MAM
Brands memed FRIENDS on the reunion
Mumbai: It would not be an exaggeration to say that it was the most looked-forward to, most-talked-about and the most nostalgia-generating event all of last week, on social media. After a wait of more than a decade and a half, diehard fans, the world over, of the most popular sitcom in television history finally got to see their six F.R.I.E.N.D.S get back together at Central Perk – albeit just for a little more than an hour and a half.
That was enough to spawn a million memes and dominate endless Instagram stories and conversations, with many declaring this was their best one hour 40 minutes of 2021 so far!
Then why would brands be left behind?
So, here goes a pick of some of the creatives for the FRIENDS: The Reunion that celebrated the friendship and got the nostalgia on spot. Could we be more excited!
ZEE5
The OTT platform which streamed the special episode in India, very usefully came up with some creative excuses we could use to bunk office to watch the reunion episode the moment it was launched- 12.32 pm to be precise! Could we be more grateful?
“The world will be on a BREAK tomorrow. Which excuse will you use to watch the #FriendsReunionOnZEE5 at 12:32 pm with the rest of the world?”
Godrej Appliances
The consumer brand came up with a series of posts which recreated some of the iconic scenes and dialogues from the show:
JSW Paints
The Paint brand paid tribute to the famed couch in the coffee shop where the group of six used to hang out: “Can we be… any more excited to embrace every colour of this reunion!”
Amul
The dairy brand continued its legacy of staying ahead of the curve when it comes to tapping topical trends with a cutesy take:
Zomato
The food delivery platform brilliantly called out the #1 trending restaurant of the day, Central Perk in its post:
Kotak Life
The Insurance brand creatively used the words of the familiar theme song ‘I’ll Be There For You’ and the backdrop behind the famous series to promote its service: “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.”
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
