Dad-vertising Done Right: Brands That Get Modern Fatherhood

Modern dads are stepping up and stepping out, redefining what it means to be a father today. Yet, marketing to men, particularly dads, has traditionally been fraught with challenges. While there’s been a few brilliant exceptions (like this Dads Who Play Barbie film), many brands struggle to connect with this dynamic demographic. Let’s explore why this is the case and highlight three brands that are breaking the mold and reaching modern fathers.

Why Marketing to Dads is Challenging

Marketing to men, and specifically dads, has historically been tough for several reasons:

1. Outdated Stereotypes: The image of the bumbling, clueless dad or the hyper-masculine, emotionless provider still lingers in many marketing strategies. These narrow views fail to capture the diverse and evolving nature of modern fatherhood.
2. Gender Biases: Traditional marketing often leans heavily on gender biases, assuming men are less involved in household and parenting duties. This misrepresentation alienates dads who are actively engaged in family life.
3. Compulsive Buying Habits: Men are often perceived as more impulsive buyers, making it challenging to build long-term brand loyalty. They need more immediate, tangible reasons to choose a product or service.

Despite these challenges, some brands are getting it right. They are moving beyond stereotypes and gender biases to connect with dads on a more authentic level.

Three Brands Crushing the Dad-vertising Game:

Dad Grass

We’ve feature them in another newsletter before, but this one is too good not to mention here. Their name says it all. Dad Grass is not only redefining cannabis culture, their laidback brand vibes simultaneously celebrate classic stoner dads while also appealing to modern men who unapologetically use cannabis (while also being responsible fathers). Whether it’s through their mood films or witty product descriptions, Dad Grass creates an authentic connection with its audience by simply being genuine, blending understated humor and nostalgia seamlessly.

True Classics

This brand has a simple premise that’s tailor-made to dads: comfortable, well-fitting clothes without the fuss. They focus on making better t-shirts for men, with a special nod to dads (especially those with ‘dad bods’). With a $300M revenue business and a vibrant social media community, True Classics excels in repurposing user-generated content, innovative ads (like this AirDropped ad), and spot-on dad humor. From hilarious social media posts to engaging website copy, True Classics speaks the language of modern dads, making them feel seen and understood.

Fatherly

With the tagline ‘win parenting’, this self-described ‘parenting resource for men’ has quickly grown into a sleek, “grown-up” brand. Fatherly is all about providing content that speaks to the diverse interests and needs of modern dads. They go beyond the typical parenting advice, offering articles, videos, and podcasts that cover everything from science facts to share with your kids, to health, wellness and career advice. By addressing the multifaceted lives of dads, Fatherly builds a community specifically made for them. Their authentic, no-nonsense approach helps them stand out in the crowded parenting media landscape.

Reaching dads requires a targeted approach that transcends outdated stereotypes and embraces the evolving realities of modern fatherhood. Brands that recognize and celebrate this diversity are the ones that truly connect with today’s dads.

Improv Exercise: The Unusual Insight Game

Inspired by the improv concept of finding the first unusual thing and amplifying it, this exercise will help your team create engaging dad-centric marketing content. Here’s how it works:

1. Gather your team and have each member think of an unusual or unique insight about their own dad or a father figure they know. This could be a quirky habit, a funny story, a unique skill, or an unexpected hobby.
2. Share the insights with the group. For example, one team member might share, “My dad collects vintage typewriters and writes poetry on them every weekend.”
3. As a group, choose one insight that stands out and has potential to be amplified into a marketing campaign.
4. Break into smaller groups, and each group will brainstorm how to turn this unusual insight into a compelling video script, campaign, or content series. The goal is to make it funny, interesting, and engaging.
5. Present your ideas to the larger group. Discuss the creative approaches and refine the concepts based on feedback.

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