MAM
Beardo’s #BeardsAtWork challenges campus shaving norms on World Beard Day
Mumbai: On World Beard Day (2 September), Beardo, a men’s grooming brand from the house of Marico Ltd takes a stand for inclusivity and freedom of individual expression with their new digital campaign #BeardsAtWork. This campaign, primarily driven through a digital film featuring Hardik Banga, challenges the conventional norms of grooming and places the spotlight on the contentious issue of enforced shaving during placements.
Today, while the modern corporate world has increasingly embraced the concept of individuality, there are still instances where, during campus placements, many bearded young individuals are asked to shave in order to be placed. While a well-groomed beard is considered corporate-appropriate today, the acceptance hasn’t quite extended to campus recruitment yet. Therefore, as a leading men’s grooming brand and a partner many rely on for their grooming needs, Beardo has taken on this campaign to celebrate #BeardsAtWork this World Beard Day! Taking a light-hearted approach, the #BeardsAtWork campaign aims to spark a conversation about beard inclusivity by shattering stereotypes and championing authentic self-expression in the corporate world through a digital film.
This impactful yet fun film opens with a classroom filled with young students with a backdrop showcasing campus placements, setting the stage for a powerful narrative. The film goes on to show a professor who gives an ultimatum to the students that they need to shave in order to even appear for an interview or miss placements, thereby hampering their careers. BASED ON TRUE EVENTS, the film then captures the response of bearded students who invent different excuses ranging from superstitions about shaving on certain days to humorous claims of allergic reactions to razors. The film culminates with a thought-provoking message and a call to action, advocating for change in workplace perceptions. Hardik Banga’s words resonate deeply as he asserts that donning & maintaining a beard is a matter of personal identity. The film further invites viewers to re-consider the correlation between appearance and professional competence, highlighting that in fact “shaping” a beard involves more commitment & effort than “Shaving” one, and hence well-groomed beards should be celebrated at work.
To further elaborate the message for World Beard Day, Beardo has also partnered with influencers like BeYouNick and many more. Even Celebrity Hrithik Roshan has shared this on his IG handle.
Speaking about this campaign, Beardo chief executive officer Sujot Malhotra said “Beardo has always been firmly committed to championing the cause of true masculinity and the timeless statement made by any well-groomed beard. We have always celebrated all kinds of Beards and what they stand for by challenging the arbitrary conformity of enforced shaving in the corporate world. We stand by the feeling that a beard should never stand as a barrier to professionalism, and with our #BeardsAtWork campaign, we aim to break down stereotypes and celebrate the power of individual expression. Celebrating World Beard Day with this campaign, we hope to reflect the evolving norms of inclusivity and expression, paving the way for a more diverse culture.”
MAM
‘You packed my parachute’: Avinash Kaul’s farewell salutes Network18’s unsung thousands
The outgoing chief’s LinkedIn post skips the boardroom tributes and goes straight to the security guards, drivers and office boys who kept the machine running
MUMBAI: Most farewell posts by senior media executives follow a familiar script: gratitude to leadership, a nod to the team, a hint of what lies ahead. Avinash Kaul’s is not that post.
Writing on LinkedIn on his last day at Network18 Media & Investments, where he spent nearly 12 years rising to chief executive, Kaul bypassed the boardroom entirely and directed his most heartfelt words at the people furthest from it: the security guard who greeted him before the building was fully awake, the fleet staff who drove him to airports at ungodly hours, the office assistants, the housekeeping teams, and the administrators who, as he put it, “held ten thousand invisible threads so the rest of us could look organised.”
“You packed my parachute,” he wrote. “Every day. Without fanfare, recognition, or ever asking for it.”
It was a striking note from a man who leaves behind a considerable operational record. Kaul joined Network18 managing three channels and exits with responsibility for 20, alongside a publishing business, a growing connected television footprint, and what he says is the highest revenue and highest channel share in the group’s history. He was quick to deflect the credit. “Not because of me. Because of 4,000 people who showed up, every day, in every department, across the country.”
To content teams across India, he issued a reminder that carries some weight given the pressures Indian news media currently faces. “Keep being custodians of trust for 700 million people. That is not a small thing. That is the whole thing.”
To colleagues in revenue and ratings who found him relentless and hard to satisfy, he was unapologetic but generous. “There was never a single moment of ill intent in my heart. Everything I pushed you towards came from one belief – that you were stronger than you knew, and I was not willing to let you settle for less than your real capability.” Those who believed him, he said, flew. Those who did not taught him to be a better communicator. He was grateful to both.
On what comes next, he offered a hint wrapped in metaphor. Something is being built, he said, prepared for “the way you pack a bag before a long climb. Not out of restlessness. Out of readiness.”
In a media landscape that rarely pauses to acknowledge the people who keep the lights on, it was, at the very least, a different kind of goodbye.
