Friday, 1st April 2016: It was just another Friday and business as usual for everybody, as they looked forward to end their week on a high. But they had forgotten. This was a day where everything was possible. And when popular brands actually joined in the fun, the day was filled with uncertainty and excitement. But the lines of reality became that much blurrier, especially with Google putting the Minion Mic Drop GIF feature for G-mail, which made quite a stir by causing people to offend others without intention. Yet some brands are deserving of praise for humouring their audience. And I’m sure many of you would wish they were true.
Youtube
Your video watching experiences will no longer be the same. In collaboration with Snoop Dogg, YouTube invented Snoopa Vision – a 360-degree experience with the one and only Snoop Doggy Dogg. He even helped to come up with some ground-breaking ideas behind the product. “When you add the double G, it becomes a greater.” We hear ya Snoop.
Taylor’s University
Taylor’s announced their very own School of Comedy that teaches students how to make the best medicine in the world – laughter. This landmark, if real, would make them the pioneer of this school. “Here, real success is measured by laughter, not examination.” So if laughter is your thing, you’d want to enrol yourself in Taylor’s University’s School of Comedy.
Lair bnb
Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to stay in the lairs of superheroes, elves, or even vampires (as long as they promise not to bite)? Just imagine how much we can learn by having a night out with these superhuman beings. We can hang out, save people, protect the woods, or even suck blood together.
Netflix
With the recent craze over Star Wars, and the recent success of their Marvel series, it would not be a surprise for Netflix to come up with their own Star Wars series, The Fury of Maul. After releasing a teaser trailer of said series, they got fans riled up with hope. A live-action series of Darth Maul is a fantastic idea, especially when Marvel and DC are coming out with their own villain films, Sinister Six and Suicide Squad respectively.
National Library and Archives of Canada
It was a dream come true for comic book lovers as Canada found the actual documents of their most decorated soldier, James “Logan” Howlett, famously known as the Wolverine. After piling through their archives, they actually came across a document of Wolverine that proves his very existence. Where is he now? No one knows. But it’s safe to say, he’s giving the bad guys a bad day. Not really a product, but for a national library and archives, that’s a well-deserved selling point.
Creative Director Alex Oli of Anomaly, who was interviewed by VICE, says that agencies receive creative briefs from clients to make a funny April Fools’ ad. He mentions that this date is their chance to prove to their customers that they can be funny and human, and there isn’t a safer date to do so other than the day of all jokes. But then again, the article was published on the same day, so… an April Fools’ piece by VICE maybe?
Nonetheless, April Fools’ is a good chance for brands to show a lighter side of their appearance. Like these brands have done. Imagine seeing the world through Snoop Dogg’s eyes, and be a graduate from a School of Comedy, or getting to watch Darth Maul in action once again; or even feel how it’s like to live in the lairs of a fictional character’s. Just imagine it! The chance of seeing Wolverine in front of you. What a thrill.
Doing ads for April Fools’ can be really fun but be careful to not taking it too far, because it can cause a disruption in relationships, such is April Fools’, especially when you place them in professional and personal mediums such as people’s e-mails. Be creative, but stay wary. You may not know whose life you may just disrupt.
What would your brand do for next year’s April Fools’ Day?
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