Fathers & Families has sent a letter to Kellogg’s CEO A.D. David Mackay praising the company for its recent TV ad entitled “Weathering Rain Together.’ In the ad, a father and his two children spend a rainy day making Rice Krispies treats and enjoying the day together. The ad shows a loving caring father who enjoys spending time with his children.
Fathers & Families has voiced its concerns in the past with the way fathers are often portrayed in advertising – idiotic, irresponsible and immature.
How fathers are portrayed on television matters. It can certainly have a negative effect on young men and women. Young men may not want to aspire to be great husbands and fathers and young women will perhaps see their husbands and fathers of their children as disposable and unnecessary.
However, fathers are necessary. Studies show that fatherlessness leads to much higher rates of teen drug abuse, crime, pregnancy, and school drop-outs.
Fathers & Families will continue to speak out against negative and unfair portrayals of men on television but we will also give credit where credit is due. Even if this ad showing a father in a positive light shows only one young person that there are great dads out there and he can be that dad too, it will have helped immensely.
We hope the Kellogg”s company will continue to choose ads that show fathers interacting with their children in a loving, caring manner.
To watch the ad click here.
To read the letter click here.