August 09, 2021
'Friends' Merch Benefits Charitable Causes
The first swag drop is available for a limited time.
It’s been more than 26 years since the first episode of Friends aired on NBC. And now, the six main cast members are promoting limited edition reunion merchandise for nostalgic fans in three different drops over the next several months.
Actress Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel Green on the show, modeled items from the Cast Collection’s first drop (featuring images and script lines from Seasons 1, 2 and 3, available for the next month) this past week on Instagram, including an “I Know” long-sleeve T-shirt and “We were so not on a break” hat (both famous one-liners from the sitcom). Half the proceeds of Aniston’s items in the line will go to Americares, which provides mental healthcare and medical aid to those impacted by COVID. Subsequent swag drops will feature items commemorating Seasons 4 to 6 and 7 to 10, respectively.
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Items in the collection include short- and long-sleeve T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, tank tops and mugs; each drop will be available for one month before being discontinued.
This T-shirt features character Phoebe Buffay playing her iconic “Smelly Cat” song.
Actress Courteney Cox, who played Monica Geller on the show, also took to Instagram to model a T-shirt with the show’s iconic fountain and the title of the theme song. Proceeds will go to Cox’s charity of choice, the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation, which raises awareness and works to find a cure for the rare genetic skin disorder.
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Cast member David Schwimmer also got in on the action, modeling a “Lobster” T-shirt on Instagram. Half the proceeds will go to The Rape Foundation, which offers education, training and resources centered on sexual assault.
A crewneck sweatshirt features the first kiss between characters Ross Geller (Schwimmer) and Rachel Green (Aniston).
The recent collection is the latest example of the power of promo products that tap into fan nostalgia and contribute to charitable causes. It also follows a a cast reunion special that aired on HBO Max in late May, when the six main characters of Friends reunited on the set for the first time in more than 15 years.
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