Every day two to three women die in the US from pregnancy-related complications. Over the past 30 years, the number of women passing from birthing related strain has more than doubled. While life-threatening complications can affect anyone, women of color are at the highest risk. Over half of these deaths are preventable. We aimed to educate women, expecting mothers, and allies about this issue and equip them with the resources they need to stop senseless misfortune. With an audience skewed towards 18-34-year-old women on MTV and VH1, the Save Our Moms PSA spoke to those directly affected by such complications.

An everyday couple, filled with excitement and anticipation of growing their family, discovers the news of their pregnancy. As the baby bump grows, we see the couple prepare for their baby. From ultrasound appointments to decorating the nursery, anticipation builds. We suddenly see the mother in pain, and we watch her internalize and downplay the pain she's experiencing. In the delivery room, the doctors call for an operating room. Moments later, we see the new baby crying, but hear a flatline tone as the doctor informs the new father and grandmother that their wife and daughter haven't survived. Narrator Lena Waithe informs the viewer that birthing deaths are up amongst women of color, and shares ways to prevent such deaths. We re-live the narrative and witness the mom-to-be advocate for herself and receive the support and care she needs—the couple swoons over their new baby after a healthy delivery.

MTV Networks contemporized a known plight for the public eye to amplify the culture surrounding maternal health and shed light on the early journey of motherhood. The twist of focusing on the racial injustice aspect of maternal mortality gave audiences further cause to act on addressing such issues. Collaborating with Lena Waithe and casting her as the narrator attracted viewers and added credible star power to the message. The film drove to a website loaded with resources and information to educate people further on how to help moms-to-be. The Save Our Moms PSA elevated the issue of pregnancy-related difficulties from something women bear alone to an archetypal human issue that many can relate to. Our approach ensured that maternal mortality would no longer operate unconsciously in society.

At launch, the Save Our Moms PSA ran on MTV, VH1 and social repeatedly on the lead up to Mother’s Day. It quickly got picked up by news shows like MSNBC’s Morning Joe. It was featured in top press outlets, including the AP (syndicated across outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, ABC News, Miami Herald, et al.), Indie Wire, Complex, The Root, Nylon Magazine, and more. Winning the support of every significant maternal health organization was crucial in highlighting the importance of this issue and extending the reach of the message. Our social film garnered influencer support from artists, politicians, health professionals, and civil rights leaders across the nation who continue to fan its flames as we work together to eradicate this issue.

Save Our Moms ignited a robust conversation online thanks to massive social sharing by noteworthy influencers and fan engagement. By the end of Mother's Day, the Save Our Moms PSA generated over 6.8M+ views and 179K+ total engagements across digital. The PSA was shown 63 times on linear gaining 2.7M linear impressions across MTV, Vh1, and Logo. The resource website, saveourmoms.com, had over 160K+ users, setting a new all-time high for MTV social impact campaigns. The press and public applauded MTV for challenging the status quo on maternal mortality and using social media to continue the conversation. Those with a connection to the issue jumped into discussions on social media to share their story. Audience sentiment was overwhelmingly positive, personal, and supportive of the effort to make a change in how we support moms-to-be.