You must have noticed the shift brand behaviour. A cohort of brands and their agencies is doing what governments are failing to do, too timid to do or too slow to do. These partners are challenging inequality, challenging social prejudice, working to solve the world’s problems, working to make it a better place. Many brands and their agencies are becoming brave in a new way.
FP7 McCann and home retailer, Home Centre, have just released a Father’s Day film. It’s as brave as brave gets.
The 90-second spot, A Dad’s Job, applauds single mums. According to Gallup, more than 15% of homes in the Middle East don’t have a dad.
Many single mums in the Middle East tend not only to face the everyday challenges of bringing up their children by themselves they also have to deal with everyday obstacles created by members in their communities, in their society and even in their families. People do not accept a mother playing the role of both parents nor believe a mother can be good enough to do both parts.
Until now, no brand in the Middle East has addressed these cultural issues that single mums face. Home Centre has.
A Dad’s Job launched on social media, sharing a message to those who are living without a dad, that this Father’s Day they can also celebrate their mums who do a dad’s job every day. The film, produced by Dejavu Dubai, shows children saying the one message they’d love to share on Father’s Day. By featuring real-life single moms and their kids as the cast, and not actors, the film aims to be not another advertisement but an authentic nod of recognition to mums, letting them know they’re more than able to play both roles.
The film is being supported by influencers in the Middle East, as well as through initiatives to enable, support and encourage single mums in the region across the year.
There is no doubt that conservative communities in the Middle East were shocked by the film. Change is never won easily. The overriding response, though, has been applause.
Credits:
Agency: FP7 McCann
Regional Executive creative Directors: Oliver Robinson & Fouad Abdel Malak
Regional Head of Strategy: Tahaab Rais
Group Account Director: Vicky Kriplani
Creative Director, Copywriters: Aunindo Anoop Sen & Tahaab Rais
Art Director: Bana Salah
Copywriter: Kelly Tomes
Account Manager: Riddhi Harrita
Arabic Copywriter: Maher Dawah
Production Company: Dejavu
Director: Tahaab Rais
Executive Producer: Manasvi Gosalia
DOP: Aeyaz
Head of Production: Pratixa Kanojia
Producer: Kavya Iyer
Editor: Rizwan Maple
1st AD: Bana Salah
Post Producer: Mary Bou Akl
Composer: Jay Wud
Production Coordinator: Haider Saaby
Focus Puller: Srinivas Kusuma
Sound Recordist: Jithu Das
Spark 1: Bharat Doli
Spark 2: Arif
Music: Mango Jam
Production Driver 1: Mahendhar Avadhta
Production Driver 2: Narendhar Pottavathni
Client: Home Centre
Head of Marketing: Siddarth Sivaprakash
Client Team: Vinmay Korday, Abbas Nashrulla, Ami Popat, Atharv Ruparel, Deviani Rao & Ahmed Dawood
