PR: Are these the best April Fool’s campaigns ever?
Author: CIMCOM
April Fool’s Day, on 1 April, is a day that’s embedded in our national psyche. A day for spoofs and jokes. So, which brands are getting it right with their PR pranks on April Fool’s Day. Take a look at these five well-considered treatments.
One: New perfume called Eau Yes
On 1 April last year, Churchill launched its new fragrance Eau Yes. It was a world first providing ‘smell insurance’. Of course, the spoof perfume sounds just like the Churchill bulldog’s tagline “Oh yes!”.
The perfume was advertised on a billboard at Westfield in London. Agency, WCRS, was behind the April Fool’s creative. The agency explained that it’s best not to fool customers on April Fool’s Day. They argue that it’s better to share an obvious joke with your customers instead.
Two: Sangria declared a health drink
It’s something we all suspected but now modern science indicates that alcoholic Sangria is a health drink. The alcoholic beverage made with red wine and fruit slices can help us all live to a healthy old age if you believe this April Fool documentary from the Spanish Tourist Board.
Amongst the fake claims scientists declare that the drink can extend life, in some cases by 25% as well as supercharging your immune system and giving you increased energy.
The project was developed by Rooster PR together with production company Snappin’ Turtle and provided a spoof video in the style of a regular news package. Two bloggers were in on the joke with advance notice of the idea, which they played along with, on the day. First thing on April Fool’s day the story was briefed to the media, and by late afternoon, the company shared the fact it had all been a joke. Mainstream media applauded the funny ploy.
The video gained 77,707 views, whilst 193 #Sangria4Life tweets and retweets gained 1,537,704 impressions. Facebook posts reached 197,682 users and generated engagement of 6,448 post clicks, shares, reactions and comments.
Three: Personal trainers that really are trainers
Gym chain, Virgin Active, launched a new product that meets a real need amongst the fitness community – personal trainers. But these are not exercise coaches who can guide you through your fitness programme. These are shoes. The trainers include a lace-lock calorie counter and voice-emitting speakers to keep you motivated. What’s really special is you can’t take the trainers off until you’ve burnt 200 calories. The PR stunt with agency Hope & Glory gained plenty of media attention, and in traditional April Fool’s style it was followed up by a confession that it was indeed nonsense, later in the day.
Four: Drone beer delivery for Carlsberg
Last year Carlsberg announced that its latest innovation was drone delivery of beer. The announcement proclaimed that the brand could now deliver Carlsberg to your door with 30 minutes, in a first for beer brands.
Ad agency Fold7 together with PR agency Clifford French put together the campaign that revived the historic Carlsberg marketing concept “If Carlsberg did…”.
The video gained 98,000 Twitter impressions and 95,000 views on Facebook. It was also covered in FHM, Mirror.co.uk and Sun online. Within 48 hours this fake news reached over 4.3m people.
In its 2015 poll, Campaign readers voted the Carlsberg drone the best April Fool’s Day prank for that year, with 40% of 1,200 votes.
Five: BMW struts its Baby Boots
In a script that reads rather like a car advert for the marque, BMW extolls the virtues of their latest innovation, BMW Baby Boots.
The BMW brand has form when it comes to April Fool’s pranks. There was the canine repellant alloy protection system in 2008 designed to keep the exterior of BMWs in pristine condition by giving an electric shock to any dog that decided to relieve itself against the car. In 2011 came the launch of the Royal Edition BMW M3 to mark the royal wedding. But a favourite spoof is the 2015 product design of a ventilated gum-guard in the style of a BMW grille, tested by rugby international Chris Robshaw, that solves the fake issue that “some mouthguards restrict the intake of oxygen”.
BMW-Designed Mouthguard Tested By Chris Robshaw.
Every foolish concept is used to promote the brand values and BMW makes it easy for customers to recognise the joke. Blogger Nick Burcher has a back-catalogue of reports on past pranks, read more on the 2016 prank and follow the links to past BMW April Fool’s jokes.
Sharing in a cultural day of mischief, reaping the rewards of coverage, and all without causing offense is, apparently, the PR version of the holy grail for April Fool’s Day. Deconstructing these successful PR ploys provide a valuable marketing template.