IN THE PRESS
March 18, 2021
"Is America ready for brand pranks and jokes despite the ongoing pandemic this April Fools’ Day?
Marketing experts say to approach with caution—but bring on the parodies, slapstick and whoopee cushions as audiences continue to search for coping mechanisms and ways to de-stress.
Last year, brands’ traditional April Fools’ Day campaigns were nearly non-existent as marketers treaded lightly with their messaging in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As coronavirus cases and deaths climbed, the notion that companies would step away from charitable or frontline support efforts to give away fake products, misdirect consumers or pull gags felt wrong and irresponsible. Brands that typically create for the holiday—Google, Honda, Shutterstock, SodaStream—skipped the day altogether. T-Mobile went so far as to launch a campaign called “#GiveThanksNotPranks,” telling followers it would donate $1 to Buys & Girls Clubs for every tweet with the hashtag."
