There has been a lot of applause and some negativity surrounding Gracie and her family featured in the Cheerios commercials from May. In case you haven’t seen it, it was a beautiful everyday moment of a family whose little munchkin wanted to protect her dad the only way she knew how. I can relate, as I don’t know how many ‘helpful’ things I did from my grandmother growing up as well... I wonder if anyone found all those cigarettes that may or may not have been buried under the dog house in the back yard? Sorry, I digress...
Some media journalists took this spot as an opportunity to herald the ‘New American Family’. New?!?!!! I have images of a box with a family inside and a big red sticker on it, with NEW in all caps and gold ink. This didn’t happen overnight folks, this is evolution. Darwin’s principle theory of natural selection is that there are biological and physical changes at the genes and DNA level that mutate to adapt to their new environment. I know that unless you’re an X-MEN fan that the word mutate may sound negative, but all it really means is an alteration occurs. In this case I think of it as a mental and emotional change at the brain and heart levels. (A welcomed change at that.)
An article last month from ABC shared that most people hold onto the idea of a nuclear family, but few actually come from one. There’s a lot to explore in the conversation of the ‘pictures’ we create in our mind based off past belief systems. Yet, what is cool is that largely as a society, we are evolving in our belief in what families can be for others, if even not for ourselves. I don’t know if you’ve seen this Swiffer ad, but I seriously love everything going on in it.
As marketers are developing more bravado at showing different types of families, we should also begin exploring what other belief systems have evolved and how we can bring those discussions to forefront thru advertising.
And a child shall lead them (ISAIAH 11:6)
Thanks Gracie!
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