27th May 2021 brought with it a strange emotion as the world channelled to ‘I’ll be there for you’ again after 17 years with the cast of the American sitcom, F.r.i.e.n.d.s. The reunion aired across various countries, hitting the mountain of nostalgia for every fan across the globe. With references like how Chandler’s job was not really a ‘Transponstor’, the reunion brushed upon every imaginable sentiment.

While the debate “We Were On A Break” is never-ending, brands most surely did not take a break at drawing on to this opportunity to develop their artistic sides and hop onto the string of nostalgia. 

All their lives, these brands have been told: You’re a shoe. But today, these brands asked themselves, “What if I don’t want to be a shoe? What if I want to be a hat? or a purse?”. And when asked, “Do you want to do a Friends brand post?” They said, “I dooooo”.

Brands like Bumble India, John Jacobs Eyewear and many others have edged up on the orange couch, and with the whole of Central Perk, the ad world also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the most iconic show of the era by coming up with quirky liners throughout the recent much-anticipated experience of the American sitcom.

Brands have tapped effectively on tons of hilarious instances. Be it the Food & Beverages sector or an adhesive brand. They inventively infused cases to advertise their products. 

Take a look at how brands rejoiced at this reunion. 

1 Amul

@Amul_india put up a creative post on their social media handle with a message that said, “A must at reunions, Amul, have with butter.”

2. Zomato

Food delivery aggregator Zomato hit the precise soft spot of food with a nostalgia theme with the trend of Friends Nostalgia. @zomato added to their social media handle, “F.R.I.E.S. at a restaurant.” and emphasized another reunion people can’t wait for. 

3. Cadbury

Cadbury, a British multinational confectionery company, put up a post on its Instagram handle with the quote referring to the Friends theme song “So no one told you life was gonna be this sweet.”

4. Kitkat

Chocolate-covered wafer bar confectionery produced globally by Nestlé, Kitkat posted on its Instagram handle @Kitkaindia on the never-ending discussion of Ross and Rachel, “We were on a break. Have a break, have a KitKat.

5. Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut added a creative Twitter post on @pizzahutdelivery, “Who wants to order Joey’s special today (two pizzas)?” recalling Joey’s obsession for food.

6. Godrej

Godrej Group, an Indian multinational conglomerate, came forward with a fascinating illustration with classic dialogues of each character.

7. Maggie

Maggie added a post encouraging F.R.I.E.N.D.S. fans to watch the episode with a cup of noodles with the statement “The one with Maggie” on its social media handle @maggieindia.

8. Burger King

Re-writing one of the most memorable dialogues, Burger King put up a post on their Instagram handle @burgerkingindia.

 9. Slice

@slice_india, startup of fruit-flavoured soft drinks, also posted on their social media handle with a quote, “The one where aam (I’m) so excited”. 

10. Kotak Life Insurance

@kotak.lifeinsurance put up a post with the caption, “People come and go, but true F.R.I.E.N.D.S will always stick around, even in the toughest situation. Let Kotak Life Insurance be that friend of yours.” on their social media handles.

Many other brands like Dunkin Donuts India, SBI Life Insurance, Bingo, Pepe Jeans India, Croma Retail, Cadbury, Skore, Tinder, Nicotex India and American Tourister made great use of this opportunity. 

How do such initiatives help brands?

“Moments are essential and will be marketed. The Friends Reunion is a moment in itself. Bits such as these have happened before globally, with brands broken up and reassembled after ages. But then, that was not a digitally driven world. Therefore this is a powerful vehicle to monetize for companies. Today, moments such as a reunion and a Friends reunion are even more important as the pandemic has not allowed it before. This fuels the pandemic void.” said Harish Bijoor, brand expert and founder of the Harish Bijoor Consults Inc.

Their strategy to craft content is gathered around delivering icebreakers and topics that resonate with their viewers. 

“Overall, it is always an appealing idea to ride on something that is now in the news. Friends has been an iconic sitcom that remains to be one of the top watches of all time. The fandom linked with it brings in a good possibility for brands to create good content throughout. Zomato, for example, keeps doing such messaging repeatedly but contextually bringing it back to the market. That is the messaging that acts most suitable for times in marketing initiatives,” Sanjay Mehta, Joint CEO, Mirum India.

For more extensive analysis and Market Intelligence reports feel free to approach us or visit our website: Venture Capital Market Intelligence Reports | VCBay.

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