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June 8, 2007
Dads and Grads
The combination marketing effort for "dads and grads" is slowly but surely driving me crazy. Maybe this has been going on for awhile and I'm only just noticing it now. I guess that's possible since the word "grad" stands out to me a lot this year, having just graduated from college. But the clever rhyming lingo is everywhere--from IHOP to Best Buy commercials, from Bob Evans' table tents to Walmart check out lines.
I realize that Father's Day is precariously close to graduation season (as is Mother's Day *ahem* since it was the day after my graduation this year). What's strange to me, though, is that only Father's Day is paired with commencement celebrations.
Why are the two being marketed together? I can't make sense of it except that it might be saving companies from spending twice the advertising dollars for separate commercials or print material.
"Get a gift your dad or grad will love!"
"Give an [insert store/restaurant name here] gift card to your favorite grad or your dad!"
It makes me sad for all the dads whose special day is being overshadowed by the importance of graduation--and vice versa, since graduation is also pretty important. Maybe I'm making too big of a deal about this, but I am so tired of hearing the phrase "dads and grads."
This silly slogan onslaught could be a product of our societal need to buy gifts for pretty much everything... What happened to giving dad a handmade card and making breakfast in bed? Graduates will always appreciate pretty much any gift--cash, gift cards, small appliances.
I'll be glad when June 17th comes and goes so that the maddening marketing ceases. I already know what I'm doing for my dad. At least when Father's Day is over it'll just be the grads everyone's worried about buying for...
Posted by KarissaKilgore at June 8, 2007 8:03 AM
Comments
hey Karissa,
the reason that they may have combined "dad and grads" is because of a marketing strategy that you pointed out... i heard on the radio that father's day doesn't garner as much sales as mother's day according to a recent study...
Posted by: mike d. at June 8, 2007 11:58 AM