Alexandra M. Fonseca and Hanna Wu
April Fools’ Day allows brands to be silly, goofy, or amusing, even if it’s not “on brand. ” When it comes to social media marketing, these pieces of content can often generate buzz beyond social media.
Before diving into content development, it’s important to understand the intersectionality of humor and its generational divide in the online landscape.
Humor has become a significant area of disagreement between younger and older generations, and it is often polarizing
For example, the current debate surrounding ‘Millennial Cringe,’ characterized by expressions of earnest optimism and vulnerability, clashes with Gen Z’s prevalent brand of absurdist and ironic humor. This is seen in the popularity of hyper-ironic meme formats versus the older style of reaction image memes.
Targeting the wrong audience in an era of rapidly evolving generational humor can be a high-risk, high-reward strategy. If executed correctly, humor can be a branding superpower with authenticity and relevance
81% of consumers like it when brands use humor, but only 28% say brands [get their jokes] (Edited for clarity) (Source: Ipsos).
Consider your brand’s target audience’s feelings surrounding April Fools’ Day.
Understanding generational humor differences and April Fools’ Day feelings is crucial for brands to craft resonating content.
(SOURCES: Ipsos, Turknett Leadership Group, & Business Insider)
Strategic Silliness: Your April Fools’ Guide”
Now that we have briefly touched on the generational differences of online humor, April Fools’ Day allows brands to show off their social listening, creative, and strategic partnership abilities.
It is a chance to gain invaluable insights into your target audience’s specific humor preferences and to experiment with humor outside your brand’s typical tone.
Begin with social listening to grasp your audience’s humor landscape. Then, use this framework to guide your creative exploration and connect with your audience in a memorable and relevant way. Consider partnering with brands outside your vertical for an extra spark, though the core creativity should stand independently.
- Audience Resonance: Will our audience love it, and have we minimized risks?
- Example: Scotch by Scotch; a clever and straightforward word-play-based content piece that appeals to Gen X and Boomers. Noteworthy, especially since Boomers are the demographic that is currently driving alcohol sales.
- Social Listening Intelligence: What trends or conversations is our audience engaging with?
- Example: Sol de Janeiro Spider Scent appealed to millennials and Gen Z and responded to internet culture and discourse.
- Creative Execution and Innovation: How can we push our creativity?
- Example: Duolingo On Ice appealed to Gen Z because they like absurdist humor and brands that actively engage with them on social media.
- Strategic Partnership Synergy: Do we have a real or fake partnership with another vertical for a more significant impact?
- Example: Fried Chicken Flavored Prime appealed to Gen Alpha and Gen Z, who like influencer and gaming tie-ins. Prime and Jake Paul are also generally more appealing to this specific generation.
Author’s Notes
In a [looks over at the camera moment], the two authors of this piece are intra-generational: Gen Z and Millennial. We thought it would be interesting to discuss our feelings on two brands’ past April Fool’s Content to see where our thoughts mesh or clash. Let’s get into it!
Sol de Janeiro Spider Scent
Alexandra – Millennial
This worked because it leaned into the online discourse lightheartedly, showing that the brand isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself. Turning negative chatter into something playful and trivial, they successfully shifted the narrative while keeping engagement high.
Hanna – Gen Z
As someone that uses Sol de Janeiro and was scared by the initial rumors of their Delícia Drench attracting spiders, I like that the brand was able to spin these later debunked allegations in a lighthearted and silly way and also show their audience that they listen/follow along with what is said about them on social + possess that self-awareness (which connects with what Gen Zs like from branded stunts too).
Porsche x Rhode Case
Alexandra – Millennial
Not necessarily “funny,” but it was compelling because it transformed a viral commodity into a brand moment. The execution was a high production, well-crafted, and cleverly positioned Rhode within an unexpected cultural conversation. I also liked that it’s utilitarian…I would use this for my car keys.
Hanna – Gen Z
Personally, while I think this is cool, it didn’t feel too much like an April Fool’s stunt to me. It’s still nice seeing a legacy brand like Porsche come out with something that they don’t typically tend to post on social media (but still aligns with aesthetic) – plus, the intersection of beauty and automobiles is great. But, when it comes to branded April Fool’s stunts, something more silly and original appeals to me better.
