Founded by two Black creatives, Daily Paper has always used their platform to positively amplify black voices and artists. Within the context of the increasing international visibility of the Black Lives Matter movement and with the arrival of Father’s Day, the power of this platform feels especially important. Daily Paper beautifully rises to this opportunity by sincerely depicting real black fathers in their everyday lives and relationships.
Across photography and film, the campaign is conceived as a visual interpretation of the poem “Oh Child” by multidisciplinary artist Florian Joahn, who also photographed the campaign. Joahn’s work often explores the intersection of blackness and masculinity, and so the choice makes a lot of sense. His poem explores a central theme intrinsic to the father-child relationship, the tension of wanting to protect one’s child while also granting them the freedom they need.
The photographs feature real fathers, creatives who are friends of the brand, and their children. The love between them is palpable and joyous, while the depth of emotional tension suggested in Joahn’s poem still speaks. The campaign highlights and honors the reality Daily Paper sees in our society – the overwhelming majority of husbands, brothers, sons, and boyfriends who are balancing successful careers as artists and creatives whilst being exceptional fathers too.
The campaign – like a good father – balances fun and seriousness, playfulness and sincerity. Through a joyous but nuanced portrayal of fatherhood, it positively depicts the beauty and complexity of blackness and black men, while also honoring the universality of the relationship that these particular men inhabit. Daily Paper continues to set an example not only of what it means to be genuinely inclusive, but also to actively participate in making the world a more equal and beautiful place for everyone.
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