A commercial from Huggies™ got a pretty severe lashing from a number of men’s groups recently. I didn’t see the ad, but apparently they ran a campaign insinuating that dads were clumsy or rough with diapers. You can read about it here on the Good Men Project, as well as some of the nasty comments from both sides of the issue. Huggies™ responded with an apology and a change to the campaign.

To be sure, not many companies are doing a good job at capturing the real experience of the modern dad in advertising. I am sure it’s hard to find a good concept that is memorable and compelling, and showcases the product. But there is one that stands out.

Cheerios™ “A Guy with a Baby” ad does it perfectly. It’s just a guy holding a baby while reading a paper; he’s just being a dad. The commercial captures the lovely intimacy between a guy and his baby without demeaning the moment or making it feel unnatural. Well done!

(As soon as I can find it online, I will post a link.)