Brands

Friend-tastic feats: Brands embrace creativity on Friendship Day

Published

3 years ago

August 5, 2023

Mumbai: Friendship Day, celebrated on the first Sunday of August, is a special occasion dedicated to cherishing the bond of friendship and honoring the valuable relationships in our lives. Over the years, this day has become an opportunity for brands to showcase their creativity and connect with their audience on a deeper level. Many brands have seized this occasion to launch new products and captivating campaigns that center around the theme of friendship. From heartwarming commercials featuring friends’ adventures to limited edition products symbolising friendship, brands have leveraged Friendship Day to engage consumers and strengthen their brand presence. This strategic approach not only adds a touch of sentiment to marketing efforts but also fosters a sense of loyalty and emotional connection among customers.

Here’s how brands have planned to celebrate this year’s Friendship Day.

Godrej L’Affaire

As we navigate through the ups and downs of life, we often tend to overlook the significance of the first and the most enduring friendship – the one formed with our families. To celebrate this cherished connection, Godrej L’Affaire, the experiential-owned media lifestyle platform by Godrej Industries Ltd and Associate Companies (GILAC), presents a heartwarming Friendship’s Day digital film. Conceptualised and created by the Godrej corporate brand & communications team, the film is a poignant reminder of the irreplaceable role families play in shaping lives and being the foundation of one’s personal support system.

Each scene in this captivating film weaves together a mosaic of family moments – a collage of laughter, guidance, and shared experiences. It stands as a tribute to the enduring friendships nurtured within families, the foundation upon which a lifetime of connections is built.

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ShareChat

ShareChat app, India’s leading multilingual social media platform has recently unveiled a heartwarming topical film titled “Dosti Ke Trends,” celebrating the timeless essence of friendship in the fast-paced world of today. In this modern era, where everyone is caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, social media has become a lifeline, keeping friends connected despite their busy schedules.

In a touching portrayal of friendship, the topical film serves as a heartfelt message from the narrator to his busy friend. Despite the challenges of work and daily responsibilities, physical meet-ups for fun and cherished moments may be limited – no more fooling around outside the house or sharing delicious parathas or smashing birthday cakes. The dream of a Goa trip might be on hold, but the narrator assures that the bond remains unwavering virtually. Sending humorous memes, tagging in exciting Goa posts, engaging in heartfelt video calls with both the friend and their mother, and sharing breaking news headlines, the narrator pledges to stand by their side, bridging any distance. In this digital era of friendship, the film beautifully captures the essence of an ever-present and strong connection that continues to thrive between friends.

Max Fashion

Introducing its new campaign, ‘Friendship Beyond Words,’ on the occasion of International Friendship Day, Max Fashion amplifies its brand belief of fostering genuine connections with customers and their commitment towards creating equal work opportunities for all, including people with special needs. The campaign is being extensively promoted through various social media platforms, and in-store displays across Max Fashion’s numerous outlets.

The film #FriendshipBeyondWords, released on Max Fashion’s digital platforms, has over 10 Million views across Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. The heartening one-minute film opens with a young boy, Ved, entering a Max Fashion store with his parents. He runs inside the store to meet the Max staff he is friends with, who is specially-abled. They greet each other with a lot of warmth and Ved goes on to wish her “Happy Friendship Day” in sign-language. The girl gets emotional and gives Ved a hug, while breaking out in a smile. She then goes on to ask him where her friendship band is, and Ved places it on her wrists.

The Friendship Day campaign has been conceptualised under, ‘Max Cares’ initiative, to make a positive impact on society and demonstrate the brand’s commitment to giving back to the community. Max has recruited 1000+ specially abled people since 2011, accounting for more than 5% of their total workforce.

Crocs

This Friendship’s Day, there’s no better gift than a pair of ever-green classic clogs from Crocs to celebrate the uniqueness and comfort that each friend adds to your life. Crocs are not just shoes but a canvas for self expression and a symbol of camaraderie. Their appeal lies in personalisation, thanks to the playful Jibbitz charms that can be added to bring out your very own quirky persona. Whether it’s a childhood toon, your sun sign or an initial representing your shared memories, Jibbitz allow you to create a personalised gift that reflects the one-of-a-kind friendship you cherish.

Apart from their personalisation, Crocs are known for their exceptional comfort and functionality. Designed with lightweight and flexible Croslite material, these shoes provide a cloud-like cushioning experience for everyday wear. Whether you’re spending the day exploring a new city, hanging out at home, or enjoying an outdoor adventure, Crocs ensure that your feet stay happy and supported throughout. The versatility of Crocs makes them the perfect go-to footwear choice for any occasion, making your Friendship’s Day gift both practical and heartfelt. As your friends slip into their customised Crocs, they’ll be reminded of the joyous moments you’ve shared and the comfortable foundation of your unbreakable friendship.

Goibibo

In the spirit of Friendship Day, Goibibo has unveiled its latest campaign #FriendsWithBenefits – emphasising the value of friendships sprinkled with some unreal perks. The new campaign reintroduces a new way to earn more from Goibibo’s acclaimed goCash initiative with the launch of the SyncN’Cash feature.

Through brief humorous anecdotes of three GenZ/millennials, the campaign video sheds light on the struggles of today’s youth in different social settings as they seek out friendships that offer something extra. Their experiences are recorded in a documentary style piece to camera, with the voice of the interviewer in the background. With each of them failing in their search, they are introduced to Goibibo’s SyncN’Cash initiative by the interviewer who steps into the frame to show how syncing their contacts within the Goibibo app can be the answer they were looking for. This enticing offer of cashback on every booking ID serves as a compelling proposition and is expected to bring more users to the Goibibo platform.

Milaap

Milaap, one of India’s largest crowdfunding platforms, has launched a heartwarming video campaign, #MakeKindnessAHabit, to mark the celebration of Friendship’s Day which falls on Sunday, 6 August. The video campaign aims to revive the bygone concept of a pen-pal amongst children and promotes kindness and friendship. As part of this initiative, a group of underprivileged children from Need Base India wrote heartfelt letters addressed to young cancer patients at Narayana Hospital in Bangalore, with the intent to bring surprise, joy, and support to their lives during their challenging journey.

To celebrate this global occasion, Milaap organised a special letter-writing session in collaboration with Daakroom for children from the NGO, where they expressed their thoughts and wishes through colourful letters and cards dedicated to the young cancer warriors. The heartwarming video also captures the children posting their letters in a traditional red mailbox, which were then delivered to the doorstep of the hospital. Along with the letters, the young cancer patients received surprise bags filled with thoughtful goodies and friendship bands to strengthen their bond with their newfound friends

Domino’s

Domino’s, India’s foremost pizza chain, is thrilled to announce its latest campaign, #YourBestiesTreat, a tribute to the ever-evolving world of Gen Z’s friendship culture. Embracing the inherent charm of meme culture, Domino’s celebrates the cherished moments shared with friends over a scrumptious pizza, and the role of memes in immortalizing these fun-filled memories.

In today’s digitally connected world, memes have become an intrinsic part of Gen Z’s daily lives, functioning as their unique love language of friendship. Understanding the significance of these quirky visuals, Domino’s campaign #YourBestiesTreat sets out to reveal the delightful blend of pizza and memes, showcasing how these seemingly unrelated entities create the perfect recipe for an unforgettable bonding experience.

To further amplify the campaign’s reach and celebrate the Gen Z spirit, Domino’s has partnered with popular social media influencers and meme creators who have amassed a massive following by mastering the art of meme culture. These influencers will curate exclusive meme content that showcases the delightful blend of pizza and friendship, resonating with audiences across various social media platforms. The brand is also giving away ‘free pizzas’ for an entire year to a select few people and their besties if they order from Domino’s app during the friendship weekend.

Brands

Netflix India names Rekha Rane director of films and series marketing

Streaming giant bets on a seasoned marketer who helped build Amazon and Netflix into household names

Published

3 weeks ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Netflix has put a proven brand builder at the helm of its films and series marketing in India, naming Rekha Rane as director in a move that signals sharper focus on audience growth and cultural cut-through in one of its most hotly contested markets.

Rane steps into the role after seven years at Netflix, where she has quietly shaped how the platform sells stories to India. Her latest promotion, effective February 2026, crowns a run that spans brand, slate and product marketing across originals, licensed content and new verticals such as games.

A strategic marketing and communications professional with roughly 15 years’ experience, Rane has spent much of her career building technology-led consumer businesses and new categories, notably e-commerce and subscription video on demand. She was part of the early push that introduced Amazon.in, Prime Video and Netflix to Indian homes, then helped turn them into everyday brands.

At Netflix, she most recently served as head of brand and slate marketing for India from March 2024 to February 2026, leading teams across media and marketing for global and local content portfolios. Before that, as manager for original films and series marketing, she led IP creation and go-to-market strategy for titles including Guns and Gulaabs, Kaala Paani, The Railway Men* and The Great Indian Kapil Show, spanning both binge and weekly-release formats.

Her earlier Netflix roles covered product discovery and promotion in India and integrated campaign strategy to drive conversations around the content slate, product awareness and brand-equity metrics.

Before Netflix, Rane logged more than three years at Amazon in brand marketing roles in Bengaluru. There she handled national and regional campaigns for Amazon.in, worked on customer assistance programmes in growth geographies and contributed to the go-to-market strategy for the launch of Prime Video India.

Her career began well away from streaming. At Reliance Brands in Mumbai, she worked on retail marketing for Diesel and Superdry. A stint at Leo Burnett saw her work on primary research for P&G Tide, mapping Indian shoppers’ paths to purchase. Earlier still, at Orange in the United Kingdom, she rose from sales assistant to store manager, running a team and owning monthly P&L for a retail outlet.

The arc is telling. As global streamers fight for attention in a crowded Indian market, executives who understand both mass retail behaviour and digital habit-building are prized. Rane’s career sits at that intersection.

For Netflix, the bet is simple: in a market spoilt for choice, sharp marketing can still tilt the screen. And with Rane now leading the charge, the streamer is signalling it wants not just viewers, but fandom.

Brands

Orient Beverages pops the fizz with steady Q3 gains and rising profits

Kolkata-based beverage maker reports stronger revenues and profits for December quarter.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: A fizzy quarter with a steady aftertaste that’s how Orient Beverages Limited, the company that manufactures and distributes packaged drinking water under the brand name Bisleri closed the December 2025 period, as the Kolkata-based drinks maker reported improved revenues and a healthy rise in profits, signalling operational stability in a competitive beverage market.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2025, Orient Beverages posted standalone revenue from operations of Rs 39.98 crore, up from Rs 36.42 crore in the previous quarter and Rs 33.53 crore in the same quarter last year. Total income for the quarter stood at Rs 42.24 crore, reflecting consistent demand and stable pricing across its beverage portfolio.

Profit before tax for the quarter came in at Rs 3.47 crore, a sharp improvement from Rs 1.31 crore in the September quarter and Rs 0.39 crore a year ago. After accounting for tax expenses of Rs 0.79 crore, the company reported a net profit of Rs 2.68 crore, nearly three times the Rs 0.99 crore recorded in the preceding quarter.

On a nine-month basis, the momentum remained intact. Revenue from operations for the period ended December 31, 2025 rose to Rs 117.66 crore, compared with Rs 106.95 crore in the corresponding period last year. Net profit for the nine months climbed to Rs 5.51 crore, more than double the Rs 2.18 crore reported in the same period of the previous financial year.

The consolidated numbers told a similar story. For the December quarter, consolidated revenue from operations stood at Rs 45.06 crore, while profit after tax came in at Rs 2.06 crore. For the nine-month period, consolidated revenue touched Rs 133.57 crore, with net profit of Rs 4.49 crore, underscoring the group’s improving profitability trajectory.

Operating expenses remained largely controlled, with cost of materials, employee benefits and other expenses broadly aligned with revenue growth. The company continued to operate within a single reportable segment beverages simplifying its cost structure and reporting framework.

The unaudited financial results were reviewed by the Audit Committee and approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting held on 7 February 2026. Statutory auditors carried out a limited review and reported no material misstatements in the results.

In a market where margins are often squeezed by input costs and competition, Orient Beverages’ latest numbers suggest the company has found a reliable rhythm not explosive, but steady enough to keep the fizz alive.

Brands

BCCL profit jumps 53 per cent in FY25 as tax bill shrinks

Revenue rises 4.3 per cent to Rs 10,209.33 crore while deferred tax gain lifts bottom line sharply

Published

3 weeks ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

NEW DELHI: Bennett, Coleman and Company (BCCL) has posted a sparkling set of financial results for the year ended 31 March 2025, proving that there is still plenty of ink and gold left in the ledger.

Revenue from operations climbed a steady 4.3 per cent, reaching Rs 10,209.33 crore compared to Rs 9,786.44 crore the previous year. When you sprinkle in other income, which rose 8.9 per cent to Rs 949.36 crore, the total income for the media behemoth hit a healthy Rs 11,158.69 crore.

While the income grew at a modest pace, the bottom line tells a far more dramatic story. The real headline is the 53 per cent surge in annual profit. How did they pull off such a feat? While Profit Before Tax (PBT) saw a gentle nudge upward of 2.7 per cent to Rs 1,610.00 crore, it was a vanishing act by the taxman that really did the trick.

Total tax expenses plummeted by 32.4 per cent, dropping from Rs 468.76 crore down to Rs 316.97 crore. This was largely thanks to a swing in deferred tax, moving from an expense of Rs 156.02 crore in FY24 to a benefit of Rs 39.44 crore this year.

Total income rose from Rs 10,658.55 crore in FY24 to Rs 11,158.69 crore in FY25, marking a 4.7 per cent increase. Total expenses grew at a slower pace, up 3.0 per cent from Rs 9,306.06 crore to Rs 9,581.45 crore. Profit before tax inched up 2.7 per cent, moving from Rs 1,567.02 crore to Rs 1,610.00 crore. However, the standout figure was net profit, which jumped sharply by 53.0 per cent, climbing from Rs 1,042.03 crore in FY24 to Rs 1,594.73 crore in FY25.

Despite the rising costs of doing business across the globe, BCCL kept a tight grip on the purse strings. Total expenses rose by just 3.0 per cent to Rs 9,581.45 crore. By keeping costs lower than the rate of income growth, the company ensured that the final figure, a net profit of Rs 1,594.73 crore, was nothing short of a front-page sensation.

In a world of shifting digital tides, it seems the BCCL ship is not just steady, but sailing into significantly wealthier waters.