Sizing Up
On April 1st, 2010, Starbucks announced via their blog that they would introduce two new beverage sizes in response to customer demand for more choices. The new sizes, Plenta and Micra, would expand the current offerings at either end, with volumes of 128 ounces and 2 ounces, respectively.
Recognizing the potential impact of the KFC bucket-esque Plenta cups on municipal waste services, the announcement even recommended a variety of reuses for them, including as a rain hat, perennial planter, or yoga block. This prank received a lot of attention, gave people a chuckle, and fooled a few followers – a pretty perfect outcome.
Dropping The Ball
Just last year, in 2016, Google decided to step up its annual tradition of advertising a false, ridiculous new feature on April 1st by actually creating the wacky feature. Google built a new button, the “Mic Drop,” into Gmail designed to give users the last word in an email thread – and then hide any additional emails in the thread from the mic dropper. The “Mic Drop” functionality turned out to be a show stopper, however.
Since not everyone understood what the new button did, and a glitch in the coding hid some emails even if the button was not used, Google’s annual prank resulted in a lot of angry coworkers, bosses, clients, and more. Google quickly deactivated the feature and issued an apology via their blog, but the damage was already done.
How To Pull It Off
Want to try your hand in the fun? Ask yourself these questions first:
Would You Cringe?
If you saw another company pull the same prank, would you cringe? If so, it’s probably best to stay away from that one. If you were a victim of Google’s Mic Drop prank, you’re probably cringing right now just thinking about it. Don’t be Google.
Will Our Audience Appreciate It As Much As We Do?
As a business, you’re not pulling the prank for you. You’re pulling it for your audience, and whatever the result is will become a part of your brand. Make sure your customers and potential customers will get it and appreciate it.
What Should We Do?
The easiest pranks for a business to pull off are the ones that use their expertise. If your business is paperclips, don’t plan a prank about pet food. Not only is there a high chance you’ll miscalculate in unfamiliar territory, but you’ll miss your audience, too.
Is There Enough Time?
Executing a prank is a lot like rolling out a new product or ad. It takes coordination across departments, secrecy, and planning. Is there still time to plan an April Fools prank for 2017? Yes! But you should get started right away. Properly planning for and executing your gag could mean the difference between having some honest fun, and doing something that’s both unfunny and regrettable. And if your idea seems too big now, it may be better to wait until next year.
