Key digital marketing takeaways from memorable Father’s Day campaigns

While a typical Father’s Day advertising campaign might try to encourage you to purchase classic gifts like ties and tools, at Click we believe that the most memorable campaigns are those that truly capture the spirit of fatherhood.

This year, we’re taking a look back at some standout Father’s Day marketing initiatives that didn’t just sell products, but celebrated the diverse, impactful, and often humorous roles that father figures play in our lives. From heart-warming tributes to light-hearted anthems, discover the strategies that made these campaigns resonate and achieve digital success!

Dove Men+Care: “Care makes a dad” (2024)

Last year, Dove Men+Care launched a powerful campaign titled “Care Makes a Dad,” celebrating the diverse array of father figures in people’s lives, including stepfathers, foster fathers, godfathers, brothers, coaches, friends, teachers, and mentors. The campaign beautifully highlighted that love transcends DNA by featuring authentic stories of children and the impactful father figures who shaped them.

The success of this campaign can be attributed to its comprehensive multi-channel digital strategy, centred around a core video distributed across various platforms to maximise reach and enhance brand perception.

Content marketing

Alongside the video, Dove+MenCare produced a couple of articles for their website with associated themes, featuring real father figures from their brand community. This approach not only strengthened the campaign’s message with authentic stories, but also successfully drove consumer traffic to the brand’s website, reinforcing brand values and deepening customer engagement.

Social media, UGC, & digital PR

 

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On social media, the campaign ran a “Celebrate ALL Father Figures” sweepstakes on Instagram, encouraging users to share photos with their father figures.

 

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This strategy was highly effective, leading to the creation of user-generated content, that Dove Men+Care seamlessly repurposed across other marketing channels and their website. UGC was an effective and powerful tool for sparking conversations and amplifying brand presence organically.

 

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Dove+MenCare took this sweepstakes beyond the digital world and set up a pop-up event, encouraging their community to attend and take photos with their father figures at the event. This not only encouraged direct engagement within their community, but also allowed them to use content generated at the event – such as these photos – to boost their digital marketing activity.

 

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The campaign’s success was further solidified through high-profile earned media, as the sweepstakes winners were notably featured in The New York Times, securing valuable traditional press coverage.

Influencer marketing

Among the authentic stories in the central video of the campaign, NBA player Nah’Shon Lee “Bones” Hyland was featured alongside his cousin Izzy – who he raised. This partnership leveraged a credible and relatable figure to share a genuine story that deeply resonated with the campaign’s theme. His involvement significantly amplified the campaign’s reach, particularly within a male-oriented sports audience, lending an invaluable layer of authenticity and trust to the message.

 

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Michelob Ultra: “#ULTRADAD” (2018)

Light beer brand Michelob Ultra launched a light-hearted yet profoundly emotive video-based social media campaign that centred on the superhero-like perception children often have of their fathers. The campaign captured genuine moments of dads, mentors, and father figures reading heartfelt tributes from those who cherish them most.

The original video alone accumulated over 1.8 million views, leading to a substantial increase in brand awareness and a widely positive public reaction.

A significant aspect of this campaign was its purpose-driven element. Michelob Ultra pledged to donate $1 to Up2Us Sports for every tribute shared on social media. This charitable component provided an additional layer of motivation for users to engage and share, as they felt they were contributing to a worthy cause.

Social media

The campaign primarily used social media, distributing its video content and promoting the hashtag #ULTRADAD across various platforms. It gained an exceptional response, achieving notable reach online.

 

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Influencer marketing

The campaign notably featured real individuals, including Brooke Carrel and her stepfather, Mary Callahan and her dance teacher, and Dale Moss and his basketball coach, further emphasizing the celebration of non-traditional father figures.

Manifique: Dollar Shave club (2019)

In 2019, Dollar Shave Club launched a campaign for Father’s Day that was a brilliant blend of humour and empowerment. The campaign celebrated fathers and their unique physiques.

A key element of the campaign was a video featuring men with various body types dancing in towels, robes, and underwear to an original song called “Dadbod.” The video was more than just entertaining; it was a powerful statement promoting inclusivity and embracing the beauty of imperfection, resonating deeply with a broad audience.

Digital PR

With its humorous and empowering approach the campaign got a lot of media attention. This widespread coverage was a direct result of its unique concept, celebrating diverse male body types which resonated strongly with audiences and journalists alike.

Common themes for Father’s Day success

Emotional storytelling

Each campaign effectively leveraged heartfelt narratives to connect with audiences on a deeper level:

• Dove Men+Care showcased real stories of diverse father figures, emphasizing that love transcends biological ties.
• Michelob Ultra’s campaign centred on children’s heartfelt tributes to their fathers.
• Dollar Shave Club, while humorous, still connected emotionally by promoting body positivity and self-acceptance, celebrating the unique physique of dads.

Video as a core element

Video played a central role in all three campaigns. Video allows for rich storytelling and can effectively showcase emotion, making video content ideal for Father’s Day and other similar campaigns where personal connection is key. The combination of visuals, sound, and dialogue creates an immersive experience that static images or text simply can’t replicate. This immersive quality is crucial for building empathy and nurturing a sense of shared experience with target audiences.

User-generated content

Actively encouraging and strategically using user-generated content proved to be a consistently powerful strategy.

This approach not only boosted reach and credibility (as content from real people is often perceived as more trustworthy) but also nurtured a strong sense of community and engagement around the brand, turning passive viewers into active participants. When individuals see their own stories, photos, or videos featured, it creates a powerful sense of ownership and connection to the brand, turning them into advocates rather than just consumers.