lifestyle editors, and storytelling professionals crafted a personalized content strategy for each celebrity visit, capturing authentic moments that connect the experiences of our influencer partners with our digital audience. Our production team crafted prompts for each celebrity to get them to open up (like when Sammi Hanratty shared her baby's cleft lip journey!). We also stay plugged into cultural trends, ensuring every piece of content connects to our audience and feels timely and relevant.
The success of this campaign came down to one thing: we deeply know our audience. We used that knowledge to drive every content decision and connect with our digital following. Through social listening, monthly surveys, and quarterly user panels, we pinpointed not only what matters to our audience but the tone that would resonate with them—often a mix of humor and unflinching honesty. When our data showed that unfiltered pregnancy talk resonates most, we highlighted Adut's candid confessions. When Sammi's cleft lip story gained traction, we used TikTok's comment reply feature to capitalize on momentum and create more content. While these videos share an array of diverse experiences, they’re all connected by the positive, uplifting, and supportive spirit that we’ve built at Babylist.
The result? Content that turns celebrity moments into shared experiences, fostering a community where millions of expecting parents can find the support and guidance they need, no matter where they are in their journey.
Our objective was to connect with the newest generation of Gen Z and Millennial parents, meeting them where they are. We measured this through TikTok impressions, engagement, and positive sentiment. This life stage can feel isolating, and our metrics confirmed that our audience felt seen and heard.
Quantitative (Metrics)
Qualitative (Comments)
Our partnership with Sammi was also the first time she shared about her son’s cleft lip. When our TikTok broke the news, we saw an opportunity to amplify the story to reach more parents with Sammi’s relatable experience. Our PR team secured an exclusive interview for Sammi with Today. https://www.today.com/parents/celebrity/yellowjackets-actress-samantha-hanratty-pregnant-baby-cleft-lip-rcna184667
Ultimately, we successfully balanced humor and heartfelt storytelling, creating engaging celebrity content that resonated, brought joy, and fostered a sense of community among parents navigating similar experiences.
