June is a month that tends to punch me square in the face every time it arrives.   

It's the month where, whether I'm scrolling through social, reading my emails, or even working — everything about Father's Day is thrown at me, without me even having an option to ignore it...until today.   

Waiting for my smoothie at the gym this morning, I was scrolling through my emails and noticed one from one of my favourite outdoor companies, MEC.   

The subject line was, "A note for Father's Day – option to opt out of messages".   

Intrigued, and it being the only email I haven't deleted yet about the day, I opened it and read the message.

I lost my Dad 2 and a half years ago and it turned my entire life upside down. He was my best friend, my favourite phone call to make, and someone I never thought I'd have to live without. Since he passed, every holiday, birthday, special event, and my day-to-day life, is not the same.   

MEC has been the first company in my inbox to understand the pain the day can cause for people grieving and actually DO something about it.   

I get it. I'm a designer working in marketing and I fully understand brands will push their products to their consumers on any day that feels right for them to do so. But the care and understanding in giving the option to opt out of seeing something like this? My appreciation for this brand skyrocketed.   

A big thank you, MEC. Even though pressing that opt out button brought tears to my eyes and a grief wave I wasn't expecting to have this morning, I hope sharing this small story can get other marketers and advertisers thinking of ways to better their brands to care more, be more aware, and bring a little more thoughtfulness when thinking of ways to push their products onto their consumers.

- Rhea Sabatine, Senior Designer