Variety: ‘Friends’ Fan Week Features Pop-Ups in 3 Cities, Instagram Giveaways and Fresh Merch

Story from Variety:

To coincide with International Friendship Day, Warner Bros. Discovery has launched “Friends Fan Week 2022,” a celebration of the beloved NBC sitcom that includes pop-up events in three cities, Instagram giveaways and new merchandise.

The week of stunts begins today and runs through July 30, which marks International Friendship Day.

One activity fans can look forward to is “The Friends Experience.” Created by Superfly X, Warner Bros. Themed Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television Group, the immersive experience pop-up in New York, Denver, and Toronto features 12 rooms including Monica’s kitchen and the iconic fountain seen in the show’s opening credits.

Attendees will get to explore the show’s history and re-create popular moments from the Warner Bros. TV-produced series that aired from 1994-2004 like the one where David Schwimmer’s Ross character shouts “Pivot!” while helping Matthew Perry’s Chandler and Jennifer Anistan’s Rachel manuever a large couch up a narrow staircase.

“The Friends Experience” will also host an online giveaway on Instagram beginning July 25th and offer a retail promo for 15% off on July 30 starting at noon ET on Saturday and running through noon ET on Sunday, July 31.

Social media platforms will be joining in on the event, with “Friends”-inspired TikTok and Instagram filters, Giphy Stickers, and other social media content. Fans can post a “Friends”-inspired video on TikTok or Instagram with the hashtag #FriendsFanWeek.

New merchandise to be released includes a “Friends”-themed edition of board game Clue and a backpack in the shape of the memorable front door of the apartment of Courteney Cox’s Monica.

Warner Bros. Discovery is mounting all of this to drive viewership of the “Friends” library. All 236 episodes of the series are available on the HBO Max platform. Warner Bros. Discovery’s cabler TBS will also get in on a “Friends” binge, airing episodes back-to-back throughout the week at 11 a.m., culminating on July 30 with a 10 a.m.-6 p.m. “Best of Friends Marathon.”