Each year during the Super Bowl, we keep our eyes open to the commercials that air as much as we do the game itself. So far, we’ve already seen several ranging from heartwarming (yes, Budweiser once again used an adorable puppy to make us weep) to the hilarious (we’re glad that Kim Kardashian has the ability to make fun of herself… but we have to say Mindy Kaling’s moment with Matt Damon was the best). But the one that matters the most? Dove’s #RealStrength commercial featuring the relationship between fathers and their children.
It’s nice to see a commercial showing men in caretaking roles that are traditionally given to women in mass media (and arguably, in society in general). The strict gender roles that expect women to behave in a certain way are the same ones that give men a specific description of what masculinity is, and we love that Dove is using such a wide platform to help dispel those stereotypes. But what we also appreciate is that Dove isn’t making propaganda out of their message—nobody is claiming that we need to transition to a society where fathers stay home with their children while women go out to work, or that anybody needs to be a certain way because of their gender; they’re simply breaking down the idea that strength calls for a lack of emotion, empathy and sensitivity.
What do you think about Dove’s Super Bowl commercial this year, collegiettes?