InsightsJune 20, 2021

You don’t have to be a DAD, to be a DAD: #JamaaNiYaJamii

Celebrating dads has become a fixture in the calendar in African markets too. Often, dads are recognized as the heads of households, honored with the role of guides and protectors of their families. But underlying all this is the unspoken role of father figures who also deserve to be celebrated.

For many Fathers’ Day is a time to celebrate, honour and recognize fathers. But for those whose dads are absent for some reason or other, this is usually a tough and quite often, an awkward time. To many, this is a day often dismissed with a wave of the hand.

Even for those with dads, many long for father figures – role models that they can emulate and look up to. They don’t even have to be blood relatives, they could be regular people like: a neighbour, a teacher, a coach, uncle or even a boss.

However, what is now becoming a familiar story in our society, is that single mums and other family members are playing the dual role of mum and dad, meaning that they’re father figures playing an important role for their families and those they love.

With these insights in mind, Ogilvy Africa created a campaign aimed at driving conversation through social media. Led by Kapa Oils Refineries Ltd., the campaign pays homage to the single mum, who through no fault of her own, has to raise a young man single handedly, the auntie and the uncle who have to teach a young woman how to drive, the grandad in the battle of wits with her granddaughter and the grandma who takes on the role of one-woman cheering army.

Anchored on a film, the campaign addresses cultural issues where father figures often go unrecognized; the ordinary men and women striving to fill that gap for many children and loved ones in their family spheres and community.

The campaign dubbed #JamaaNiYaJamii was a perfect match forJamaa Bar Soap by Kapa Oils. Head of Marketing, Sid Shah remarked, ’’Jamaa is a Swahili word for family or community, so it’s only fitting that our soap brand Jamaa Cream to play the role of ‘dad’ in the community and this was the inspiration behind the campaign. As a versatile soap and a favorite in Kenyan households, ideal for laundry, utensils and bathing.”

“All of us appreciate the role of a father in a family set up and most often, the society forgets to appreciate father figures who make the community a conducive place for the children that look up to them. The campaign by KAPA Oils is brilliant and appreciates that you can be a dad without necessarily being a dad”, said Yash Deb, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy Africa.

The campaign goes further by pledging to donate water tanks in water scarce areas, positioning the brand as a “father figure” in the community. It challenges every one of us to pledge and be better role models at home and in the community.

The campaign kickstarted on June 20, 2021 and emerged as the top Twitter trend in Kenya on Father’s Day, with over 60.5M impressions and over 7,200 posts in one day.

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