Baby showers have quietly gone through a transformation. The once women-only ritual has become increasingly co-ed, with dads, uncles, brothers, and guy friends joining the guest list. Today’s expectant parents want a shared celebration that reflects a shared journey. Parenting isn’t a one-person job, and modern families know it.

Yet dads – who are attending baby showers, building registries, installing car seats, and taking parental leave in record numbers – are treated like background characters in the story of their own children’s arrival.

So, if culture is shifting, why aren’t marketers keeping up?

Co-ed baby showers should have been marketers’ wake-up call. When dads show up to the party, literally and figuratively, it’s a sign that the consumer landscape has changed. Dads buy gear. Dads research products. Dads choose strollers and sign up for loyalty programs. Brands love “emerging markets,” yet somehow miss the one happening right under their noses: dads who are involved, intentional, and there for their kids.

So why the disconnect? Because outdated narratives are comfortable. Because marketers still default to 1995 personas. Because cultural shortcuts – “Mom is the caregiver; Dad is the helper” – die hard in social media circles and marketing channels where those in command like to play it conservative.

But here’s the opportunity: Co-ed baby showers aren’t just a trend; they’re a signal. They reflect what parenting looks like today, not what it used to be. Marketers who embrace this shift will speak to both parents, honor modern families, and expand their reach.

If dads are already active and present, brands should do the same. It’s time to evolve with the times or risk getting left out of the party.