If you haven’t noticed, in today’s culture the very idea of fatherhood is under attack. The narrative highlighted by the media, movies and society throws out labels such as clueless, knucklehead, bumbling idiot, fill in the blank ________.

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of seeing these ads that leave you with a dads biggest contribution to child rearing is the narrative “yes dear” as their wives do all the work!

Superbowl 49 was an awesome game! I’m one of those Patriots fan that jumped off the couch when Butler intercepted that pass in the end zone with seconds to go, but also I noticed major brands deciding to take on fatherhood and it got noticed. During the game that was seen by more than 100 million people, these ads showcased dads as they really are; loving, caring, supportive, helpful, courageous, protective, masculine and a major part in their children’s lives. What a concept!

Each ad pulled at my heart strings, so lets take a look at each of them.

The first one up was Dove with their #RealStrength Men+Care ad. The ad celebrates fatherhood with a series vignettes showing children interacting with their dads calling him “Daddy,” “Da-Da” or “Dad.” Awesome!

The next one up was the Nissan #WithDad ad that builds off of the song ‘Cats In The Cradle’ by Harry Chapin. The song is about a father who is too busy at work and can’t spend much time with his son. This ad tackled the growing trend of dads caught in the tractor beam of their professional careers. This was tough to watch as I lived and breathed this narrative, but loved the ending!

Last up is the #OneBoldChoice My Bold Dad ad by Toyota. This ad zero’s in on the narrative that being a dad is a choice and a big one. One that will inspire responsibility and character in their kids who will one day make their own choices. Hopefully good ones!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aihYeQsoQoQ

Hey men! Our actions and our words have an incredible impact on our kids! Are you your son’s first hero? Are you your daughter’s first love? Are you being a student of your wife?

The world shouts at us men through a megaphone that we find our identity in our careers and our stuff. This is a lie! Men, we need a new identity…it’s called being a dad. Lets step it up and be Dad’s, because #DadsDoMatter!

Are these ads designed to point you to a product? Yes, but my hope is that these ads spark a deeper conversation around fatherhood. My hope is that these ads will spark stronger connection between dads and their kids, and will connect men who grew up without dads and men who were far more blessed.

I write many articles on inspiring fathers to step up and lead their families, check them out and spark a conversation about what it means to be a Dad.

Which ad was your favorite and why?

Is the narrative on dads in the media starting to change?

What do you think about the way dads are portrayed in media today?