According to this study by Marketing Dive in 2017, 74% of millennial fathers in the U.S. believe that marketers and advertisers are out of touch with modern family dynamics. As people are reimagining the role of a father in the household, many brands are beginning to reassess how they’re portraying father figures in their ad campaigns.
Like Mother’s Day, Halloween, Christmas and any other special occasion, brands take to the social world to commemorate Father’s Day in their favoured way. These could be in the form of tear-jerking videos that celebrate how much our dads mean to us or comical attempts to portray the armchair-loving, beer-guzzling man who we all love dearly.
Take a look below at seven memorable Father’s Day ad campaigns over the past years that have challenged how we once perceived fatherhood and celebrate this very special day.
Oreo
America’s favourite cookie brand Oreo highlighted the significance that Father’s Day has on sons and daughters alike.
A simple yet effective video showcased a young son waking his dad up in the middle of the night to enjoy cookies and milk. Just before they tucked in, the son stops his father and pauses as the clock strikes midnight; he then turns to his father and wishes him a Happy Father’s Day.
This heartwarming video perfectly captures the father’s face after he realises that his son remembered this special day. To many, Father’s Day is a chance for kids, old and young, to celebrate the very special things their fathers do for them. The simple act of acknowledging or even remembering Father’s Day is enough to let many dads know that they’re cared for.
Gillette
Starting with the statistic that 94% of teenagers ask the internet for advice before their dads, Gillette proved that this tactic doesn’t always result in success.
The video titled “Go Ask Dad” showcased various sons struggling with certain tasks, like frying an egg or tieing a tie. They failed to reach their goal before their father stepped in and helped them out.
We’ll often attempt to tackle a task without prior experience and therefore look to the internet for guidance. In some instances, this isn’t best practice, as you’ll be bombarded with differing opinions and methods that ultimately don’t get you where you need to be. Gillette proved this and told us that sometimes, it’s best to “Go Ask Dad”.
Stella Artois
We all know someone who posts “Happy Father’s / Mother’s Day” on their social media accounts without their parents actually having an online presence. Are they ever going to see it? The simple answer is no, but it’s still a nice touch.
Stella Artois aimed to prove that sometimes your presence is the best present and invited three people to talk about how much their father means to them. They didn’t know that their dad had been invited to the same place and was listening to everything they said.
We love these tear-inducing videos that showcase exactly how much our fathers enjoy listening to the things we most love about them. By all means, post to your followers about how much they mean to you, but if he never sees it, make sure that you tell him these things too.
Hallmark
Poems are the rage nowadays if you’re looking for a heartwarming way to say “thank you”. Hallmark is a leading greeting card manufacturer in the UK and Ireland and fills so many of their cards with lovely poems that express the words we’re unable to sometimes think of.
Their Twitter post in 2019 saluted all men who go above and beyond for their sons and daughters by sharing some lovely poems and highlighting all kinds of dads here, from car fixer-uppers to baby-wearers.
Dollar Shave Club
This highly comical ad by Dollar Shave Club aimed to celebrate the “Dad Bod”. Titled “Manifique”, the famous men’s grooming company is encouraging men not to feel self-conscious about their figure or lifestyle.
Dollar Shave Club is known for its humorous ad campaigns and methods to showcase its products. Their social accounts are full of memes, and you’ve probably seen them sponsoring some of your favourite YouTube creators.
The video was met with lots of positive comments, with one person stating: “This what you call marketing to your demographic”. Dollar Shave Club is killing it at the moment, and we love seeing all of their creative takes on popular events and current trends.
Tesco
Another ad that aims to tug on the viewer’s heartstrings. Tesco brought families to their stores and broadcasted heartwarming messages from sons & daughters over their in-store customer announcement.
Hidden cameras were set up to capture the moment that the messages were announced, highlighting the lovely moment it aimed to produce. Regular shoppers must have wondered what was going on but stopped and embraced the moment.
This sort of thing could either lead someone to leave on the spot due to sheer embarrassment or, as the video has shown, create a beautiful moment between two individuals.
Best to step away from the veg isle - the onions are making us cry…
Dove Men + Care
Our final choice, and another that gets us feeling all the emotions. Dove Men + Care decided to go down a fairly different route and encouraged us to celebrate “all the men who were there to care.”
Grandfathers, teachers, uncles and coaches are showcased, allowing us to see the true impact of different male figures. They also encouraged us to use their hashtag and share the influential men in our own lives.
Even though it’s called “Father’s Day”, we shouldn’t overlook or neglect those that have a “fatherly” impact on our lives, whether they be grandfathers or sports coaches. Celebrate the men who are there to care; you never know how much they’ll appreciate it.
There you have it, seven memorable Father’s Day ad campaigns that hit us in the feels and some that made us laugh. Have any more that you’ve seen? Let us know via our socials.
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