Dad's dynamic role
This loud paternal backlash points to two industry game-changers that marketers must take into account. First, the father's role within the home has changed (and has been changing for quite some time). And second, dads are becoming increasingly socially active online (which leads to a greater awareness of their domestic role).
Regarding Dad's role within the home, The Parenting Group and Edelman study asked dads about their responsibility for various household chores. The responses revealed that dads, no matter the age, feel accountable for roughly 50 percent of parental tasks, such as grocery shopping, diaper changing, taking the children to school, discipline, etc.
In addition, the same study discovered that 42 percent of new dads use social networks daily to share family-related status updates. Furthermore, according to an eMarketer study, "56 percent of new dads post family photos at least a few times a week, while 21 percent post family-related videos." In addition, millennial dads have a greater number of online friends than millennial moms. According to the survey, "dads reported to having an average of 96 online friends, while moms averaged only 70."
Source: eMarketer
These statistics are no surprise to Mark Wildman, VP of The Parenting Group, who states, "I don't just view myself as a provider. The nurturing, the cooking, the food buying -- I am doing it in partnership with my wife."
So, why is marketing still tilted toward moms, rather that reflective of parental partnerships? If dads are responsible for roughly 50 percent of household tasks and more than capable of exercising extensive social influence, should brands continue to ignore them? Clearly, the answer is no, and here are the brands that have come to this conclusion and started giving dads the attention they deserve.
