A Delhi-based cafe recently gained attention on social media after an unconventional employee appreciation post went viral. Wongdhen Cafe, which is famous for its creative social media content, posted an Instagram message declaring Abhishek the Employee of the Month. The graphic design used in posting this message made people think it was an obituary notice when they saw it.
The graphic used a floral border, doves, and a sky design. Such elements can be considered standard in memorial posters, with a caption, “Let us take a moment to honor Abhishek…A man who has not passed away, but whose peace definitely has,Now that he’s the Employee of the Month.” Although the graphic was supposed to be a celebration, it took Instagram users by surprise. The graphic quickly went viral on Instagram before being shared widely on X.
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Reactions roll in on social media
While the image circulated, people posted reactions with a split perspective. Some people were pleased with the café’s attempt to honour an employee in such a unique manner. Others confessed they were alarmed by the image at first glance before reading it thoroughly.
Comments were a reflection of this mixed response. A comment read, "Who appreciates their employees like this," but another comment added, " They used the worst background for this post. I thought he had passed away." "Rest in Promotion" soon also began trending in comments, with people responding with dark humour. However, not all comments were negative, with people appreciating the originality of this post.
Follow-up post fuels joke
As the online exchange went on, another humorous move from Wongdhen Cafe took place when they posted a follow-up joke notice on their page. This time, they posted a fake official notice saying that they had fired their marketing employee because their last social media post had gone viral, with a caption, “After careful consideration, multiple emergency meetings, several cups of coffee, and a deep dive into our comment section… we would like to officially announce that our marketing guy has been fired.” The social post was later clarified to have been a joke.
Owner explains intent behind creative post
Speaking to Hindustan Times, owner of Wongdhen Cafe, Rinchen Wongdhen, clarified that such proposals were internally vetted and approved before being posted. Of course, Abhishek, who has been linked to this café for over eight years, knew all this beforehand.
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While explaining a creative choice, Wongdhen explained: " The concept was discussed internally and approached in a light-hearted, creative manner. We were conscious that conventional posts often see limited engagement, so we deliberately chose a different creative theme and tone to encourage interaction and conversation."
He also touched on the follow-up post and indicated that it is meant in jest. As indicated by Wongdhen, although most people responded in a positive way and enjoyed the joke, the café is aware of the fact that a segment of their population may have interpreted the posts in a different way.
