Peanut Butter Cheerios "#howtodad" (2:15) (Canada)

Peanut Butter Cheerios sound like a sugar monstrosity. Be that as it may, this ad is less about Cheerios and more about what it means to be a dad. And in this case, what it means to be a dad is a sort of perpetually cool, always positive and encouraging "friend," rather than a traditional dad who might discipline you (except of course, to remind you once or twice to take the garbage out.)

Cheerios gets mad props for even daring to suggest that in 2014 some dads are actually parenting their kids and, making breakfast for them. How very modern.

You're always walking a tight rope when you present an idea that tries to define a particular role. And this might rub some people the wrong way who see the dad in question as a guy where pretty much anything goes. Then again you can't please all the people all of the time.

Even so the way this spot was shot is quite fun and gets a good sense of what a day in the life of dad really is. The only issue for me personally is the gratuitous product shots during the last ten seconds of the spot. It's almost as if Cheerios was so desperate to show their peanut butter Cheerios product, they didn't care if it made sense in context or not.

Cheerios gets credit as a brand for both expanding upon what it means to be a parent, and defining the roles in heartfelt and in this case, quirky ways.

Still, if you think I'm letting my kid anywhere near this junk, you're crazy. Seriously, sugar is the second ingredient in the list. My kid can stick with eggs and organic oatmeal, thanks.

Parenting roles aside, I'm probably more offended by the gratuitous use of hashtags, anyway.

Client: General Mills/Cheerios
Agency: Tribal Worldwide - Toronto
Creative Director: Josh Stein
Associate Creative Director: Rob Sturch
Copywriters: Rob Sturch, Tracy Wan
Art Director: Amy O’Neill
Agency Producers: Stef Fabich, Bonnie Chung
Account Team: Stephanie Wall, VP, Business Unit Director & Samantha Murphy, Account Director
Strategy: Sandra Moretti, Dino Demopoulos
Media Company: Cossette Media
Production Company: Radke Film Group http://www.radke.tv/reel/home
Director: Michael Clowater
Director of Photography: Andrij Parekh
Line Producer: Gillian Gardner
Post-Production Company: Married to Giants http://www.marriedtogiants.com/
Editor: Leo Zaharatos
Online Editors: Trevor Corrigan, Preeti Torul
Post-Production Company: Alter Ego http://www.alteregopost.com/page/home/
Colourist: Conor Fisher
Audio House: Grayson Matthews http://www.graysonmatthews.com/
Audio House Producer: Grayson Matthews
Audio House Engineer: Grayson Matthews
Casting Agency: Jigsaw Casting http://www.jigsawcasting.com/index.html
Casting Director: Shasta Lutz