Do you remember the pranks you used to pull on your friends on April Fools’ Day? You know, in simpler times, when substituting frosting for toothpaste in between Oreo cookies, or sneaking a Whoopee cushion under someone’s seat seemed like the best prank ever? Nowadays, in the age of the Internet, April Fools’ Day is not only a day full of silly tricks and laughs among friends, but one where the biggest brands out there flex their creative muscles in hopes of getting good press and consumer laughs.
On April first, many people delight in the ridiculous pranks pulled by the likes of Google, social media networks, and major companies online, while others bypass the Internet all together. In case you missed out, here are some of the best pranks pulled by companies online this year:
DocuSign Introduces “DocuSign Blink.”
In honor of April Fools’ Day, the world’s leading e-signature company, DocuSign, opened up about its partnership with Google Glass, its commitment to customers, and how it empathizes with those who “only have two hands.” The company’s promotional video for “DocuSign Blink” detailed how much better our lives could be if we could all sign documents with just the blink of an eye. There’s no word yet if Keith Krach, CEO of DocuSign, was in on the company’s joke; his birthday falls on April Fools’ Day, so he likely endured his fair share of pranks either way.
LinkedIn Connected Users with Cats They Know
If you logged into LinkedIn on April Fools’ Day, chances are the professional networking site presented you with a slew of likeminded felines. LinkedIn’s “Cats You May Know” program sought to connect professionals with cats who have the same career goals in mind, and flooded many a feed with profiles of cats doing what they do best. Any April Fools’ joke that utilizes cats is okay by me.
Google Emoji-fies Everything
The short video for Google’s new “Emoji Translator” really had me laughing. Emily Mee’s deadpan testimonials were absolutely perfect. In the promotional video Mee, Google’s Head of Market Research for Mobile Insights, explained, “If somebody were just able to explicitly say ‘hey I’m flirting with you’ or ‘hey I’m mocking you,’ that would just make my life a lot more efficient. […] This is the next phase of linguistic evolution, and we want to provide this to all of our users,” of how the “Emoji Translator” would eliminate the need for the written word.
Airbnb Launches “Airbrb”
If you’re a fan of Airbnb for travel purposes and you happen to work behind a desk of some sort, you’re in for a treat. The company launched its new fake campaign, “Airbrb” on April Fools’ Day, a program designed for those who want to find a new desk to work at while its owner is away. The spoofy video poked fun at its own brand really well, and was a great way to participate in April Fools’ Day.
Other companies that really nailed it with the April Fools’ Day pranks include Netflix, Uber and Toms Shoes, and Moo.com. Which ones did I miss? What were some of your favorite April Fools’ Day Internet pranks?
