Continuing my commentary on the pro-father (pro-family, actually) at&t commercial:
I found six different positive family attributes illustrated in the commercial. The first one, covered Wednesday, is the strong, core relationship between a married man and woman. Without that, the family unit cannot be strong. That doesn't mean it can't be successful. It's just not everything that it could and should be.
The second attribute I want to discuss will require stepping out on the thin ice of political correctness. Well, let me get out my sledge hammer and wading boots and jump right in: a division of roles.
In the at&t commercial, we can presume that the man is on a business trip, because one of the photos he takes of his daughter's stuffed monkey is from a board room. Apparently, by the looks of his family's home and its furnishings, he is successful at what he does. We can also assume that this is a weekday trip, since he is conducting business.
His wife appears to be a stay-at-home mom. She is there with the daughter throughout the day as her husband sends photos of the monkey's travels over their cell phones. She acts as an intermediary between her husband and her daughter, showing excitement with every new photo.
In today's culture, it's taboo to talk about a division of labors between a man and wife, especially if the woman takes on the role of a stay-at-home mother. What a shame, both for families and our culture at large. There's no more important nor impactful role than a mother who cares for her children in the home.
My wife took a break from her teaching profession for 10 years as we started our family. She stayed at home and we struggled along with just one salary as our three children were born and grew to elementary age. It was my wife's choice, and she still relishes that time, remembering each child and their developing personalities and all their growing up antics.
Our children were very secure. They seemed confident in all their relationships growing up. They were not afraid to venture out and try new things, because they were secure at home. I credit my wife with giving our children the kind of very good start that every kid deserves.
Children don't need things as much as they need that secure connection. A strong relationship with a loving mother, combined with witnessing a secure connection between the father and mother, and a sense that their father loves and appreciates them.
You see all three in the at&t commercial. It's a great little picture of what it means to create a happy and healthy home. So, what are the other four attributes in the at&t television commercial? I'm saving those for next week. Take care.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
A Pro-Father Commercial?/Go Deep
AT&T created a surprising cell phone commercial recently.
Not only is it an effective selling message, it reflects traditional family values--something that rarely happens in Madison Avenue reflections of our culture.
Not only do we see a strong family unit in this TV ad, we see a very positive male role model as a husband and father. I identified six family attributes in the commercial that I want to dive into.
I'm speaking from my long-term experience as a father and husband rather than out of any particular expertise as a counselor or specialist. So, for what it's worth, here are my thoughts.
The first thing I like that's rarely seen in either television advertising or programming today is a healthy relationship--between a man and a woman. The commercial opens with a man saying goodbye to his wife as he prepares to leave for a business trip. We only get a glimpse of this relationship, but you can tell a lot by the little that's seen. The parting is a sweet goodbye. There's an obvious affinity between the husband and wife.
We see the warmth of the relationship exhibited in the way they treat their daughter throughout the commercial as they TEAM together to brighten her day.
The primary ingredient needed for a strong family is a loving, committed relationship between a husband and wife who make the essential core. This means two people dedicated to each other and to making their relationship successful.
The attraction is electric. But it is the commitment, the decision to create and maintain a strong union, that makes a solid marriage.
There is a lot that happens in the life of a marriage. There are disagreements, at times competing interests or priorities, at times tragedies, and at other times temptations. There are a lot of storms to weather.
It takes commitment love to hold it together. That involves an up-front decision to make it work no matter what. And that major decision, affirmed with "I do's" at a wedding ceremony, is confirmed in a multitude of small "I will's" throughout the life of the marriage.
It starts (and ends) there, with the solid husband-wife relationship. Congratulations to at&t for putting that type of a relationship at the center of their recent advertising.
How's your marriage relationship? More on Friday.
Not only is it an effective selling message, it reflects traditional family values--something that rarely happens in Madison Avenue reflections of our culture.
Not only do we see a strong family unit in this TV ad, we see a very positive male role model as a husband and father. I identified six family attributes in the commercial that I want to dive into.
I'm speaking from my long-term experience as a father and husband rather than out of any particular expertise as a counselor or specialist. So, for what it's worth, here are my thoughts.
The first thing I like that's rarely seen in either television advertising or programming today is a healthy relationship--between a man and a woman. The commercial opens with a man saying goodbye to his wife as he prepares to leave for a business trip. We only get a glimpse of this relationship, but you can tell a lot by the little that's seen. The parting is a sweet goodbye. There's an obvious affinity between the husband and wife.
We see the warmth of the relationship exhibited in the way they treat their daughter throughout the commercial as they TEAM together to brighten her day.
The primary ingredient needed for a strong family is a loving, committed relationship between a husband and wife who make the essential core. This means two people dedicated to each other and to making their relationship successful.
The attraction is electric. But it is the commitment, the decision to create and maintain a strong union, that makes a solid marriage.
There is a lot that happens in the life of a marriage. There are disagreements, at times competing interests or priorities, at times tragedies, and at other times temptations. There are a lot of storms to weather.
It takes commitment love to hold it together. That involves an up-front decision to make it work no matter what. And that major decision, affirmed with "I do's" at a wedding ceremony, is confirmed in a multitude of small "I will's" throughout the life of the marriage.
It starts (and ends) there, with the solid husband-wife relationship. Congratulations to at&t for putting that type of a relationship at the center of their recent advertising.
How's your marriage relationship? More on Friday.
Monday, February 11, 2008
A Pro-Father Commercial?/Think About It
You've seen me criticize male-bashing TV commercials.
It's important to give credit where credit is due and acknowledge a commercial that actually illustrates a positive father and husband role model for a change.
And this one came from an unexpected source, a major corporation. Typically, they opt for the politically correct images rather than traditional, values-based images that truly resonate with middle America.
But at&t broke that mold with a recent commercial for their camera phones and wireless services, and they did it in a quality fashion.
The commercial starts with a young businessman saying goodbye to his wife on the front lawn. A bright young daughter rushes up to her father with his brief case and gets a warm smile and hug for her thoughtfulness.
As the father roles away in a taxi, he opens the brief case and finds a stuffed monkey (presumably the daughter's) stuffed inside. Instead of being annoyed, the dad is amused and proceeds to take phone pictures of the monkey enjoying various scenes from his business trip. And then he proceeds to make his daughter's day by sending her those photos (through his wife's cell phone).
His last phone photo of the day is of the daughter's monkey in front of the family home. The daughter recognizes that "Daddy is home" and runs to the front door to hug her dad and receive her travelling monkey home.
This commercial uses a great image of a strong and healthy family unit, which includes a strong male role model. Hallelujah!
So good, in fact, I want to use this commercial as an illustrator of what makes a strong marriage, a nourishing parent-child relationship, and a solid, secure home. Let's talk Wednesday.
It's important to give credit where credit is due and acknowledge a commercial that actually illustrates a positive father and husband role model for a change.
And this one came from an unexpected source, a major corporation. Typically, they opt for the politically correct images rather than traditional, values-based images that truly resonate with middle America.
But at&t broke that mold with a recent commercial for their camera phones and wireless services, and they did it in a quality fashion.
The commercial starts with a young businessman saying goodbye to his wife on the front lawn. A bright young daughter rushes up to her father with his brief case and gets a warm smile and hug for her thoughtfulness.
As the father roles away in a taxi, he opens the brief case and finds a stuffed monkey (presumably the daughter's) stuffed inside. Instead of being annoyed, the dad is amused and proceeds to take phone pictures of the monkey enjoying various scenes from his business trip. And then he proceeds to make his daughter's day by sending her those photos (through his wife's cell phone).
His last phone photo of the day is of the daughter's monkey in front of the family home. The daughter recognizes that "Daddy is home" and runs to the front door to hug her dad and receive her travelling monkey home.
This commercial uses a great image of a strong and healthy family unit, which includes a strong male role model. Hallelujah!
So good, in fact, I want to use this commercial as an illustrator of what makes a strong marriage, a nourishing parent-child relationship, and a solid, secure home. Let's talk Wednesday.
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