In one of the most infuriating marketing campaign ads I’ve ever witnessed, Angel Soft decided to celebrate Father’s Day by creating a video that talks about absent fathers in order to “honor single moms who have to be both parents.” They also launched the hashtag #HappyFathersDayMom on Twitter.

The ad shared the story of six adults who, for a variety of reasons, grew up without fathers, ending with each of them wishing their mothers a “Happy Father’s Day.”

While many media outlets have praised the video, social media was not so forgiving.

The push against Angel Soft on Twitter began immediately, with the account spending two days responding to a handful of the many complaints surrounding the ad. “What about single fathers?” one user asked. “Hi, thanks for your question. We celebrate families in all forms, shapes and sizes – including single fathers. This video intends to honor single mothers who might not normally be wished a Happy Father’s Day.” Another Twitter user wrote: “I’m confused. Why are moms celebrated on Father’s Day? A single mom doesn’t play both roles, she’s just a parent not a dad.” The account responded, “We wanted to acknowledge the different aspects of parenthood for single mothers. We wanted to use the video to spread love during this week. Thanks for contacting us!”

“Angel Soft’s poignant salute to single mothers in a new Father’s Day ad has caused weird, yet predictable, outrage from a fetid corner of the internet,” Dave Holmes of Esquire wrote. “And on Twitter and Facebook, there’s a tempest in a toilet bowl, with people calling the ad ‘despicable’, ‘disgraceful’, and angrily asking the social media intern of a toilet paper brand why men don’t get more attention, respect and deference in America.”

On the other side was Philly Voice contributor Syreeta Martin. “I am a single mother, and I do not endorse this message,” Martin wrote. “I did not make my children on my own. No matter how hard I must work and give as a result of the decisions that their fathers and I made, I am a single mother doing what I am supposed to do: Take care of my children. The same goes for single fathers.”

Yesterday, after 48 hours of anger, the account stated that this video is part of a new campaign, and is the first in a series of stories “featuring all kinds of families.” Many felt that this meant that additional ads for Father’s Day would be released, but this does not appear to be the case.

Anna Umphress, Director of Communications and Public Affairs who handles media relations for Angel Soft told me that this video was “just one execution in a larger overall campaign called ‘Be Soft. Be Strong.’ that the Angel Soft brand is currently rolling out.” In relation to the series, there are video ads planned for back to school, the holidays, Valentine’s Day “and now, based on feedback to this video, something to think about for May 2016.” This is not part of a Father’s Day series, rather a video-per-holiday series.

“The goal of the ‘Be Soft. Be Strong.’ campaign is to create an emotional connection with our consumers – in this case, by letting the children of single moms openly express what their moms mean to them and appreciate the sometimes challenging role they played during their childhood,” Umphress wrote. “While the timing may seem unconventional, we saw this video as a way to do something different and recognize single moms in a very unique way.”

In response to the claims that the ad enforces gender stereotypes by saying single mothers “take on both roles,” Umphress said: “Angel Soft celebrates families in all shapes and sizes. We support anyone who plays a parenting role in whatever form that might be: moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. – for everything they do to balance all that life throws at them, and how they do it – by being both soft and strong, not just one or the other.” Not really much of an answer to the question, but it’s the one we’ve got.

Now that you have the information, and other people’s opinions, you can get some of mine.

Let me be perfectly clear. I am a single mother. This is not necessarily by choice, but I am. And I am sick and tired of people treating fathers like they are a bonus, an optional “extra.” That fathers have no value, because “gender roles” and whatever other buzzwords people are coming up with this week.

Close your eyes, and try to imagine if a company did a marketing campaign for Mother’s Day, showing appreciation exclusively to single dads. Can you imagine it? Probably not, because the world would nuclear explode all over the place. There would be accusations of “appropriation” and “hijacking” and “what about the menz” and “we can’t have anything because of you and your patriarchy.”

Was this progressive marketing? Nope. Was it Angel Soft’s attack on men and fathers? Nah, probably not. What it was, was a cheap, tacky, and dare I say trollish attempt to appeal to the primary household shopping demographic – women – in order to sell their product.

According to Nielsen, as far as clothing, household items, groceries, and other everyday purchases go, women are the primary buyers. “Market estimates about their total purchasing prowess varies, ranging anywhere from $5 trillion to $15 trillion annually… Fleishman-Hillard Inc. estimates that women will control two-thirds of the consumer wealth in the U.S. over the next decade.”

Complementing this is the fact that women also outspend men. “Women spend more money per trip than men in all of the channels examined, but in many channels, the differences between the sexes are not as great as one might expect. Nevertheless, spending differences do indicate that women drive the larger stock-up or planned trips as they outspend males by $14.31 per trip in supercenters and by $10.32 per trip in grocery stores.”

AMI Direct Marketing gave pointers on how to market products in a recent post. “You may want to consider addressing your direct mail marketing pieces to the women in every household. Even if they don’t make the purchase on their own, they’ll have a big say in what the family buys. With more focused marketing and targeted content, you can reach these spending powerhouses.”

Marketing is typically geared towards women, because women spend more money.

This was not necessarily a radical feminist snub by Angel Soft. This was a company that decided to capitalize on the fact that women make up the majority of the market in a scummy attempt to sell more toilet paper. In an attempt to sell their product, they spit in the faces of amazing fathers by using a day intended to honor and thank them by exclusively showcasing families without fathers, and honoring and thanking mothers instead. Because, you know, we don’t already have a day for that or anything.

One thing is certain – this was an ad you could wipe your ass with, so it is fitting that it came from a toilet paper manufacturer.

For a real Father’s Day ad, check out this beautiful video from Dove.

Here at EveryJoe, we are honoring fathers from all walks of life in the days leading up to Father’s Day. Check out our Super Dads series.

Liz Finnegan is a soulless ginger with no political leanings. Pun enthusiast. Self-proclaimed “World’s Okayest Person.” Retro gaming contributor for The Escapist.

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