About this episode

The episode discusses the portrayal of Black fathers in TV commercials and the implications of their representation in media.

This episode of I Am Dad Podcast features a timely and important conversation from the Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy on how Black fathers are portrayed in television commercials and popular media. Guest host Dr. David Miller sits down with Dr. Jeffrey Shears and Dr. Janice Kelly to discuss their research study on the portrayal of Black fathers in TV commercials. The conversation explores how Black fathers are often made invisible, reduced to background roles, or narrowly depicted in ways that do not reflect the lived experiences of many Black families. The episode opens with a discussion of well-known advertising moments, including the public response to ads where Black fathers were absent from family-centered images. From there, the conversation moves into a deeper analysis of why representation matters, how advertising shapes public perception, and what Black fathers themselves said when asked to respond to commercials featuring fathers and families. This episode explores: • Why Black fathers are often missing or minimized in advertising• How TV commercials shape cultural narratives about family• Why authentic portrayals of Black fatherhood matter• What…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. David Miller

Guests: Dr. Jeffrey Shears, Dr. Janice Kelly

Topics covered

• Black fathers in media
• representation
• advertising
• cultural narratives
• fatherhood
• family dynamics

Keywords

• Black fathers
• TV commercials
• advertising
• representation
• family narratives
• cultural perception
• fatherhood

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy

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