Father’s Day Trends 2024: Evolving the Fatherhood Narrative

Boyhood and masculinity are undergoing a major transformation. Previously defined solely by the idea of providing, protecting, and strength, masculinity has become broader, embracing empathy and more nurturing qualities.

Despite this, deeply rooted resistance and stigma around men and fatherhood still exist.  

 “1 in 10 fathers experience postpartum depression and anxiety.” – UnityPoint Health

The rise of digital misogyny and glorification of hypermasculinity paired with growing awareness of male perinatal mental health issues amplifies the ongoing need to broaden the narrative for both boys and men. As highlighted in our Empowered Motherhood report, postnatal depression (PND) affects 1 in 7 mothers, but studies suggest many fathers also show symptoms. Despite this, PND amongst men remains largely unexplored meaning many fathers and co-parents don’t receive access to standardised care or routine checkups. In response, brands that create an open culture around men’s mental health and offer postpartum support for fathers and co-parents will continue to be of utmost importance. 

Our report, “The GENTLEmen: The Evolving Conversation,” is part of our Modern Caregivers series available through our premium subscription service, My TrendBible. This report explores how brands can adopt more inclusive depictions of parenthood and men’s mental health. We explore what this means for brands within the gift and greetings industry and how some are already rethinking Father’s Day 2024.

Celebrating Dad Differently This Father’s Day  

It is reported that, on average, people in the UK spend three times more on Mother’s Day than on Father’s Day. A similar picture can also be evidenced in the US, with Father’s Day spending lagging significantly behind Mother’s Day in 2023. Whilst there are many reasons why this is the case, such as Dads being viewed as secondary caregivers, one key factor in focus is the lack of inspiration when designing and marketing to this cohort. In response, there is a need for more inclusive and purposeful depictions of fatherhood within the gift and greetings industry.  

For Father’s Day 2024 brands are evolving their approach to make gifting and marketing campaigns stand out. Not On The High Street’s ‘Make Time For Dad’ campaign is broadening the narrative around self-care and encouraging a softer, more caring approach to gifting for men. This campaign highlights personality-driven products which enhance and elevate next-gen fathers’ identities. Evolving Father’s Day gifting and marketing campaigns is key. The brands that do this best will be the ones who continue their efforts to recognise next-gen fathers beyond this one day.

Have you considered the impact of the future of fatherhood in your brand strategy? 

Gain insights into the next wave of fatherhood trends. Our Modern Caregiver reports available on our trend subscription platform help you align your brand with the evolving shifts shaping the fatherhood narrative. These reports are available now on My TrendBible Premium. My TrendBible is a trend subscription platform designed to ignite inspiration, stimulate innovative ideas, instil confidence in your teams to act upon trends, and offer validation from across the globe.