Is April Fool's Day Happening This Year?

Today is Wednesday April 1st, but many of us who have been working from home the last few weeks would hardly notice the day of the week let alone the actual date.

But it is indeed April 1st, typically April Fool’s Day. The day we play pranks on each other, and for the last several years, the day that brands let loose and have a little fun.

Likely not this year though. While in crisis mode, pranks and exaggerations and stunts from brands may not resonate well. Humor at this time may not be appropriate. Perhaps even risky?

I had my class at NYU last night (remotely) so I posed the question to my students. Is it appropriate for brands to have a little fun on April Fool’s Day? The universal answer was … a little.

A little humor could bring relief this year. A little humor might lighten the load we are all bearing. A little humor could give us a collective chuckle that we could all use. That was my students’ POV.

But with one huge caveat. The jokes and the humor can’t be about the virus. Not now. Perhaps not ever. Certainly not on April 1, 2020.

My bet is that most brands won’t take the chance. Even AdAge’s advice to brands was to do nothing today. Nothing at all. I will personally admit that I’ll miss the activity. But then again, we are all missing a lot these days. We are missing much bigger things than a joke here or there. Although I could use a good laugh right now.

What do you think? Is April Fool’s Day fair game for brands this year? Could we use a little levity? Or should they stay away?

What’s your experience? JIM