With recent research finding men playing a bigger role in decisions around the family shopping budget, a new segmentation study has defined five categories of dads.
Using data provided by GfK MRI and market intelligence firm Peacock Nine, the study by The Martin Agency's Consumer Forensics division focused on men with children under 18 years of age in the household. Nearly 10,000 "Active dads" were sampled.
The five distinct categories of fathers included:
The Partner Dad (25 percent of dads, approximately 9.8 million):
This dad is all about collaboration. He works with his partner to get things done, even if that means doing the shopping, the cooking and the dishes. Free time is a luxury with this dad, so when he gets it, he relaxes in front of the TV or with a magazine.
The Renaissance Dad (19 percent of dads, approximately 7.3 million)
This dad strengthens the family through togetherness and learning. He makes it a point to be home for dinner every night, even if he has to go back to work afterwards. When he's not bringing the family together, you can find him reading or jogging.
The Durable Dad (25 percent of dads, approximately 9.7 million)
This dad leads by example, instilling his values in his kids by embodying them himself. He tends to be a little more traditional than most dads: it's family first, then community, then country. He's a man's man and might enjoy hunting or working out in the garage.
The Hip Pop (14 percent of dads, approximately 5.3 million)
This dad wants to be a friend as well as a parent to his kids. While he's not a pushover, he does like spoiling his kids every once in a while. He's culturally aware and extremely active, participating in a variety of activities like sports and going out with his friends.
The Leader of the Pack (17 percent of dads, approximately 6.6 million)
This dad sees it as his job to advance the family and make a better life for his kids. He is extremely ambitious and status-oriented, and he tries to instill those values in his kids. He loves top-of-the-line gadgets and clothes.
"This is a consumer group that is largely and surprisingly misunderstood," said Lauren Tucker, SVP/director of Consumer Forensics. "This segmentation is the beginning of our journey towards a deeper understanding of men and their relationship to the marketplace."
- New Study Profiles Five Types of Dads - The Martin Agency
- Men Make Purchasing Decisions Too - eMarketer
- Time to Rethink Your Message: Now the Cart Belongs to Daddy - Advertising Age
- Who Controls America's Purse Strings? - RetailWire
- Who Makes the Call at the Mall, Men or Women? - The Wall Street Journal