Most if not all of us find it easier to connect with out mothers. We share our questions, worries, and even secrets with them. But for dads, well, that’s a bit more complicated. In the realm of relationships, dads are known to be the quiet but reliable ones. Our relationship with them are considerably functional - if we need somebody to pick us up, or we need something to pay for, etc.
But behind all that, dads sometimes crave the attention, talks, and emotion we share with our moms. That’s why SM Supermalls and Tribal Worldwide decided to tell how dads really feel with “Daddy’s Girl.”
“Daddy’s Girl” follows the story of a family as they go about shopping for Alexa’s 18th birthday. Dad quietly drives for mom and daughter as they exchange their excitement about the debut. Once inside the mall, dad follows mom and Alexa as they look for shoes and the dress - paying and carrying the shopping bags along the way.
We jump to the night of the debut with Alexa looking magnificent in her gown. As she takes the stage for her speech, she proceeds to thank her mom for being her best friend and for all her emotional support.
Finally, she calls out, “daddy.” As Alexa thanks him for being a great provider, even mentioning how he’s not as affectionate, her speech gets cut short by a loud cry. And as everyone turns to look, we see dad howling like a baby.
Quickly, we return to earlier moments when dad tried to hide his feelings about his little daughter growing up so fast. We see him crying by himself inside the car to the annoyance of other drivers, we see him whimper in front a confused and worried cashier, and finally, we see him escape to the dressing room before he breaks down in tears. As dad snaps out of his flashback, we see Alexa run down from the stage, hug dad, and share a moment with the whole family.
“Daddy’s Girl" received the warmest welcome from SM’s fans and followers when it reached 2 million views in less than 24 hours. With over 5.8+ million views on Facebook, 148,000+ likes and 63,000+ shares - collectively reaching 13.4 million netizens as of press time - Daddy’s Girl has officially gone viral! That’s why it’s no surprise that people who were moved to tears and/or laughter were also inspired to share their personal dad stories in the comments section.
“It is very heartwarming to know that families that watched our video and were moved by its story and the message that it aimed to tell,” said Jonjon San Agustin, SM Supermalls Senior VicePresident for Marketing. “We just narrated our customer's story--every Filipino family's story."