Marketing to Dads Doesn’t Have to Be Hard, Read These 5 Recommendations

Here is a heads up for this year’s Father’s Day, it is on Sunday, June 17. And if your business is looking to market to dads, MDG Advertising has released a new infographic which points out why you shouldn’t overlook this demographic.

While Mother’s Day gets more attention (and deservedly so), the “5 Things Every Brand Needs to Know about Marketing to Dads” infographic says brands are creating outdated marketing campaigns no longer appplicable to today’s modern father.

For small businesses looking to capitalize on different holidays and events to boost customer turnout, Father’s Day can be an untapped opportunity. But it goes beyond Father’s Day and other occasions. If you are not aware of the different holidays that are celebrated across the country, you can have a look here.

According to MDG Advertising, “American fathers are much different from the dear old dad stereotype. Specifically, today’s dads have distinct purchasing behaviors, beliefs about their roles, and methods for finding information.”

Here are the five recommendations MDG offers in the infographic.

Address Disconnect in Media Portrayals

When it comes to dads, they think the media doesn’t depict their family accurately, this is especially true for younger fathers.

For 74% of millennial dads, there is a disconnect between how advertisers and marketers depict their families, and how they really are. And they are especially unhappy about how fatherhood is being portrayed, with 38% stating they don’t believe there is an accurate representation of their role as a parent.

Another 85% of fathers say they are not the bumbling dad, while 73% say a real man is capable of emotions, with only 7% of men stating they relate to depictions of masculinity in the media.

Address Changing Fatherhood Roles

The way fatherhood was depicted in the past no longer applies to today’s modern dads.

Being a father is the most important job for 75% of dads, while 94% said it is an extremely or very important part of their identity. And they are more involved than fathers of previous generations. They now spend seven hours per week on childcare compared to 2.5 hours in 1965.

Dads also attend more school meetings and volunteer to help out with school projects and activities.

Address Concerns About Balancing Work and Parenthood

Even though today’s dads are spending more time with their children, many of them think they could do better.

Close to half or 48% believe they spend too little time with their kids, while 49% wish they could be more involved with their childrens’ education.

Compared to 51% of mothers who believe they are doing a very good job raising their children, only 39% of fathers feel the same way. The challenge comes in trying to balance work and fatherhood, which they say makes it difficult to take part in other activities.

Consider Who Makes the Purchasing Decisions

When it comes to purchasing behavior and brands, dads say their behavior has changed since they became a father.

For example, 44% report changing food, beverage and grocery brands, 42% say they have changed household cleaning products, 36% made changes in the personal care products they buy, and 27% have changed financial products since fatherhood.

While both parents do the shopping, moms account for more spending while dads buy more when they do buy. Dads spend an average of $173 every time they go to the grocery store compared to $149 for moms, and 72% of dads say they share household shopping responsibility.

Consider the Importance of Digital Resources to Young Dads

Digital technology has become an important resource for young dads who look for parenting and children’s products and services.

YouTube is a valuable resource for 80% of dads when seeking a wide range of parenting topics — including assembling children’s products, preparing kid-friendly meals and helping their children learn.

They use their smartphones and computers to visit websites, access apps, parenting blogs and product manufacturers.

Marketing to Dads

So what are brands to make of this information?

According to MDG, brands shouldn’t assume today’s dad is the stereotypical father portrayed in the past.

Fathers are more brand aware and digital savvy, and they make many of the household purchases. And reaching them requires creating campaigns nuanced to deliver the right message.

You can take a look at the rest of the data in the infographic below.

Infographic by MDG Advertising