"The Dad Joke Effect"

20 May 2026

60s

Smiles better.

The Beyond Equality charity wants non-toxic masculinity to win the day at last with the help of McCain, the brand that’s all about family. And frozen food, of course. Together, they encourage dads up and down the country to think about how much they laugh and joke with their sons. If the answer's "not a lot", that could lead to problems down the road.

Agency adam&eve\TBWA and director Jim Archer therefore present a sort of how-to guide for dads yet to tap into their inner comedians. No need to overthink it, the ad says—perform a magic trick, start a staring contest, promise you used to have hair… if it makes them chortle and smile, you're golden (same as oven chips, helpfully enough).

Folk say laughter is infectious, and so it proves here. Archer and the team clearly worked hard to assemble the right cast and that effort has paid off in spades. McCain always gives viewers food for thought, so to speak, but this raises the stakes with a thoughtful, naturalistic look at how children feed off humour and closeness. Done right, it'll fill a hole that might otherwise be filled by the worst of the manosphere.

UK

Chips / Frozen Potato Snacks