Maxus helps Karicare find the gentle side of dads
Baby formula brand Karicare has launched the hunt for Australia’s gentlest dad in a media driven campaign aimed at changing the perception of dads.
Karicare is seeking Australia’s gentlest dad
Culminating in the winning dad taking part in a photo-shoot for the Australian Women’s Weekly, the three stage campaign will see the top 12 photo entries showing their gentle side and submitted online and chosen by Karicare to feature in an out-of-home campaign which will allow the public to vote on the top five. The final winner selected by a panel of judges.
The announcement:
In a refreshing approach to what is typically a mother and child dominated category, Karicare Toddler is celebrating dads this Father’s Day with a media campaign conceived by Maxus Sydney.
The campaign, ‘Gentle Feels Good – with Dad’, relies on user-generated content calling for photo submissions of dads being gentle, a trait rarely recognised in men, particularly in advertising.
The top 12 submissions will be selected by Karicare Toddler and will be celebrated with an out-of- home gallery. The public will then vote for the top five with voting open from July 31 to August 17 at gentlefeelsgoodtop12.com. The ultimate winner will be chosen by Karicare Toddler’s judging panel and will receive a family photo shoot which will be featured in the September edition of The Australian Women’s Weekly.
The new campaign is the product of a brief which required Maxus to activate Karicare Toddler’s new brand positioning ‘Gentle Feels Good’ in other channels to support TV and video.
The idea stems from the tension between dads wanting to be shown as being sensitive and the average Aussie bloke who doesn’t talk openly about his gentle side. The entry mechanism for the campaign plays on the observation that women appreciate seeing a man openly embrace his sensitive side as Karicare Toddler invites mums to capture, share and celebrate these gentle moments.
The insight behind the campaign is backed by a recent Nickelodeon-commissioned study which found 42% of dads feel the media portrays them as stupid or clueless with 50% of Australians agreeing dads should be depicted as being more sensitive and nurturing by showing them interacting with kids in a variety of activities.
The study also acknowledged that traditional gender based parenting roles have evolved. Today’s dads are more hands-on, affectionate and less disciplinarian than previous generations and despite dads actively purchasing and making decisions around groceries, clothing and toys, they are often overlooked or misrepresented by the media.
Drew Usher, Strategy Director for Maxus Sydney, and himself a new dad, said: “Dads are often forgotten by brands but we know they play a significant role in parenting today. These moments set the stage for dads to reveal their true gentle nature.”
Peter Napper, Marketing Manager for Karicare ANZ, said: “’Gentle Feels Good – with Dad’ is a way to communicate the new Karicare Toddler brand positioning while inviting talkability and involvement in the brand. Through the campaign, Maxus has made gentle nutrition a topic of conversation.”
Maxus is part of WPP AUNZ, Australasia’s leading marketing content and communications group.
Source: Maxus press release.
