Naukri Turned ‘Hardly Working’ Into ‘Brand Success’ In Collaboration With Disney+ Hotstar

Naukri.com, India’s leading job portal, took a creative leap to engage office-going youth. In collaboration with Disney+ Hotstar, they co-created Hardly Working—a comedy show that cleverly blends corporate humor with relatable office scenarios, delivering a unique and memorable connection with their audience.

Objective:

Naukri’s primary objective was to engage job seekers and employees across metro cities, as well as tier-2 and tier-3 cities, through a comedy show that was both relevant and entertaining. By co-creating Hardly Working with Disney+ Hotstar, the recruitment platform aimed to deepen its connection with a young, office-going demographic that has become increasingly difficult to reach through conventional marketing tactics. The show’s clever blend of corporate humor and relatable scenarios allowed Naukri to break through the clutter, offering viewers something fresh and enjoyable—without coming across as just another ad.

The Approach:

The show is a stand-up comedy series featuring six popular comedians, all with a background in corporate jobs. Its humor draws from the quirks and challenges of office life—awkward Zoom calls, endless emails, micromanaging bosses, and the perpetual quest for work-life balance. This relatability was key to connecting with the target audience, many of whom have faced similar experiences in their own workplaces.

The comedians featured in the show include well-known names like Prashasti Singh, Nishant Suri, Shreeja Chaturvedi, Anirban Dasgupta, and Kumar Varun. Their corporate backgrounds lent authenticity to their performances, making the jokes and anecdotes feel genuinely rooted in reality. Shot in real office settings, with actual employees as the audience, the show’s approach felt fresh and true to the daily grind of the modern workplace. The authentic office set-ups added an extra layer of believability, making the show feel like a shared experience among colleagues.

A Seamless Brand Integration:

One of the standout features of ‘Hardly Working’ was how the brand was integrated into the content. The show didn’t feel like an ad campaign but rather a natural extension of the humor that the comedians were delivering. The clever placement of Naukri’s services in the show made perfect sense—just as the comedians joked about the absurdities of office life, they subtly highlighted the importance of finding the right job opportunities, building a career, and navigating corporate challenges.

This seamless integration of brand messaging with entertaining content was a key factor in the show’s success. It wasn’t just a branded content piece—it was something that the audience could genuinely enjoy, share, and even relate to on a personal level. The result was an organic connection with the viewers, increasing both engagement and brand recall for Naukri.

A 360-Degree Marketing Push by Disney+ Hotstar CreativeWorks:

The collaboration between Naukri and Disney+ Hotstar wasn’t limited to just the show itself. Disney+ Hotstar CreativeWorks played a pivotal role in bringing the campaign to life, offering end-to-end support from production to marketing. The show received extensive promotion through a variety of ad formats, including launch AVs, episodic promos, display frames, and billboards.

To create buzz around the launch, Disney+ Hotstar CreativeWorks developed a comprehensive surround sound strategy that included a mix of on and off platform promotions. Social media posts, push notifications, PR, and trade media portals helped build excitement and amplify the show’s reach. Naukri also leveraged internal communications to boost engagement, using onsite standees, sharing social media content, and encouraging employees to spread the word. This approach ensured that ‘Hardly Working’ reached the right audience at the right time.

The Impact:

The results spoke for themselves. ‘Hardly Working’ quickly became the top branded content comedy show on Disney+ Hotstar, achieving this milestone within just five days of its release. The show’s ability to resonate with its target audience was evident in the strong engagement it received across social platforms and its high viewership numbers.

For Naukri, the campaign achieved its objective of increasing brand discoverability and recall. By using humor and relatable content, Naukri was able to break through the noise and engage job seekers in a way that felt natural and enjoyable. The show provided a unique opportunity for the brand to showcase its personality while also promoting its services ensuring the audience remained entertained while connecting with the brand. 

Brand Speak: