'A Dad's Job' describes how we weaved in a new conversation into culture, tackling an untapped social and cultural insight, by disrupting a conventionally used but attention-worthy cultural occasion in the Middle East: Father's Day.
It describes how we effectively used social and media platforms for Father's Day and transformed those channels in a disruptive manner, to instead challenge the cultural taboo around Arab single moms, in a year-long plan comprising initiatives across channels.
In turn, despite facing hate, we succeeded, and included and weaved in single moms into not just Father's Day, but also, advertising, marketing and society.
Background
Home Centre’s a homegrown home furniture and furnishings retailer from and across the Middle East.
It competes for regional market share with its biggest competitor - the well-known furniture brand from Sweden.
During COVID-19, while brick and mortar retail came to an abrupt standstill, e-commerce was growing and burgeoning in the Middle East, including in the home retail category.
With 80% of its buyers being moms, and its primary target audience being Arab and expat Arab moms, Home Centre needed to earn attention, trigger conversation and drive consideration during COVID-19.
Looking at research conducted into this audience, during COVID-19:
65% were paying more attention to what brands are saying.
72% preferred emotional stories.
83% wanted to associate with more purposeful brands.
95% of the work from that had earned their respect during Covid-19, did all of the above.
Home Centre needed to find the opportunity to do all of it.
Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)
Home Centre believes in ‘every home has its own unique story to tell.’
But there was one untold story not being told across the Middle East.
According to Gallup, 15% of homes in the Middle East don’t have a father.
For context, Sub-Saharan Africa (32%), Latin America (30%), US/Canada (19%) are the only regions ahead. The global average is 13%.
Yet, single moms, remain a cultural taboo in Arab society, often, seen as having failed at being good wives to their husbands, or worse.
As a result, they are never shown in advertising in the Middle East.
Home Centre challenged that taboo, by becoming the first brand in the Middle East to ever speak about single moms.
A campaign titled ‘A Dad’s Job’ kicked off Home Centre’s commitment to single moms to celebrate and help those moms who double up as dads, every day, in homes across the Middle East.
Describe the PR strategy (30% of vote)
TENSIONS:
In society’s eyes, single moms may never fill the shoes of fathers. The role they assume to fill the void for the child, puts them under a tremendous pressure, that’s overwhelming. It’s also unfair, as they are doing a great job.
REALITY:
Seen from a child’s perspective (having spoken with children of single mothers), they don’t see anything imperfect about their mothers. They believe their mothers are doing a great job and are also being great at not making them miss a father. Their mothers are seen to play two roles very effortlessly not really making them feel like they’re missing a dad.
PR APPROACH:
So, disrupting Father’s Day, we wanted to shine the spotlight on moms who are also dads in a game-changing and positively provocative campaign in the region, as we used occasions and channels that celebrate dads to instead challenge the cultural taboo of single moms.
Describe the PR execution (20% of vote)
PROVOKING CONVERSATION:
On Father’s Day, a moving film with a rug-pull featured real people, NOT actors, and showed children sharing tributes about their moms - real single moms.
Taking on a cultural taboo immediately triggered 50% negative reactions from conservative sections of Arab society.
But Home Centre expected it and had a plan.
STANDING UP IN SUPPORT:
Influencers signed on organically, voicing support.
With leading Arab image banks, algorithms were changed; search terms related to fathers or families led to images of single moms with kids.
Door name-plates for single moms, customisable online, challenged a cultural norm of homes having door name-plates with the father’s name or family name.
“How to Mom & Dad” videos featured single moms doing things Arab dads do.
Career Workshops with certified coaches helped with career mapping and growth.
Genuine tributes from children were put onto gifts for single moms in store and on online.
List the results (30% of vote)
The idea travelled:
1) 1.1 billion earned media impressions.
2) $3.72 million earned media value.
3) 102 million cross-platform organic views.
4) 63% of the region reached.
It was prominently featured and favourably reviewed across platforms such as Arab News, Arab Ad, Shoot Online, LBB Online, Gulf News, on leading TV news channels and across social media stories:
“The first brand to recognize single moms in the Middle East.” (Arab Ad)
“A groundbreaking spot.” (Shoot Online)
“No other brand has dared to address these issues.” (Arab News)
“With 80% of buyers being moms, it has resonated not just with single moms but also, with moms across the region.” (Al Jadeed)
Generating +512% increase in conversations and mentions around single moms, we made the topic a talked about topic for the first time across media.
And with a $50,000 media and production budget, the positive sentiments earned for tackling the taboo of showing single moms in advertising, overwhelmed the initial negativity, changing from 50% negative to 86% positive in favour of Arab single moms.
"I realised I wasn't alone in this fight." (Reem, 35, UAE)
"Showed this proudly to my sons." (Aisha, 38, Jeddah)
"Somebody out there sees us and appreciates what we do." (Rana, 34, UAE)
Resultantly, the positive sentiment impacted the business over the 3-month period starting Father’s Day vs. 3-month period prior, during a health and economic crisis:
1) Brand Consideration: +23%.
2) Brand Relevance: +28%.
3) Footfall (online + offline): +190%.
4) Revenue: +120%.
5) Purchases: +170%.
Please tell us about the social behaviour and / or cultural insights that inspired your campaign
Many Arab single moms tend to not only face everyday challenges of bringing up their children by themselves, but 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 and they do not believe a mother can be good enough to do both 'jobs'.
No one talks about them. And this is despite 15% of Arab homes being homes without a father.
So, to shine on Arab single moms, supporting them, even if Arab society did not, we picked an occasion when their homes are left out: Father's Day.
Because if they do a dad's job, besides doing a mom's job, why not celebrate and include their homes on a day we celebrate dads too?