April Fooled You!
It’s that time of year again when, if fake news wasn’t rife enough, we’re now even more unsure whether what we’re reading online is real or not! Is BMW really trying to break into the hipster market? (Its MINI Hipster Hatch last year was ever so Instagrammable!) Can we really order Deliveroo telepathically? (We hope so!)
Brands have been preparing their April Fools’ hoaxes for months, hoping to fool the nation and therefore increase their brand awareness – a fantastic marketing ploy that has been played out for decades.
Here at In The White Room, we know first-hand exactly how successful an April Fools’ campaign can be for clients and the huge benefits that surround a well-received prank! We may have peaked with Crosswater’s ‘new self-tanning digital shower’ in 2015, perfect for getting a head start on your summer tan, Digi-Tan enabled you to achieve a radiant streak-free glow at the touch of a button!
The April Fools’ prank was picked up by a variety of popular online news channels, social media platforms and influencers, appearing in the number one position on the Mail Online’s ‘Funniest April Fools’ from around the web’ round-up, coming before brands such as Marmite, Sainsburys and Costa. Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills even replied saying he loved the idea on Twitter, and this helped us to develop a conversation with his sidekick, DJ Chris Stark, and arrange a fantastic brand collaboration for Crosswater, which also resulted in further engagement and interaction.
April Fools’ Day is a great way for companies to have fun and show a more playful side to their brand, allowing them to appeal to a wider audience and increase brand awareness. However, whilst it’s a great opportunity to push the boundaries, you need to ensure campaigns demonstrate brand values. Be careful not to disappoint or upset too many people when the product or news isn’t real, or even worse, when it completely backfires like Google’s Mic Drop campaign – with dire consequences.
On that note, watch this space for 2017’s onslaught – we can’t wait!
March 31, 2017 11:30 am
