Dads Are Important, Too: Why Parenting Focused Marketing Needs To Be More Inclusive

I guess I never noticed this before, and I'll bet that unless you are a dad, you probably didn't either. It's the glaring exclusion of dads in parenting focused marketing. 

For decades, anything relating to parenting has been aimed exclusively at moms. This is unless, of course, it's some article about dads being deadbeats. When you think about it, that's rather appalling. So why are we so forgetful of the dads that put in the extra work as parents or even the dads that do 50/50? We are in a new era where sometimes the dads are better at this than us moms. I've come to a shocking realization that dads just aren't included in a lot of things, but why is that exactly? 

Lets take blogging, for starters. You'll be surprised to discover that there are an increasing number of dads who run parenting blogs. Entire sites dedicated to being a dad with really great tips, recipes, projects, and daily accounts of life with their littles. It's not just an exclusively female industry. The dad blogs are blowing up and taking over, and I say it's about time! Dads have a much different perspective to offer and I think that's important to all of us as parents. We need to see both sides and learn from one another. 

Of course, along with blogging comes blogger networks. Groups and sites for bloggers to connect and even participate in brand campaigns and become spokespersons. Dads are horribly excluded here as well. There are so many mom blogger groups dominated by women. Even the titles specify that the groups are for moms. Crunchy moms, nerdy moms, stay-at-home moms, you name it - but you would be hard pressed to find as many different groups for dads. Take for example the Disney bloggers network, Disney Social Media Moms. They have chosen a few dads to be apart of their Disney Moms Panel, but consider that name for a moment. Dads may often times take over the rule both mom and dad, but the name alone suggests that it's exclusive to moms. Then there's Hershey Sweetest Mom's Panel, Chick-fil-A Moms Panel, HP Smart Moms, Lunch Box Moms, Wilton Mom Ambassadors, Sears Mom Ambassadors, and the list goes on and on. Why shouldn't dads be included in these opportunities? Especially the Sears Mom Ambassador program. That one baffles me. Do dads not shop at Sears? As a matter of fact, I would be willing to bet that dads shop there far more often than moms do. 

Subscription boxes are huge culprits as well. There are so many mommy and me boxes it's mind blowing. Look up daddy and me boxes and you might find two. Even the boxes aimed at families as a whole include "mommy gifts" each month. There are dozens of mom focused subscription boxes that are designed to provide items to help a mom relax or pamper herself. Almost none for dads, though. And listen, I really think this could be a lucrative venture if someone stepped up to the plate and gave it a shot, but no one has really hit the nail on the head yet.

Why are there so many articles in parenting magazines and online publications about how hard it is to be a mom, but no one mentions how hard it is to be a dad? Even ads exclusively target moms. We all know the slogan "Choosy moms choose Jif" but really pay attention to a lot of the ads you see for Fisher-Price, Goldfish crackers, and pretty much anything aimed at parents. Very rarely do they include dads. 

I mean, look at all of the "Mom Trusted" and "Mom Approved" stamps that are plastered all over everything. Consumerism exclusively aimed at moms, suggesting that they are the only parental figures that are capable of choosing quality products. 

This is a huge problem. What about the gay dads out there? Have you ever tried finding gifts specifically for gay dads who are adopting? Literally impossible. It's all about the moms. Up until recently it was even impossible to find His and His and Hers and Hers items in stores. That's an entirely different subject that I'll probably save for a hearty rant some other time. My whole point is that everything from magazines, to subscription boxes, and even the blogging world shuts dads out like they aren't important. We know this isn't true and even gush when we see videos of dads stepping up to the plate and hitting a home run in the game of parenting. 

These are just a few examples that I have stumbled upon myself in the last few years, but if you want to see how truly bad it is, look no farther than Dad Marketing. It's an entire website of evidence that dads are never included or considered in marketing. The world continues to evolve and I think it's the dad's time to shine.