Marketing to the Modern Father

Marketing to Dads

Father’s day is almost here. Which means it’s time to turn on the TV, kick back and watch non stop dad-fomercials about golf, grilling, and the impressive 360 zero-turn lawn mower. Marketing to dads was once like this, but today’s dads are much different from generations past.  

Today, more women are taking on greater responsibilities at work while men are taking on more responsibilities at home. Fathers today are much more likely to be involved in child care and family purchasing decisions.

Marketing and advertising content gives you an opportunity to reflect on this expanding role in childcare. Dads today have significant responsibilities beyond the traditional bread-winning, fishing enthusiasts we might remember.  Here are a few ways marketers can reach out to fathers with content that’s relevant and reflects the personalities of all types of parents.

Young Dads, Old Dads, Sports Dads, Nerd Dads

Try to appeal to different parenting styles. For example, some dads like to play catch with their kids, and some prefer to take down hoards of zombies on their favorite gaming system. Whatever the parenting style may be, it’s vital to gain customer insights that will enable you to deliver more relevant content to your audience.

Dad Imagery

We like to joke about the traditional dad that loves to spend his downtime mowing and fishing. Those dads still exist, but so do the dads that shop, cook, and pick the kids up from soccer practice. So be authentic with imagery, don’t assume you’re only talking to moms when you’re marketing to millennial parents.

Dad Content

More than half of all fathers today say there’s not enough dad-focused content online, and 69% wish there was more parenting content available for dads online. Seven in ten millennial dads tend to seek out parenting information directly from their smartphone, and dad needs a little help from time to time. So, introduce content that’s easily accessible and relevant to all types of fathers.



Parental marketing is continuously changing. Do your research, and dig deep to understand this ever-changing audience. Here are a few examples of companies showing fathers prominently in child care settings, and developing engaging content that speaks to them.     

    • Dove Men+Care’s #RealStrength campaign
    • Mattel’s Dads Who Play Barbie campaign
    • Delta: To All The Pilots On The Ground ad

What do you think? Are marketers accurately representing modern parents? Feel free to reach out. We welcome your thoughts and always appreciate new information.

Post published on

June 13, 2019

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