Occasions like Father’s Day are special to brands because they help nurture the emotional connection they have with their customers. Throughout the year brands have campaigns to promote the products and services and to build brand awareness. But holidays like Father’s Day give brands a chance to step out of the conventional marketing approach. They give brands a chance to foster meaningful interactions with their customers. 

In addition to all that, we cannot ignore the fact that gifting, and shopping in general, increases during occasions like these. Therefore, with well-planned and thoughtfully-executed Father’s Day campaigns, you also end up boosting sales. Which is a good thing, right? 

Nevertheless, this holiday comes every year. Consequently, coming up with out-of-the-box ideas for such special days can be overwhelming. That’s when taking inspiration from well-known brands can make a difference. So, are you ready to spice up your marketing plan? Let’s look at some of the most memorable Father’s Day campaigns from brands in various industries. 

For the marketers still contemplating the need for spending time and money on a Father’s Day campaign, let’s first look at some quick facts to prove the potential of Father’s Day marketing. 

Father’s Day marketing – facts to prove the need for a meaningful campaign 

Dadvertising is a broad term. And one of the ways to describe it is “depicting the many dimensions of fatherhood in advertising”. This is one of the most common ideas when it comes to Father’s Day campaigns. Brands don’t just come up with limited-time discounts on gifts for dads but also create content that celebrates fatherhood. 

We see brands create experiential campaigns and involve their consumers in the campaign. Others come up with partnerships that help celebrate the occasion. All of these involve some extra marketing budget. And of course, you cannot take a well-trodden path if you wish to stand out. You need to get creative. 

You need to come up with an idea that resonates with your target audience while also carrying your brand’s message in it. Will all this time, effort, and money spent on Father’s Day campaigns benefit your brand? Short answer: yes! Let’s take a look at some facts to prove this. 

Increase in consumer spending 

One of the most evident reasons why brands should take Father’s Day marketing seriously is that consumer spending increases on Father’s Day. In 2022, consumer spending on gifts alone was projected to reach $20 billion. Data from the National Retail Federation shows how the spending on Father’s Day gifts continued to increase even during the pandemic period. 

Brands from various industries can expect a boost in sales 

Data also shows that the spending is distributed across a variety of categories including clothing, gift cards, electronics, personal care items, and so on. Which means that people are expanding their options while choosing gifts for their dads. 

Therefore, when you promote your business offerings right, and when you manage to convince your audience how your products make a good gift for Father’s Day, there’s always a chance for an increase in sales. Because people are always on the lookout for unique gifts to surprise their dads. In fact, about 44% of gift buyers express interest in “buying something unique” as the goal for their gift purchase. 

People are prioritizing experiences 

Nearly one-fourth of consumers choose a “gift of experience”. Therefore, it’s not just product-based businesses that benefit from Father’s Day campaigns but also service-based businesses. It is all about personalizing the services you offer and making them relevant to Father’s Day. 

With all these facts proving the point, let’s now look at some Father’s Day campaigns that helped brands reap these benefits. 

5 Father’s Day campaigns to inspire your own 

1. Gilette – Go Ask Dad 

Informative and thought-provoking ads always have a special place in the world of marketing. The “Go Ask Dad” campaign from Gilette is a mix of both. 

The ad starts with a quick stat that says that about 94% of teens look for advice on the internet before asking their dads. From there the ad is an emotional roller coaster. It touches on various aspects of fatherhood today including the generational differences in a father-son relationship. 

Takeaway

The “Go Ask Dad” campaign is about focusing on an idea that’s relatable. Because one of the most relatable and common definitions of “father” would be “a mentor”. But the internet and technology and the disconnect that these advancements bring with them often make people sway from these norms. 

The ad challenges people’s perspectives. And such an ad is sure to stay on people’s minds for a long time. When the ad stays in a customer’s mind, the brand stays too! That’s how you build brand memorability with thoughtful Father’s Day campaigns. 

Additionally, this is not just another Father’s Day commercial with actors playing their choreographed parts. The video features real father-son duos and captures real emotions. When consumers see the genuine efforts that go into a campaign, they appreciate the campaign. They appreciate the brand.  And that’s why they work.

Kimp Tip: With ad ideas like these where there are several layers of meaning packed into one commercial, you need the right kind of visuals to execute the idea. Videos are undoubtedly the best options. Moreover, videos are easily shareable, consumers love them and the social media algorithms love them too. So, it’s a win-win. 

Need help editing your videos to give them a professional touch? Get a Kimp Video subscription. 

2. Dove Men+Care – Calls For Dad 

The Calls For Dad campaign by Dove Men+Care is yet another example of taking a relatable idea and converting it into something beautiful. 

Among the many things a father is, one is being someone “who always answers our call”. That’s the idea that Dove Men+Care portrayed in this warm video. The video featured a montage of clippings from real-life dad moments, moments where “dads save the day”. The ad is sure to bring a smile to your face. And it’s sure to get you reminiscing all those moments when you called your dad for help. 

Takeaway 

The best Father’s Day campaigns are those with clear intent. We’ll tell you why. 

Dove based the commercial on its research related to Father’s Day. Based on the research, the brand found that only 20% of dads see media reflecting a father’s role in a child’s emotional well-being. And Dove planned the campaign as a way to fill this void. As you can see, the intent was clear. That’s what made it even more special. 

Another lesson here is the strength of using social media to gain traction. Dove backed up the commercial with its social media campaign. The brand asked viewers to share #RealDadMoments on their social media pages. This helped the commercial get more shares and helped the brand gain more popularity on social media. 

Kimp Tip: Amidst all the Father’s Day campaigns on social media, if you want yours to stand out, you need to get creative. Come up with a catchy name for your campaign, something away from the ordinary. And use this title to create a unique hashtag. One of the most important Instagram best practices to follow is to establish a clear hashtag strategy for your campaigns. 

3. SheaMoisture Men – A Father’s Lullaby 

Sometimes the simplest content wins hearts and the Father’s Lullaby commercial from SheaMoisture Men is a good example. Take a look at the short video below and you’ll know what we mean. 

The video shows some warm and relatable dad moments with a beautiful song playing in the background. Most of the time lullabies are associated with mothers but this video gives a “dad” spin to the idea. And it celebrates all the efforts that dads put into calming their babies and being there for them. 

Takeaway 

The background score in the commercial was one of the notable elements. For this, the brand partnered with Kareem James and came up with an original to feature in the ad. The success of this commercial and the kind of response it received from the audience shows the power of good content. 

Additionally, the commercial makes us think of those good old days when commercials were remembered by their signature jingles. Because then you have a beautiful way to remember the ad. 

4. Stella Artois – The Best Present for Father’s Day 

Some ads make you smile and some make you cry. There are a few that make you do both at the same time. The below commercial from Stella Artois is one such. 

Among the many things that people do on Father’s Day, posting a Father’s Day wish on social media is one. The irony is that most of the time the father who the wish is meant for is not on social media to see the wish. That’s a classic example of the distance that social media creates in relationships where real-life connections matter more. Stella Artois took this idea and created a campaign that depicts the power of “being present” on Father’s Day. 

The idea, the reactions from the fathers, and the final union between the fathers and their daughters/sons together make this one of the most heart-warming Father’s Day campaigns ever. 

Takeaway 

The ad worked because the idea had a soul in it. The idea shows consumers that the brand really cares. The effort the brand put in to bring the father and the daughter/son together and the way it helped them rethink their perspectives shows the power brands hold. 

We talk about the power of influencer marketing – how an individual influences people around the world through social media. Imagine the kind of influence big brands have on their consumers. If only brands managed to put this influence into good use, they could achieve beautiful things. And that’s exactly what this campaign from Stella Artois shows. 

5. Jimmy Kimmel – YouTube Challenge 

Contests for special occasions never go out of style. Several brands make use of the idea of social media contests to connect with their audience. Because these are great ice-breakers. It works particularly well in the media business where engaging the consumers is everything. 

Jimmy Kimmel hosts YouTube challenges every year to celebrate Father’s Day. And this challenge idea is a great example of the power of using social media to establish your brand. 

The below video shows a compilation of videos shared by viewers for one of the challenges. 

Takeaway 

Getting all serious and emotional for Father’s Day campaigns is a great idea, no doubt. But there’s one other emotion that goes really well with the occasion and that’s humor. Think of all those dad jokes you share. 

The video shows the fun moments spent with dads, the many pranks – the real side of fatherhood. Similarly, identify the one sentiment that brands don’t often talk about. Use this emotion as the core of your campaign and you’re sure to engage your customers. 

Another great idea here is the benefit of using user-generated content in your campaigns. To do this for your Father’s Day campaigns, you can host a photo or video challenge that asks consumers to share their favorite moments. And to make things even better you can come up with a theme as with the Jimmy Kimmel challenge. A catchphrase for the video, for example, will create consistency. By doing this you have valuable content that nurtures customer relationships. 

Execute your Father’s Day campaigns with Kimp 

From the examples, it’s clear that no matter what platform you choose, you need visually-engaging content to showcase your idea. These can be social media static images to announce your campaign, videos that show how the campaign was executed, etc. 

For elaborate campaigns like those from Gilette and Stella Artois, a quick behind-the-scenes video shared in your Stories can help customers understand the love that went into the making of the video. 

Additionally, you can also create quick teasers or trailers to build anticipation and to help your campaign gain popularity on social media. 

So, yes, Father’s Day and other special occasions call for a steady design workflow. That’s when you can confidently execute your campaign ideas. Want to know how to establish that? Choosing an unlimited design subscription like Kimp is one way to do it. 

Register now for a free 7-day trial. And in no time you’ll be ready to create unlimited designs to bring your Father’s Day campaigns to life.