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April 1, 2019 Content Chat Recap—Community Conversation: Is The Brand April Fool’s Joke Played Out?

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Every April 1, people worldwide brace themselves for trickery from their friends, family and even their favorite brands.

While some brands take immense pride in crafting their jokes (see also: Google), others haphazardly throw something together in an attempt to be relevant. Often times, they fall flat.

In this timely #ContentChat community conversation, we discuss if and when brands should partake in April Fool’s jokes, or if the tradition has played out.

Q1: As a content marketer, I’ve been strong-armed into some pretty meh April Fool’s jokes over the years. Have any of you found yourself in that position? And if so, how’d they turn out?

Last-minute campaigns rarely are worth the scramble. Pros should question why their brand wants to engage on such short notice, and assess whether they will be able to drive value from the efforts.

April Fool’s jokes in general are a risk, and many companies have shifted away from them for legal reasons.

Everything depends on your audience and brand voice. Some external audiences do not want jokes, but jokes could resonate with an internal audience (if any higher-ups are itching to pull a prank). Just don’t send a box of donuts filled with health foods.

Q2: @CMIContent had an article on corporate April Fool’s jokes that pointed out a number of reasons why they might not be the best choice for many brands. What are some of the reasons why you didn’t engage in any this year?

First, look at your brand voice. If humor isn’t a staple of your communications, your audience may not receive it how you hope.

Next, look at your audiences and understand what channels they are on. If you can’t deliver a message that will resonate with the large majority of a channel’s audience, you should rethink whether a joke is appropriate.

Even if you can check both of the above boxes, there’s plenty of reasons why you may stay away from April Fool’s jokes. There are internal factors like corporate sentiment…

…existing priorities…

…or the justified fear of offending your audience (which may happen if they don’t get the joke, or if you don’t provide some value beyond a giggle).

Q3: Let’s talk about announcing real news on April Fool’s Day. This year, @BurgerKing did just that, debuting its meatless Impossible Whopper, created in partnership with the popular plant-based startup @ImpossibleFoods. Was it the right move?

To some, it was the right move. The Impossible Burger seems… impossible, which is well-timed with April Fool’s because that mystery creates extra buzz.

April 1 announcements are not destined to kill your news. Google also successfully launched Gmail on April Fool’s Day in 2004.

But just because it can be done does not mean it should. The confusion could dampen the excitement, and the abundance of news on April 1 could drown out your news. Planning a launch on a different day feels less gimmicky and has fewer risks involved.

Q4: The folks at @Google are known for having a few April Fool’s jokes each year. What did you think about this year’s? Was it worth it? Did you even see it before now?

Reviews are mixed. There’s an inherent charm with the game, and Google is known for making some announcement on April Fool’s day, but many of our community members had not seen this announcement until our chat at noon 12 PT/3 ET.

Q5: What is one truly amusing and effective corporate April Fool’s prank that you’ve enjoyed? Doesn’t have to be this year.

Some campaigns have resonated well with our community. Check out the examples below and see what made them popular.

Q6: With all of today’s conversation in mind, is it time for brands to stop April Fool’s Pranks? Or should they invest more time and resources in better pranks? Discuss!

Our poll leaned in favor of brands stopping April Fool’s pranks, but there can be merit in brands engaging.

Jokes need to be planned and run through the lens of your audience. If you’re throwing it together at the last minute or doing it just to go “viral”, you probably shouldn’t do it.

The point is to have fun with your audience. Sometimes we need light-hearted fun and a laugh, and it takes a lot of self-awareness for a brand to realize they may not be the best fit to provide that.

About Alek Irvin

Alek Irvin is a content marketing professional with a rich history in social media management, executive thought leadership development, and media relations. As a consultant at Erika Heald Marketing Consulting, he creates human-focused content and thought leadership platforms that help brand leaders connect and engage with their communities. Alek has worked with a range of startups and Fortune 500 companies across the B2B technology and consumer spaces, including IBM, Dell Technologies, Hitch Works, Emtrain, Integrate, and Frameable. Connect with him on Twitter @AlekIrvin.

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