A new poll has found that fathers across America are tired of being portrayed in the media as “disconnected, bumbling and incompetent” and sparked the creation of a moving ad that depicts fathers in a much more realistic – and deserving – way.
The Media Research Center (MRC) is reporting on the survey of 1,000 dads which was conducted for Dove Men+Care which asked fathers what they thought about the portrayal of dads by the media. A whopping 80 percent said the media fails to portray fathers accurately, with coverage most often presenting them as “disconnected, bumbling and incompetent.”
“Three quarters of dads say they are responsible for their child’s emotional well-being, while only 20 percent of dads see this role reflected in media,” the report finds. “Dads today are caring for their children’s emotional well-being (74%) and taking responsibility for their daily needs (51%).”
The company concluded, “It’s time to acknowledge the caring moments of fatherhood that often go overlooked.”
In response to the survey, Dove produced a “Calls for Dad” ad “to overturn antiquated representations of dads and encourage recognition of them as caregivers.” The short film has already gone viral with over two million views and “features real moments that children of all ages share with their fathers, most of which are regrettably absent from media depictions of dads today.”
“There’s a gap today between what is actually happening at kitchen tables and in backyards across this country and how men are in fact are seeing themselves reflected back in the media,” said Rob Candelino, Unilever Skincare’s (Dove manufacturer) Vice President of Marketing. “That’s what inspired us to create this film, to be honest.”
For once, the media is actually acknowledging the criticism with several outlets, such as NBC, airing the ad. The Huffington Post, local Fox affiliates, The Washington Post, TIME and The New Yorker have all at least noted the survey or praised the ad, the MRC reports.
If you want to share your appreciation for dad, Dove Men+Care is asking families “to submit #RealDadMoments @DoveMenCare on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, which will be heralded on www.Dovemencare.com.”
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