Making News
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The Branding of Father’s Day
June 15, 2023 | Branding Emails
A Brand Called Dad.
Pops. Father. Himself. The Big Guy. The Old Man. Dear Old Dad. No matter what you call him, your Dad certainly deserves a day, maybe even a whole weekend.
This is the guy who taught you how to tie a tie, shave your face, and drive a stick. He cheered you on at your little league games, pageants, and music recitals. Some Dads even braved the great outdoors in makeshift tents, just to keep the kids safe from snakes, black bears, and boogie monsters in the backyard. Does a card and a phone call really do the guy — or the brand — justice?
How did it all get started?
One questionable story has it that Father’s Day goes back to the time of Abraham. Ishmael gave his father Abraham an axe while his brother Isaac ponied up for a pair of flannel pajamas. Great gift for the desert. Soon after, Isaac was scheduled to be sacrificed to God. Coincidence? We think not. Luckily for Isaac, he was replaced by a ram.
Seriously though, most of us assume Father’s Day and Mother’s Day were both cooked up by the greeting card companies to make money in between holidays. While there is some truth to this, Father’s Day was started in 1909 when a young woman, Sonora Smart Dodd, was inspired by a Mother’s Day sermon. You could call her the “Mother of Father’s Day.”
Her Dad, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who reared his six children in Spokane, Washington. So Sonora initially suggested June 5, her father’s birthday. Since she didn’t give organizers enough time to make arrangements, the celebration was moved to the third Sunday of June.
What took so long?
It took many years to make the holiday official. Where Mother’s Day was met with enthusiasm, Father’s Day was often met with laughter. Many people saw it as the first step in filling the calendar with mindless promotions. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak in a Father’s Day celebration and wanted to make it official. But Congress resisted, fearing that it would become commercialized. It wasn’t until 1966 that President Lyndon B. Johnson officially proclaimed it a national holiday. Six years later, the day was made permanent when President Richard Nixon signed it into law.
Well Dads, 58 years after Mother’s Day is a long time to wait, but it was worth it. At least we think so. Not only do we get cards, electronics, tools, and possibly a hall pass to hit the links or take in a ball game, we get all the recognition we deserve for working hard and being there when our families need us the most.
So what about your image?
As our Father’s Day story demonstrates, effective branding is all about perception and persistence. Stick-to-it-ive-ness. Successful brands make the kind of connection a father makes tossing a ball with a child, teaching them to ride a two-wheeler, or taking them to see Shrek for the third time. It’s a brand that stands the test of time. And it forms a solid foundation for effective communications, appealing visual language, and the personal touch only a brand like Dad can offer.
If you would like us to help you take a fatherly look at your brand, please give me a call at 617-661-6125, or email to set up a meeting. We’ll spring for the beer nuts.
Have a mother of a Father’s Day,
Stewart Monderer
Beer Photo: Getty Images