Friendship is that one relationship that goes past borders, communities, genders, and much more. Therefore, it’s no wonder that the UN celebrates International Friendship Day every year on 30th July. However, the first Sunday of August is celebrated as Friendship Day across the world. This offers brands an entire week to come up with interesting social media posts to keep their audience engaged. Therefore, brands do whatever they can from week-long social media campaigns to witty posts and contests to ensure maximum audience engagement on friendship day.
If you’re a marketer entrusted with creating an impressive Friendship Day campaign for your brand, you’re at the right place as we shall be looking at some of the best International Friendship Day commercials from the past. So, let’s go ahead!
1. Coca-Cola: The Friendship Machine (2011)
It’s not always that we see a brand putting an obstacle between its product and potential customers. But that’s exactly the marketing idea that Coca-Cola came up with to mark 2011 Friendship Day.
As part of its marketing campaign, Coca-Cola placed 3.5m tall vending machines with unreachable coin slots across Latin America. Along with the agency Ogilvy Argentina, Coca-Cola developed the idea of a ‘friendship machine’, which would motivate people to collaborate and climb up to insert a coin into a giant vending machine, for which they would be rewarded with two bottles of Coke at the price of one.
The campaign turned out to be a massive success resulting in a 1075% increase in sales from vending machines. Giving away two bottles meant that people could also bring along a friend who would give them a leg-up so that they could insert the coin.
2. Skybags: The Reunion (2017)
It’s always fun to meet school and childhood friends, especially when you haven’t been in touch for quite a while!
This Skybags commercial showcases a guy who probably returns to his hometown after a long time and tries to look for his school friends, Saira and Bunty. He finds out Saira’s address through a common friend and visits her. Together, they later meet Bunty at a restaurant and relive their old school days.
What makes this advert special is its ability to make us recall our childhood memories and school days. Also, in today’s social media-driven world, we often find ourselves looking for our old friends online. Thus, the advert feels relatable on multiple levels and conveys the message that regardless of how old your friends are, they are surely worth leaving your comfort space for.
3. Comedy Central: In Celebration of National Friendship Day (2018)
American cable channel Comedy Central came up with this hilarious Friendship Day advert in 2018 that pays tribute to every last one of your friends.
The ad features different actors thanking their friends for a range of things from holding someone’s hair back while they puked to lending them their jacket for five years straight without ever finding out. It’s true though- we barely ever realize how integral certain friends are and how critical a role they play in our lives, especially the ones who help you move dead bodies😂
4. DisneyPlus: Mickey Mouse and Others (2021)
This 2021 DisneyPlus ad sought to remind viewers of their childhood by featuring all their favorite Disney characters.
The advert highlights the importance of friends in our lives by showing various Disney characters along with their partners- e.g. Mickey Mouse is seen with Minnie Mouse while Donald Duck is seen with Daisy. The message ‘life is just better with friends’, couldn’t have been more true.
5. Gardens of the Sun: What Does Friendship Mean? (2022)
Friends mean the world to most of us. But have you ever thought about what friendship really means? If not, this Friendship Day advert from the last year by jewelry brand Gardens of the Sun could give you some answers.
The advert shows the brand’s staff and young kids being asked what friendship means to them. While it means sharing their last cookie with their friends to one of them, to another staff member it means being on a journey together. And that’s what friendship is all about; it has different meanings to different people but the sentiment of love, care, concern, and affection remains constant.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of the best International Friendship Day adverts from the previous years. Friendship gives us a sense of belonging and purpose. It helps us celebrate the good times and offers support during bad times. And the ads covered in this blog go on to prove just that.
We’ll be back with more awesome videos for you. Until then. Stay tuned!