Award-winning research on the state of fatherhood in the U.S.

1. You’ve Come A
Long Way, Daddy!

2. I.
“Pop” Culture 2

3. BACKGROUND
Spike TV’s “True Dads” prosocial initiative planned to
encourage fathers to be more involved in their children’s
lives
Research planned in conjunction with the initiative to:
• Guide development of the campaign
• Enhance network brand image
• Add value to relationships with marketing partners by
exposing new approaches to targeting the male market
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Long Way, Daddy!

4. METHODOLOGY
Interviews With Experts on Fatherhood
Focus Groups With Dads
National Survey of 1078 Dads
Ethnographies With Dads, Moms of Kids, and Kids
Promo tests in focus groups with heavy and light
viewers of Spike
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Long Way, Daddy!

5. II.
“Pop” Culture 5

6. DADS ON THEIR ROLE COMPARED TO THE PAST:
YESTERDAY TODAY
The ideal dad is much more
involved with his kids
Today’s dads are much
more involved
Today’s dads are still
financial providers and
disciplinarians
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Long Way, Daddy!

7. DADS TODAY ARE MORE EMOTIONALLY ENGAGED
WITH THEIR KIDS
TODAY’S DADS FEEL CLOSE TO THEIR KIDS
Feel emotionally 97%
connected to your kids 88%
35%
Show affection 95%
to your kids 89%
34%
Be available for your
92%
kids anytime they
81%
want you 34%
Act as a confidante 92%
for your kids 68%
25%
% Say The IDEAL DAD Does It “Always” or “Often”
% Say THEY Do It “Always” or “Often”
You’ve Come A
% Say THEIR DAD Did It “Always” or “Often” 7
Long Way, Daddy!

8. DADS TODAY ALSO PARTICIPATE MORE IN
DOMESTIC CARE
INTRODUCING THE “SOCCER DAD”
83%
Drive your kids
places 69%
30%
74%
Babysit your kids 63%
18%
72%
Cook for your kids 55%
20%
% Say The IDEAL DAD Does It “Always” or “Often”
% Say THEY Do It “Always” or “Often”
You’ve Come A
% Say THEIR DAD Did It “Always” or “Often” 8
Long Way, Daddy!

9. MEANWHILE, DADS TODAY HAVE RETAINED THEIR
TRADITIONAL “DAD” ROLES
DADS ARE STILL THE MONEY AND THE POLICE
94%
Act as a financial
provider to your kids 90%
72%
74%
Discipline your kids 72%
61%
% Say The IDEAL DAD Does It “Always” or “Often”
% Say THEY Do It “Always” or “Often”
You’ve Come A
% Say THEIR DAD Did It “Always” or “Often” 9
Long Way, Daddy!

10. III.
“Pop” Culture 10

11. DADS DIFFER IN THEIR POSITION ALONG TWO DIMENSIONS:
• How confident they are in their abilities as a dad:
I don’t know I have trouble What I don’t I do a good
how to be a managing the know, I can job as a dad.
good dad. responsibility. figure out.
Lower Confidence Higher Confidence
As a Dad As a Dad
• How much they identify with being a dad:
Being “dad” is not “Dad” is my
I always put being
Being a dad is not always my first most important
a good dad first.
all that I am. priority. role.
Identify Identify
Less as a Dad More as a Dad
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Long Way, Daddy!

12. SEGMENTING REVEALED FOUR DISTINCT TYPES OF DADS
Higher Confidence
As a Dad
TRADITIONAL DADS SUPERDADS
(27%) (22%)
old school highly nurturing
Identify Identify
Less as a Dad More as a Dad
feels he lacks know-how feels he lacks time
STRUGGLING DADS JUGGLING DADS
(30%) (20%)
Lower Confidence
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Long Way, Daddy!

13. SUPERDADS GET THE GOLD
HIGH IDEALS
SUPERDADS
LOW IDEALS
JUGGLING DADS
TRADITIONAL
DADS
STRUGGLING DADS
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Long Way, Daddy!

14. IV.
“Pop” Culture 14

15. IMPORTANCE OF DADS MEETING THEIR IDEALS
Meeting Ideals Confidence Overall
as a Dad as a Dad Life Satisfaction
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Long Way, Daddy!

16. NURTURING KIDS HELPS DADS MEET THEIR IDEALS
The 5 most beneficial types of dad-kid interaction:
EXPRESS AFFECTION:
Show affection to your kids
TALK:
Take time to learn about your kids
Have good conversations with your kids
Act as a confidante for your kids
PLAY:
Play with your kids
SUPPORT EMOTIONALLY:
Be a shoulder to cry on for your kids
Be available for your kids anytime they want you
Listen to your kids talk about their worries or problems
TEACH:
Teach your kids skills (such as sports or hobbies)
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Long Way, Daddy!

17. V.
“Pop” Culture 17

18. DADS FEEL UNAPPRECIATED BY SOCIETY
Most of today’s dads (71%) agree with the statement:
“Society does not appreciate the importance of fathers.”
We’ve come a
long way, baby!
You’ve Come A
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Long Way, Daddy!

19. THERE IS NO ROAD MAP FOR THE NEW DAD,
AND NO PERFECT ROLE MODEL
71% of dads agreed with the statement, “I feel I have to figure
out on my own how to be a good dad today.”
Women are more of a role model for today’s dads than men. I learned how to be a
parent from…
% SAY THEY LEARNED “VERY MUCH” OR “A LOT” FROM THE SOURCE
My mother 62%
My child’s
60%
mother
My father 52%
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Long Way, Daddy!

20. VI.
“Pop” Culture 20

21. DAD, THE CONSUMER
Dads have at least as much say as mom in many household
purchase decisions
WHO’S THE PRIMARY PURCHASE DECISION MAKER
FOR EACH CATEGORY?
Autos
Home improvement
Vacation destinations
Cell phone family plans
Casual dining restaurants
Family theatrical movies
Groceries
Video games to play together
Household items
Kid’s athletic footwear
Mom Split 50/50 Dad
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Long Way, Daddy!

22. EXAMPLE: VIDEO GAMES
Selling proposition: video game-playing as a significant
father-child activity.
• Half of dads play video games with their kids at least
sometimes
• Dads who are the family’s primary decision-maker for the
category enjoy spending more time with their kids
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Long Way, Daddy!

23. EXAMPLE: AUTOMOTIVE
Selling points?
1) He’s a soccer dad
2) He knows the kids will be behind the
wheel at some point.
— 71% of dads with driving-age kids
spend at least some time teaching
them to drive
You’ve Come A
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Long Way, Daddy!

24. VII.
“Pop” Culture 24

25. IMPACT OF THE RESEARCH:
CREATIVE GUIDANCE
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Long Way, Daddy!

26. IMPACT OF THE RESEARCH:
CONSUMERS REACT TO ON-AIR SPOTS
“It says men can take responsibilty”
“I think it improves [Spike’s] image.”
“Makes [Spike] well-rounded.”
“It’s the other side of the coin for Spike TV”
“Not just about sex and violence”
“It’s more family-oriented. Realistic situations.
Genuine.”
“The dads still looked Spike TV-ish – rough.”
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Long Way, Daddy!

27. IMPACT OF THE RESEARCH:
ELEVATING AND EVOLVING NETWORK’S IMAGE
Promotion and Marketing Awards 2008
WINNER
Gold medal
Best TV Public Service Announcement
Campaign
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Long Way, Daddy!

28. IMPACT OF THE RESEARCH:
ELEVATING AND EVOLVING NETWORK’S IMAGE
“Now Spike TV, the home of Ultimate Fighting Champions and Sexiest Bartender, is
getting into the daddy act, with surprising findings about modern fatherhood...
Whatever you think about Spike TV, with its Babe of the Day and bloodletting, the fact
that it surveyed dads is a sign that times they are a changing…”
-Paul Nyhan
‘Working Dad’
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Long Way, Daddy!

29. IMPACT OF THE RESEARCH:
ADVERTISER RELATIONS
Fathers spoke of brands that target the family market that they felt should
be involved in supporting Spike True Dads initiative.
Spike continues to present its findings with advertisers in these categories,
sharing with them our expertise in the lifestyles and attitudes of today’s
men.
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Long Way, Daddy!

30. You’ve Come A
Long Way, Daddy!
THANK YOU!
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