The moms got their due in May, with a nod to mommy bloggers’ role as the origin of the creator economy, but June is for the dads.
Father’s Day falls on June 18 this year, and the creator universe is populated by dads of all types, from all kinds of families, with each bringing their unique touch to their content.
There are fathers who take a straightforward approach, those promoting causes related to children’s wellbeing, two-father families, and, naturally, dad jokes—lots and lots of dad jokes.
We highlighted a handful of the many dad creators who carved their niche in the creator economy, which Goldman Sachs pegged at $250 billion worldwide this year, projecting it to nearly double to $480 billion annually by 2027.
Taylor Calmus, better known as Dude Dad, entertains his 827,000 followers on Instagram and 605,000 on YouTube with wholesome and humorous content about “being a dad while staying a dude.”
Calmus’ content helped him spawn other ventures, including a children’s book about building the roller coaster and a merch shop.
More than 5.18 million YouTube subscribers have been drawn to TheDadLab, where Sergei Urban, father of Alex and Max, shares experiments and interactive activities for parents and their kids to do at home.
Urban wrote on his YouTube page, “I love spending time with my kids and teaching them how to think creatively while having fun doing it. We love experimenting with the coolest science activities, fun educational toys, building sets, wooden toys, activity books, and creative paper crafts.
TheDadLab also has more than 4 million Facebook followers, over 1 million on Instagram, and nearly 337,000 on TikTok.
Urban shared this list of his most popular videos on YouTube.
Rome Johnson describes himself as “the medical dad and caregiver,” and much of the content he shares with his 93,000-plus followers on Instagram is aimed at advocating for disability.
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Recent content includes a post for Microban 24 showing how two medical parents and caregivers use the product to quickly eliminate 99.9% of bacteria on surfaces like doorknobs, sinks, and the toilet handle, as well as a post for Hoover touting its ONEPWR Clean Slate spot cleaner’s proficiency in removing the stains that are inevitable with kids in the house. He also shared a post for 4moms highlighting how its swing helps calm a fussy baby, and a look at how the family’s big sister learned how to feed her little brother.
Rosanna and Winston Javier use their glamdapper Instagram account to “showcase a unique perspective on style, parenthood, marriage, and family life” to their 505,000 followers.
Family photos and matching outfits are mixed with posts for brands including CVS (hi, John Legend!) and Furla.
Reality TV veteran Tanner Tolbert bounced back in a big way from his elimination in season 11 of The Bachelorette, meeting future wife Jade Roper on the second season of Bachelor in Paradise.
Tolbert’s 598,000 Instagram followers see a mix of fun family photos like this and this, as well as promoted content for brands such as Dollar Shave Club, Dove Men Care, and Netflix.
Ice dancer Peter Gerber teams up with wife Mariyah and son Aiden, sharing content with over 1 million followers on TikTok, 708,000 subscribers on YouTube, and more than 42,000 Instagram followers.
Gerber combines humor, Polish lessons, and other family fare with posts for brands including Disney and Peacock.
Luke DiTella wears many hats, with actor, model, motorcycle enthusiast, and surfer among them.
Another hat for his 202,000 Instagram followers is “functional health & longevity advocate,” and his content details the health challenges faced by his son, Redford, as well as more light-hearted fare with the family (including older son Rhodes), and efforts for brands such as Johnston & Murphy and Lincoln.
New York City gay dads Justin & Mo were legally married in 2012 and became fathers in 2016 with the help of a surrogate.
They wrote in their media kit, “Both admittingly type-A personalities, we are the family on your street with a perfectly maintained yard and maybe one too many outdoor holiday decorations. We share a passion for creative storytelling, which we have both channeled into our work: Justin as a graphic designer, and Mo at a nonprofit in the theater industry.”
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Their nearly 129,000 followers on TikTok and 114,000-plus on Instagram are invited to join them on their family adventures, with a heavy dose of brand partner Disney, and the duo works with several other brands, as well, including Chuck E. Cheese and Super Moose Toys.
Another pair of gay dads, the vonBKs of Texas, fill their 45,200-follower TikTok feed and 38,200-follower Instagram feed with wholesome content featuring their twin boys. They also very recently set up shop on newcomer TikTok sister app Lemon8.
Among other brand partnerships, they are featured in Macy’s Father’s Day gift guide this year.
Can one viral video spark a career? Ask Chris Kyle. His May 2020 “review” of a “meal” at his 18-month-old daughter’s play kitchen landed him on Good Morning America, The Kelly Clarkson Show, and Today.
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His Instagram account, with 38,800 followers, features Kyle and his daughter doing things like traveling and wearing matching outfits, and he helps promote local Detroit businesses in partnership with @enjoymotorcity.
A good sense of humor and opportunistic use of Photoshop propelled Kenny Deuss to 502,000 followers on Instagram.
Deuss started pranking his partner by sharing Photoshopped images of their daughter, Alix, making it look like she was in danger, and the tradition continued with Aster, daughter No. 2.
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He has worked with brands including Bazaart, Decathlon Belgium, and Motorola Belgium.
The TikTok feed of David Gomez, with over 33,100 followers, contains a mix of funny posts and informative content stressing the importance of therapy and staying healthy while juggling careers and parenting.
Gomez has collaborated with brands such as CVS and Otherworld pancake mix.
Bourbon, cars, and parenting—although not simultaneously—are the ingredients in the cocktail that makes up Marcus Tanksley’s Instagram feed.
His 87,100 followers enjoy humorous takes on fatherhood, and he also has a line of grooming products for men, Man Shyt.
Every community is based on people sharing similar interests or causes, and fathers are no exception to that rule. The creators we highlighted, along with countless others, have proven themselves to be adept at addressing the challenges dads face and sharing their own experiences in an approachable, relatable manner.
Open Influence’s team stays on top of the trends and is here to make sure you make the most of your creator marketing campaigns. Open Influence is a global creator marketing agency dedicated to creating compelling campaigns that utilize all the latest features. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us today!
Credit for image in banner: kieferpix/iStock
