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March 30, 2020 Content Chat Recap: Why Marketing Needs To Say Buh-Bye To April Fool’s Pranks

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Brands have joined in on the April Fool’s festivities for decades, pranking their audiences in an attempt to spread joy, build relationships, and ultimately stay relevant. The problem, though, is that over the years it seems that creativity has dwindled, pranks are falling flat, and many marketers are left wondering: “Should my company do an April Fool’s joke?”

In this #ContentChat community conversation we are joined by longtime community member and friend Maureen Jann (@SuperDeluxeMo), marketing director and strategist at SuperDeluxe Marketing, to weigh the pros and cons of brand April Fool’s jokes, with an added element of how to approach pranks in times of global crisis. Read through the conversation below, and comment with your take on whether brand April Fool’s pranks should end.

Q1: Brand April Fool’s Day pranks. Are you a fan of them, or do you think they are past their prime?

60% of our poll respondents feel that brand April Fool’s Day pranks are past their prime, 27.5% take the opposite stance, and 12.5% are undecided.

Of those that are against brand April Fool’s pranks, some feel that these activities have been irrelevant for several years. Often, the “jokes” feel like a rushed attempt to hop on the April Fool’s bandwagon without having a legitimately delightful and entertaining idea. Or, even worse, the jokes come across as offensive or distasteful.

In part, the issue with brand April Fool’s jokes is that many companies do not have an established identity of being fun or quirky (which is OK). The audiences of these brands could be confused or even feel alienated receiving a prank from a brand that otherwise is buttoned up in its communications.

That said, many marketers are still excited at the potential of April Fool’s jokes. This year with the global COVID-19 pandemic, though, brands must approach their jokes with extreme caution—on one hand, there is a need for entertaining (and distracting) content, but there is increased risk this year with heightened sensitivities.

Instead of doing an April Fool’s joke, brands could instead focus on providing insightful and genuinely helpful content for navigating this pandemic.

Or, there are a variety of other themes that brands can follow in April that don’t involve pranks.

Q2: Whether you are a fan of them or not, what do you perceive as the reason brands typically go in on an April Fool’s content prank? What marketing goals are they supposed to achieve?

If your brand wants to do an April Fool’s joke, start by asking what goal(s) you want to achieve. Some common goals include to “go viral”/drive awareness (which is not an effective motivation)…

Humanize the brand…

Build a community (which we recommend as a goal)…

Or to simply fulfill the request of a team executive that wants to be trendy and align with April Fool’s (which happens all too often, usually at the last minute, and it too often does not go well).

Q3: Given the current pandemic, is it time for brands to lay the April Fool’s prank to rest? Why or why not?

Expanding on the conversation from Q1, our community is split on whether brand April Fool’s pranks need to stop. Critics note that most brand April Fool’s jokes feel forced, misaligned with the company identity, and simply not worth the investment. And with the current pandemic, there is a thin line to walk between insensitive and entertaining.

Those in support of April Fool’s jokes encourage brands to participate, with the requirement that they have a creative idea that will be well-executed with several sensitivity checks along the way. With the current pandemic, April Fool’s jokes may be more welcomed than in years past as audiences are looking for a welcomed distraction from the turbulent times.

As with any external communications and activities, put yourself in the shoes of your audience to screen for potential harm. Edgier, controversial jokes are always risky, especially during a crisis, but not off-limits if it fits with your brand identity.

Q4: What are some things brands can do instead of an April Fool’s prank to achieve the same desired brand goals?

If your brand decides an April Fool’s prank isn’t the right choice, there are still plenty of different ways to meet your goals. Consider hosting challenges and contests on social media…

Offer a deal or gift to your customers (playing into a “this is no joke” angle)…

Host a ‘thank you’ campaign…

Or simply focus on providing year-round value for your audience.

In times of crisis specifically, brands could instead focus on connecting their audiences with the resources they need.

Regardless of your team’s approach, avoid posting anything serious until April 2 or later to avoid confusion.

Q5: What are your final thoughts on brand April Fool’s pranks?

If your brand has an authentic and genuinely delightful prank idea, do it.

When in doubt, skip the pranks.

If all else fails, focus on providing value. Empathy and positivity are also welcomed, especially during difficult times like this.

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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