Trust nobody and believe nothing, it’s April 1.
Today brands and agencies are rolling out all the pranks they’ve been giggling about in secrecy for weeks. From an agency that landed an AOR account representing the Illuminati to a Do Not Tracksuit spoofing privacy, here are a few of 2013’s best branded pranks.
From Canada
Boston Pizza boots buns from its menu
One of the first press releases to hit our inbox this morning was this spoof from High Road Communications and its client, Boston Pizza. The restaurant claimed this morning that it was ditching buns at all its restaurants (Later, it unveiled “The Pizzaburger,” an actual menu item that is “a half-pound prime rib burger wrapped in hand-pressed pizza dough and baked to order”). And, actually, it sounds kind of great.
Rogers releases a high tech toque
Taking a page from Google, Rogers announced a new high tech toque this morning – supposedly hitting Rogers retail locations this fall – claiming, “Glass-é is pass-é, but wool is cool.”
Grip is acquired by bloodthirsty robots
Toronto’s Grip Limited sent out a release this morning announcing it was to be acquired by OmniCom, but was instead bought by OmniCorp “a worldwide leader in the production of sentient, bloodthirsty robots,” due to a clerical error. Thanks to the agency’s new overlords, it will have “cybernetic brainwashing in house by fiscal 2014,” a service that’s sure to be a client-pleaser.
Virgin Mobile Canada SmartStraw
Virgin Mobile Canada claims its created a way to “suck” the flavour out of foodie Instagram posts with its new “SmartStraw,” which the brand announced this morning on its Pinterest page. According to Virgin, the straw can “trick your brain into thinking that you’re actually tasting whatever food you’re seeing.”
In the U.K., the brand’s parent company, Virgin, announced the “world’s first glass bottomed plane” on Sir Richard Branson’s blog.
WestJet creates a ‘Furry Family’ program
Announcing it is easing its restrictions on pets in cabins, WestJet uploaded a video to YouTube today featuring all the animals customers can now fly with, from lizards to goats. Easing the pain of any goat-toting consumers upset by the prank, the airline followed the video up with a one-day seat sale to celebrate April Fools.
North Strategic ‘acquires’ Yonge-Dundas Square
The Toronto PR firm North Strategic sent out a release this morning announcing it had purchased Yonge-Dundas square for an “undisclosed sum.” In the release, North president Justin Creally snarkily says, “If you eliminate the square as an option, 88% of all PR brainstorms would come to a grinding halt.”
From around the world:
The Microsoft Do Not Tracksuit
Making light of the panic surrounding online privacy, Microsoft made a punny announcement that it’s on the “fast track to fashion” with a new “Do Not Tracksuit.” Har har.
Google’s 2013 pranks
Google was one of the first brands out of the gate with its 2013 pranks, releasing Google Nose (search for scent), Google Treasure Maps complete with hand drawn 2D landmarks and Gmail Blue, a new, much blue-er version of its email service on March 31. Taking the cake, though, is Google’s announcement that YouTube has been a long standing competition and its now going to spend the next decade choosing a winner.
Illuminati AOR
After 237 years with its advertising agency, the Illuminati selected Mother New York as its new creative partner, according to a release sent out today by the agency. We wish this one could be true, if only so we could say the proposed new media tagline, “It’s ours. All ours.” in real life.
Twitter announces Twttr
In a blog post today Twitter announced a new pay system: it’s still free, but consumers will have to pony up $5 a month if they want to “buy a vowel.”
Here’s a few more:
• Think Geek’s Play-Doh 3D printer
• The Guardian made augmented glasses to let users “see the world through the Guardian’s eyes at all times”
• Sony made a line of tech products for pets
• Scope announced ‘bacon flavour‘ mouthwash
• American Eagle put cans of “spray on skinny jeans” on its website
• Real Housewives of Vancouver producer Mike Bickerton announced the Real Housewives of Yellowknife on Twitter
• Hulu is advertising fake shows all day, including The Rural Juror a fictional show inside a show from 30 Rock
