Your 2026 Guide to Father’s Day Creative

Father’s Day advertising on Connected TV isn’t just about reaching gift shoppers. It’s about connecting with an audience that’s actively looking to spend meaningfully. This guide breaks down some of the trends driving Father’s Day purchase decisions and how to build CTV creative that turns that intent into action.

The Trends

Video is one of the most powerful storytelling mediums there is, and the data proves it. Viewers retain 95% of a message when it’s delivered in a video, and Connected TV ad completion rates sit comfortably at 98%. Which is why strong Father’s Day video ad creative is crucial for capturing spend. 

Consumers are showing up for Father’s Day in a big way ($24 billion worth in 2025, a new record). And what’s driving this shift isn’t just obligation: the NRF found that Father’s Day shoppers’ top priorities were to find a gift that is unique or different (46%) or creates a special memory (37%). For advertisers, that’s an opportunity, and Connected TV is the format built to meet it.

$24B Total Father’s Day spending in 2025.

$259 Average spend per adult on Father’s Day gifts in 2025.

Top Gifting Categories: Greeting Cards (58%), Clothing (55%), Special Outings (53%)

Creative Best Practices

We asked the experts at QuickFrame, MNTN’s creative solution, to share their best practices for Father’s Day video ads. Here’s what they had to say:

1. Be selective on Father’s Day-specific elements. Seasonal visual cues matter, but don’t let them overshadow your product. Father’s Day visuals, like a backyard cookout or a morning coffee moment, work best when they frame your product naturally rather than feeling like decoration.
2. Tap into the experiential trend. Gifts based on experiences are at an all-time high, with 30% of shoppers planning to give an experience on Father’s Day. Even if your product is physical, your creative can evoke an experience — so show the moment it creates, not just the item itself.
3. Represent the full range of who’s shopping. Father’s Day gift-givers are a diverse group: spouses, kids, siblings, and even friends buying for dads, stepfathers, grandfathers, or father figures. Your creative should reflect that range, both in who’s doing the gifting and who’s being celebrated.
4. Plan for the full campaign window, not just the holiday. Our internal research shows seasonal creative typically lasts just 7 to 10 days before audiences tune out, so you’ll need enough variations to carry viewers from early awareness through the final push without triggering ad fatigue.
5. Think beyond Father’s Day. With Father’s Day falling just days before the start of summer, your campaign is likely running alongside (or feeding directly into) your broader summer push. Build creative that can do double duty: Father’s Day-specific enough to feel seasonal, but flexible enough to carry your brand story into the weeks that follow. 

Making Every Impression Count

Father’s Day shoppers know they want a gift or experience worth remembering, and Connected TV gives advertisers the format to deliver that story at scale. By building creative that’s seasonal, emotionally resonant, and built to last a full campaign window, you’ll be well-positioned to capture your share of a record $24 billion market.