The UK celebrates Father’s Day on Sunday June 16. Thousands of dads nationwide will receive painfully generic or just outright insulting cards, perpetuating stereotypes and distinctly absent of the loving attitude that dads deserve.
To bring new meaning to Father’s Day, The Or, in partnership with the suicide prevention charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), has enlisted an array of artists to redesign generic cards by bringing new positive messaging to the forefront
The Father’s Day Redesign aims to redefine stereotypical messaging, instead encouraging a loving and positive narrative when it comes to expressing emotions to our father figures.
Thirty-three artists have contributed work to the project, including Marylou Faure, Hattie Stewart and Oli Fowler.
Each design will be up for online auction, starting on May 23. The public can bid for their favourite artwork and receive the card in time for Father’s Day, with all proceeds going to CALM.
Every card is a one-of-a-kind design, signed by the artist. The auction will run until June 5. Bidding starts at £25.
Each artist has provided a description of their card, with many using this opportunity to describe their gratitude and love towards their own father figures.
Simon Gunning, CEO of Campaign Against Living Miserably, stated,“I’m a dad to two fantastic kids and I tell them I love them every single day – and they say it right back. 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, and it will hopefully help us to raise vital funds to continue the lifesaving work that we’re doing.”
Charlene Chandrasekaran, executive creative director at The Or, added, “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.”
Tom Snell and Dylan Hartigan, creatives at The Or, commented,“We’ve loved seeing the many interpretations of what Father’s Day means to different people and seeing these ideas beautifully brought to life by the brilliant artists involved, proves that the love for father figures is far from generic.”
Credits
Creative Agency: The Or
Executive Creative Directors: Dan Morris & Charlene Chandresakaran
Creatives: Tom Snell & Dylan Hartigan
Design Director: Nik House
Producer: Ruth Armitt
PR Director: Hannah Currey
