Dads have gotten a bad rap for years, especially in movies and on television. The bumbling dad is a pop culture mainstay and was perfected by Al Bundy, Homer Simpson, Clark Griswold and countless others. The push back has been an extremely slow process but finally, advertisers are leading the charge to show dads in a better light.
This has led to some controversy as some people, many of whom are moms, think that it’s unfair to show dad as the only cool parent. While there are some ads that depict the mother as the buzz kill, the best examples just focus on showing dad in a great light.
Here are 4 commercials that make dads look good:
1. Peanut Butter Cheerios HowToDad Commercial
Synopsis: A dad kicks ass in every conceivable way and shows everyone #HowToDad.
My Take: This one has gotten a lot of coverage and a lot of controversy as some women either see it as an attack on mothers, or see it as dad trying so hard to be cool, that the mom is forced to handle all the tough parenting. I think that’s rubbish as the commercial shows that besides being cool, this dad is caring, helpful, stern, supportive and extremely loving.
2. Calls For Dad #RealDadMoments – Dove Men+Care
Synopsis: (Taken from the YouTube page) Three quarters of dads say they are responsible for their child’s emotional well-being, while only 20% of dads see this role reflected in media. It’s time to acknowledge the caring moments of fatherhood that often go overlooked.
My Take: This isn’t so much a commercial as a short film that celebrates the importance of fatherhood. It is extremely moving and you may find that, after viewing, your eyes have developed a leak.
3. The Power of Love Commercial – DTAC
Synopsis: (Taken from the YouTube page) Today mobile technology is so crucial that it becomes among the things many people can’t live without. Mobile technology development strives to bring solution for communication obstacles and replace many, many things in our life. That’s why some people believe technology makes the impossible possible. Meanwhile, the more advanced technology has developed, the more longing we have for the one thing… the thing that technology can never replace.
My Take: I was surprised to find that many people find the dad to be weak in this commercial. I saw it as a new father being alone with his baby for the first time and, even though he was nervous, he realizes that he can do it.
4. Dear Sophie Commercial from Google
Synopsis: A father creates an email account for his newborn and then emails her various milestones throughout her youth. It ends at the beginning with him hesitating to type the word “Dad” for the very first time.
My Take: I remember seeing it when it first came out in 2011 and thinking it was pretty good. I did not have a kid then, so I could never appreciate it at the level that those that did could. Flash forward to now: I watched it again with a 5 month old in my lap, and it’s a far more emotional experience.
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