We’ve heard more than one SAHD’s story about being left out of the conversation while at the local park amongst a group of SAHMs. And for a dad to get invited to a SAHMs’ playgroup – that’s even less likely to happen. It’s hard to say if this is the norm, but it happens.
And, it’s unfortunate and unavoidable.
But when the topic is childcare, and a company purposely creates a moms-only club without a dad counterpart?
That’s blatant sexism. The featured ad – found in a parents magazine, natch – recently caught our eye. It doesn’t even bother relinquishing dad to the assistant role, it downright ignores him.
Over at mylicon.com, it only gets worse, where it offers Mylicon Moms, yet no similar club for dads. Read the language on this page; look how Mylicon completely ignores fathers and makes them feel like outsiders:
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How can a dad feel like one with this kind of treatment? And all this, from a company that claims to offer an “unparalleled experience for consumers.”
Really? Dads are consumers, and “unparalleled” means “having no equal.” Sadly, Mylicon has equals, but for all the wrong reasons – among companies who continue to disregard dad as an equal parent.
It’s another example of exclusionary marketing that screams of old fashioned ignorance and chauvinism, as if dads can’t, don’t, or won’t handle basic family health care.
Mylicon, please do what is right, and include dad as part of your marketing mission – because dads who know, know there’s other options for painful gas.
If you follow the ad’s instructions and take time to visit 
Don’t dads use social media?
Last month on Mother’s Day, we overheard a young dad offering well wishes to a fellow friend, an elderly mom. The mom extended a kind “thanks” in return, and then shared with a smile:
If you monitor the advertising, marketing, branding and packaging of products and services as much as we do, you’ll find that one phrase seems to pop up more than any other: mom-trusted.
Whatever Medela is paying the people who handle its marketing and communications – it’s not enough.
So if there was ever a company that could be excused for playing the dad omission card (not that it’s ever right), Medela would be it. But they don’t stoop to that inappropriate level – they include dads on its 
But then you have some products which seem to bemuse our perception, products which have been marketed for so long, positioned in such a convincing way and aimed at a certain audience that we’ve come to believe its use was envisioned strictly for one gender.
A brief reflection upon its own history and founding – and a glance at its own latest ad – may encourage Boppy to return to its roots. Check out the bottom of this ad, where Boppy describes four of its product’s core uses, none of which have to do exclusively with moms (while physical breastfeeding does, general feeding – the word used in the ad – doesn’t).
When a child starts playing sports, parents will do everything imaginable to be a part of that child’s team. Whether it’s organizing a booster club, volunteering at the concession stand, providing snacks, coaching, or simply cheering loudly from the stands, parents love to get actively involved.
After more than a week of social media outcry concerning a misguided Father’s Day t-shirt, retailer Old Navy has finally pulled the item from its shelves. News of the removal was first reported by the National At-Home Dad Network.
Consumers everywhere have demanded a response from Old Navy, but so far it has remained markedly quiet. Attempts to reach an Old Navy spokesperson have gone unanswered.
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