Brands
Friend-tastic feats: Brands embrace creativity on Friendship Day
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.
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
Microsoft faces worst quarter since 2008 financial crisis
Cloud giant battles soaring AI costs and fierce competition from nimble startups.
MUMBAI: When the tech titan starts looking a little wobbly, even the Magnificent Seven can feel the tremors because Microsoft is currently starring in its own sequel, “Clouds and Doubts.” Microsoft is on track for its worst quarterly performance since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to Bloomberg, as investors grow increasingly uneasy about rising capital expenditure and intensifying competition from nimble AI firms. The company has been pouring money into AI infrastructure, yet markets are questioning when these hefty investments will finally deliver stronger revenue growth.
At the same time, investors are shifting away from traditional software stocks amid fears that AI startups such as Anthropic and OpenAI are developing autonomous agents capable of replacing established products, including those from Microsoft. Jonathan Cofsky, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, noted growing concern that customers may bypass Microsoft and deal directly with AI vendors, potentially disrupting its core business and putting pressure on pricing and margins.
Microsoft’s stock has tumbled 25 per cent in the first quarter, putting it on course for its largest drop since a 27 per cent fall in the fourth quarter of 2008. It has also emerged as the weakest performer among the so-called Magnificent Seven technology stocks, while a broader index tracking the group has fallen 14 per cent over the same period. The shares slipped a further 1.7 per cent after markets opened on Friday, marking a potential fourth consecutive session of declines.
Cofsky pointed out that Microsoft has become more capital intensive and that improved investor confidence will hinge on assurances that software growth will not slow materially. Despite the sell-off, the stock is now trading at less than 20 times projected earnings over the next 12 months, its lowest valuation level since June 2016. Its valuation remains slightly above that of the S&P 500 Index, although it has recently traded at a discount to the broader benchmark for the first time since 2015.
Bloomberg data shows Microsoft’s capital expenditure, including leases, is expected to surge to $146 billion in fiscal 2026, up around 66 per cent from $88 billion in fiscal 2025. Spending is projected to climb further to $170 billion in fiscal 2027 and $191 billion in fiscal 2028, based on average estimates. Investors are growing cautious about such levels of spending without clearer signs of stronger growth.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud division has reported a slight slowdown in growth compared with the previous quarter, while its Copilot AI product has seen limited user traction, prompting internal changes aimed at improving performance. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, warned in a March note that Microsoft’s upside in Azure could be constrained as the company works to address challenges related to its AI models and Copilot offering, adding that these issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
Of the 67 analysts covering Microsoft, 63 maintain buy ratings, three hold ratings and one a sell rating. The average 12-month price target of $592 implies a potential upside of more than 64 per cent, the highest on record based on data going back to 2009. The stock is also trading below its 200-day moving average by the widest margin since 2009.
Reitzes suggested the dominance of buy ratings may indicate complacency among analysts, while highlighting risks in Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment as well as its More Personal Computing division. In contrast, Tal Liani of Bank of America reinstated coverage with a buy rating, citing durable multi-year growth prospects across cloud and AI. Jake Seltz, portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, maintained that Microsoft retains strong long-term value and that its AI strategy is likely to be validated over time, viewing near-term concerns as a potential opportunity for longer-term investors.
The report highlights a growing divergence in market sentiment, with optimism around long-term AI potential weighed against immediate execution risks and investor uncertainty. In the world of big tech, even the mightiest clouds can have silver linings but right now, Microsoft’s investors are scanning the horizon for clearer skies.
