DigitasLBi & Whirlpool Shine the Spotlight on Single Dads in the US

DigitasLBi, a global marketing and technology company, unveiled its latest 60-second spot, titled “Dad & Andy,” for Whirlpool Corp., highlighting the sometimes-bumpy-but-always-fulfilling life of a single father. “Dad & Andy” further articulates the brand’s story of Every day, care, which reflects the daily sacrifices  we make, big and small, for those we love.

Andy’s dad is far from alone. More than 2.6 million households in America are headed by a single father, up from 300,000 in 1960. That’s a nine-fold increase—and it’s still on the rise.

“Rather than focus on features and technology, we are depicting the reality of everyday life,” said Morgan Carroll, executive creative director, DigitasLBi. “Cooking, cleaning, and washing clothes can often feel like thankless tasks. With ‘Dad & Andy,’ we wanted to show the significance of this everyday care, specifically amongst the growing population of single fathers.

We used written notes to carry the story, because they’re something everyone can relate to—and there are few things more special to a parent than a handcrafted expression of gratitude. As a father myself, it’s reassuring to know that not only are these chores valuable, but in those rare and quiet moments, they are also appreciated.”

In tandem with “Dad & Andy,” DigitasLBi and Whirlpool premiered “Finding Time.” It takes the brand idea of Every day, care, and shows how the challenge of finding time for a working parent is translated into why Whirlpool developed its Frozen Bake technology for the slide-in range.

DigitasLBi launched Every day, care with Whirlpool in October 2014, linking the everyday care made possible by the Whirlpool brand of products to the value of the everyday care we give our families. The campaign shows how every act of care, no matter how big, small, or monotonous, has a significant positive effect on the people we love. Every day, care is breaking appliance-category conventions by bringing emotion, relevancy, and authenticity to a category that has historically depicted cold metal products and an unrealistic lifestyle.

Since Every day, care launched last fall, the brand has seen lifts in preference (+2 pts), purchase intent (+2 pts), and market share (+2 pts); source: TraQline.

As Whirlpool’s agency of record, DigitasLBi is responsible for all above-the-line creative, digital creative, media planning, technology (website development and maintenance, including digital products and services), user experience, creative strategy, project management, and data strategy and analysis.

“The brand-building journey between Whirlpool brand and DigitasLBi has been nothing short of inspiring,” said Jon Hall, senior brand manager, Whirlpool. “DigitasLBi has responded with courage and boldness in our effort to create a stronger, more meaningful connection with consumers for the Whirlpool brand and home appliance category. They have been our partner throughout this process, and they truly are an invaluable extension to our marketing team.”