The Dad Demo

Now for some fair balance on mom-marketing. True, moms tend to be the household decision makers, but Dads are a high value-target as well. According to a survey from DadCentral (interestingly enough, a division of MomCentral), 92% of Dad's put on their "Dad Lens" when shopping for their family - applying a different set of criteria. Being a Dad influences their decision making and who they ask for advice. Dads' communication style is different too, with 80% favoring one-on-one conversations and 86% work conversations, with social networking increasing but still not as predominant as with their mom counterpart.

According to a Man of the House survey, men have a difficult time transition to parenthood - an unmet need that marketers are beginning to address. The Fatherhood.gov initiative is trying to do so with their AdCouncil PSA series and Web site. In 2010, Pampers promoted Fathers Day celebrity events with their Daddy PlayDate initiative.

The August, 2010 Mintel Report, Marketing to Dads, notes that Dads are not "just another mom", they bring a unique perspective. They are more evenly spread out on the age spectrum, with 1/3 of Dads having kids 18 and under being younger than 34, and 30% being over 45 years of age. Dads today are far more likely to share in the child rearing responsibilities, skewing higher with household income trends. With 15% of Dads self-identifying as stay-at-home-Dads, P&G created the Man of the House web site - engaging Dads directly with a relevant value proposition.

Retail brands have begun utilizing "manly merchandising" guy-gear displays, targeted to Dads. This is carrying over to the non-brick and mortar space with increased content and advertising focused on Dads, sending them to destinations with Dad content and Dad imagery. Many marketers are straddling the fence or are choosing to be gender neutral. Sears' ManageMyLife Web site gives parents alike all the information they need to simplify their life, from making stuffing for Thanksgiving to changing the oil in your car. TV spots are doing less "Dad-bashing" and putting Dads in more of a positive light with respect to their kids and family role. Daddy blogging sites are increasing as well, including DadLabs, RebelDads, DadCentric, and others. Dads are under-targeted and perhaps under served with respect to childrens brands and health decisions - but hopefully this is a trend that will continue to reverse with brand marketers.