As part of an ongoing campaign to encourage dads to play an active role in their children’s lives, HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), in collaboration with NASCAR and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) released a series of new public service announcements (PSAs) with the theme “Make a moment. Dance Like a Dad.”
Created in partnership between HHS’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse, and the Ad Council, the PSAs show the joy that dads and their kids share dancing together. The PSAs extend the Responsible Fatherhood media campaign, “Dance Like a Dad,” with a collection of GIFs and videos to emphasize that being an involved dad is important all year long.
“The goal of this campaign is to inspire fathers to find fun and easy ways of spending quality time with their children. It’s often the simplest moments that children cherish most with their fathers,” said Clarence H. Carter, director of ACF’s Office of Family Assistance. “It’s our hope that our ‘Dance Like a Dad’ campaign inspires dads everywhere, and at any time, to have a positive impact on their children’s lives by sharing even the simplest of fun activities together.”
Research has found that the best bonding time between fathers and their children takes place during a shared activity, no matter how small the activity. When asked about moments when they felt especially connected to their dads, daughters commonly mention the time when they began to play a sport. These types of activities build self-esteem, and positive life outcomes like goal-directed behavior and optimistic thinking. Fans of NASCAR and WWE are well suited to receive the “Dance Like a Dad” message, particularly when delivered by professional athletes they recognize and admire. Furthermore, as sports enthusiasts they’re likely to value shared physical activity like dancing as an easy way to connect with their kids.
“Our partnerships with both WWE and NASCAR allow us to celebrate dads in ways familiar to their day-to-day lives,” said Kenneth Braswell, project director for the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse. “When dads see their favorite WWE superstars or NASCAR drivers share a moment with their kids, we hope they’re encouraged to model that behavior with their own children.”
A longstanding partner of the Responsible Fatherhood campaign, the new PSAs from WWE feature WWE Superstar The Miz dancing alongside his daughter. The humorous ad has been bolstered by social and digital promotion from other WWE stars.
“At WWE, we believe that when dads take time out of their days to spend time with their kids, the results speak for themselves. My fellow WWE superstars agree. That’s why we were so eager to partner with the Ad Council on this campaign,” said WWE Superstar The Miz.
Professional NASCAR driver Aric Almirola has also supported the campaign by creating a collection of GIFs and short videos of him and his two children sharing several carefree moments of dance.
“My number one job in life is to be a good dad. Part of being a good dad is being a role model for my kids,” said Almirola. “I want my kids to grow up and be respectful and humble and I want them to grow up and have fun and appreciate life. That comes from me as a dad. I’ve got to be the example for that, so every day is a day to be cherished and you have to have fun and be lighthearted. That’s what you see with the Dance Like a Dad campaign. Don’t take yourself too seriously, enjoy life and be a great example for your kids.”
Since ACF’s Responsible Fatherhood campaign was first introduced in 2006, it has secured over $400 million in donated media. According to the Ad Council’s tracking study, two-thirds of fathers in the U.S. report having heard or seen at least one of the campaign’s PSAs. Those who are aware of the PSAs are significantly more likely to help their children with homework and to read to their child compared to those who are unaware of the campaign. Fathers are directed to Fatherhood.gov where users will find helpful tips, tools, and information to help them get more involved with their kids.
View these PSAs and others in this campaign here, and stay connected with the campaign via social media on Facebook and Twitter using #DanceLikeaDad.
National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse
The Clearinghouse (https://www.fatherhood.gov) serves as a resource for responsible fatherhood information. It is designed to promote and encourage the appropriate involvement of fathers in their children’s lives. The Clearinghouse provides access to curricula, webinars, research products, and other resources to improve the implementation and success of their programs.
