holidays

December 2, 2024

All Dads Want for Christmas is Their Due

Dads don’t want a lot for Christmas,
There is just one thing they need.
And they don’t care about the presents,
If they’re discounted or free.
Just a change that’s overdue.
More than you could know is true.
Make their dream break through,
All dads want for Christmas is their due.

[music picks up]
Dads don’t always seem included,
Left out of conversations, it’s true.
All they ask this holiday,
Is a bit of fairer view.
They don’t want to be excluded,
Forgotten, left out every day.
They are parents, don’t forget it,
Stereotypes do not portray.
Just please change, it’s overdue.
More than you could know is true.
Make their dream break through,
All dads want for Christmas is their due.

They won’t ask for much this Christmas,
They won’t even wish for snow.
They’re just gonna keep on waiting,
For brands to change names and logos.
They are more than backup parents,
More than sidekicks. Aloof? No way!
They can do anything, it’s instinct.
Anything that’s in their way.

They want change that’s overdue.
More than you could know is true.
Make their dream come into view.
All dads want for Christmas is their due.

Oh-oh, dads have done the shopping,
Household chores, it’s nothing new.
So why do companies claim,
Dads can’t deal with simple doo doo?
And everyone is clinging,
To an old-fashioned ‘50s upbringing,
Santa, won’t you bring dads
The thing they really need?
Inclusion in word, photo, and deed.

Oh, dads don’t want a lot for Christmas,
To be remembered is all they’re for.
Include them, name them, don’t forget them.
That’s the gift to make them whole.
Just a change that’s overdue.
More than you could know is true.
Make their dream break through,
All dads want for Christmas is their due.

May 11, 2018

Marketing holidays differently

It’s Mother’s Day Weekend, and that’s exciting for a lot of us.

No matter your family dynamic in today’s modern world, we all have a mother, whether you know her or knew her — or not. And like Father’s Day, that makes it a day that we can all acknowledge in some way. Truly, these monthly back-to-back, parental-rejoiced days are unlike any other on our calendar.

Think about some other big holidays. Easter isn’t celebrated by all. Neither is Christmas. Even with Independence Day, it’s not like everyone in our melting pot has American citizenship.black&decker.jpg

But Mother’s Day? It doesn’t take having children to make this day meaningful. It’s relevant to every one of us, and few holidays can say that. Regardless whether or not you have a relationship with your mother, the day still has a connection for us all, because we all have a mom that shared with a dad in giving us life.

That’s what makes the marketing of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day so significant. And because they occur in back-to-back months, it makes them easy to compare.

Just yesterday we received an email from Black & Decker (right). The ad doesn’t acknowledge any stereotypes about females or males. It doesn’t feminize with flowers or pink – it’s just an ad geared for Mother’s Day. You’re certain to see something similar for dads when Father’s Day nears.

Now look at the Enfamil ad (below). It’s also wonderfully done, but when viewed alongside Black & Decker’s piece, you can’t help but wonder: will there be a comparable ad for men on Father’s Day? Based on our monitoring of formula makers and their past marketing history, chances are you won’t. In fact, it’s doubtful you’ll see anything from Enfamil on Father’s Day.

enfamil3.jpg

Black & Decker sees an opportunity for growth and revenue. It embraces the other half of the consumer population the rest of the world ignores because it knows power tools aren’t just for men. They’re proving that even an industry dominated by one gender can find ways to cash in on the other gender’s purchasing power.

There’s no reason Enfamil can’t do the same.  But will they?  We’ll be watching.