Australian macadamia April Fools joke helped spread awareness
After the success of last year’s April Fools’ Day nut-cracking squirrel, this year saw the launch of a “new product” in the form of a “Macadamia Bonsai Kit” that came complete with a mini macadamia farmer called Mac A. Damia, and a miniature selection of his favourite farming tools.
The joke was designed to tap into Japanese consumers’ strong interest in the macadamia growing story as well as additional exposure on a variety of Japanese news and lifestyle sites.
The activity generated impressive reach of 1.1 million page views across all platforms. April Fools’ Day brand hoaxes have become a popular marketing tactic, with big-name brands such as McDonalds, Airbnb and Doritos all rolling out fantastic pranks this year. Done well, these executions create considerable media buzz and goodwill among consumers.
source: australian-macadamias.org