Father’s Day cards can be pretty dispiriting. They show a world where dads are all about drinking, farting, sport, DIY and handing out money.
These stereotypes are scrubbed out in a new campaign for CALM by Mother’s sister agency The Or, which enlisted more than 30 artists to redesign generic Father’s Day cards and spread a more positive message ahead of June 16th. An online auction of the cards will raise money for CALM, with bidding starting at £25.
Simon Gunning, CEO of Campaign Against Living Miserably, said: “We have come such a long way in breaking down stereotypes around masculinity and what it means to be a man and a father, but there’s still so much work to be done, especially when you consider that 75% of all suicides are male. This brilliant partnership speaks volumes to that need, showing that dads deserve to be shown love, support, and care on Father’s Day as much as mums do on Mother’s Day.”
Charlene Chandrasekaran, ECD at The Or said “Mother’s Day card designs are always thoughtful and heartfelt. ‘Happy Father’s Day you old twat’ or a picture of a pint of beer doesn’t quite have that same level of warmth. The Father’s Day Redesign is here to shine a light on how we communicate with our father figures, reframing the narrative with positivity and openness. We’re thrilled to partner with CALM on this project, as well as an array of exceptional artistic talent.”
Well done to The Or for making the point without tipping into earnest sentimentality. Perhaps they could get to work on smashing all those “wine o’clock,” prosecco-drinking stereotypes you see in cards for women.
MAA creative scale: 7
