Content We Hate… April Fools!

Have you ever wished for a burgerless burger? Or for hot yoga in a pretzel shop? How about glasses with built-in survival tools? For a minute on April 1st, you might think your wildest dreams have come true. And then you remember… it's April Fools' Day.

The best pranks are the ones that make us laugh and don't hurt anyone, which makes April Fools' Day the perfect opportunity for brands to capture their target audiences' attention with a 'fake' (prank) press release.

Last year, Timex sent a Multichannel News Release announcing they had created an extra hour in the day, exciting parents and college students alike. It's this type of surprise content that can lighten up the perception of your brand while showing consumers you're listening.

“The universal sentiment of wishing there were more hours in the day is something Timex has heard from consumers time and time again,” said Tobias Reiss-Schmidt, CEO of Timex Group.

This clever MNR featured product shots of the “25th Hour Watch” and an incredible video narrated with a cinematic voiceover that rivals blockbuster films. Timex fully committed to the joke by including their CEO, Senior Vice President, and other top executives in the video.

Of course, the best part of April Fools' Day is trying to trick your friends, so Timex's MNR was tagged with top social media networks for easy sharing, including a click-to-tweet hyperlinked directly to a pre-filled tweet on Twitter. This hoax proved to be an earned media hit, named one of the Best April Fools' Day Pranks of 2019 by TIME.

Always remember, the key to any April Fools' MNR is making sure your audience is in on the joke. Timex did not, in fact, alter the space-time continuum, and included the disclaimer *It is actually impossible to invent time. Don't mislead your readers; our experts at MultiVu can help you plan a campaign that combines an actual project with a fun twist, just like Timex did.

Although consistency in branding is vital, your PR team shouldn't be sending the same type of content over and over. As seen with this successful April Fools' MNR, something unexpected in the hands of our Strategy team can complement your brand's story and deliver earned media ROI.

Want even more ideas? Let’s find time to discuss how we can support your content strategy this spring.