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Cetaphil is pushing for wider UK recognition for its internet-cult supported range of skincare products. The international skincare brand along with their creative agency, Buchanan, have partnered with Comedy Central to sponsor one of the most popular shows in a generation: Friends.

The comedic shorts take cues from Friends’ tropes, minus the canned laughter. The sketches associate Cetaphil with friendship – while inferring confidence in skin – through using ambitious crash-zooms close-ups. Notwithstanding, each ident concludes with the tagline ‘Get Closer’. The meaning is intentionally on the nose: get closer to friends and get closer to skin. The campaign scope includes of six 10-second vignettes and eight 5-second idents. The vignettes use humour to resonate with Friends’ audience and volume to ensure brand recognition.

Directed by Kieran Simmonds, the 14 bumper spots will run concurrently with Cetaphil’s wider advertising strategy until May.

The idents, by Buchanan Group (part of the WPP network), are one of myriad campaigns running with the agency behind Home Tester Club, Medifacts and Brand Power. The ads will run for three months and are aired on all 18 showings of Friends.