Father’s Day is Five Weeks Away. Now What?

4 Min Read

If you thought summertime resembles sun, fun and vacations—you were right. But before you get swept away in the frenzy, don’t forget to include Father’s Day in that summer frenzy, too. After all, how could you forget, considering over 75% of the population celebrate? Now that Father’s Day is only five weeks away, it’s time to get your campaigns in order. Our report outlines the main points that you need to know to get started, but follow along this content series as we dissect the key components that make a winning campaign strategy this year. 

Get to Know Dad.

Invest in the right audience, and they’ll invest in your brand. What does the father (or father figure, if you will) profile look like in today’s day and age? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are over 72 million fathers in the U.S. Of those, 73.4% are married, 12.9% are divorced, 3.2% widowed and 2.3% separated. Unconventional families (like single fathers) are also becoming increasingly common as shown in the chart below—a study by Statista revealed that there were almost seven million families with a male householder and no spouse. 

Additionally, there are four million men who live with their children of a spouse or partner—of those, almost 60 percent identified as a stepfather to one or more children in the household.

What Dad’s Want Most This Father’s Day (Hint: It’s Not Ties)

Those traditional gifts that you thought would give you brownie points, don’t quite cut it this year. YouGov conducted a survey of over 1,670 dads and you’d be surprised by the results. Cards topped the list, followed by unique experiences…and then clothing (see, we knew ties would make it somewhere on the list). The ‘Father’s Day favorites’ like grilling and hobby equipment, and electronics still made top ten, though. Unlike moms, who craved time to themselves for Mother’s Day,  fathers craved family time (only 11% of dads wanted the day to themselves).

This year, we might expect to see ‘me time’ and more pampering gifts creep up the ranks—especially for new dads. A study published by The Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology revealed that men experienced anxiety levels almost five times higher than average during their partner’s pregnancy and well into the first year of parenthood.

Father’s Day Shoppers Have Their Finger on the Pulse

If you really want to drive conversions this year, know that dads (and Father’s Day shoppers) are scouting for a good deal. More than 48% of shoppers would like to see a unique value proposition offered this year for Father’s Day, and 36% are influenced by coupons and/or discount codes.

However, know that shoppers will still need to do their research before making a purchase both online and in-store—otherwise known as ‘webrooming’ or ‘showrooming’. Research showed that 88% of Father’s Day shoppers exhibit this behavior before making a purchase in a physical store, while 76% research products in a brick and mortar store before purchasing online. 

…Dad’s Do, Too

When it comes to dads, research shows that 85% of millennial parents use their mobile devices for in-store shopping—but while moms are the ones mainly scouting for deals, dads are predominantly using their devices to check out reviews and ratings, and comparing prices. They also use their phones to find nearby locations, store hours, product research and creating shopping lists.

Convenience is key for dads. Not only are they more likely to shop online than travel to a physical location, they’re more likely than their partners to do so: half of dads (51%) do all of their shopping online versus 31% of moms do. They also favor seamless shopping experiences online and are willing to shop around for a good deal instead of making  hasty purchases: 97% of dads would shop at multiple stores in order to get the best price. They’re also more likely (90% of dads) to use their mobile phones (specifically, saving apps) to see which retailers are offering a better deal.

Taking into account what the modern day dad looks like, and their gift preferences and shopping behavior—what’s the best way to communicate with them (and those shopping for them)? Stay tuned as we’ll be continuing our series next week where we dive into messaging and creative strategies for your Father’s Day campaigns.

• Related: Learn more about CTV advertising.