The first rule of public relations and announcements: peg your announcement to coincide with an associated holiday, event or other news hook.
In trying something different, I am going to collect the best April Fools gags by companies throughout the day and add them here. If you see one that I should cover, leave a comment below. Or you can Tweet it to me @kamichat on Twitter.
Here is a starter that I got late last night.
GreyScale
Popular Android App, ShopSavvy, announced the new App GreyScale. In a palyful swipe at the new app Color, which launched last week with $41 million in funding. Greyscale, on the other hand, was launched with $41 from some well-known Angel investors, including Jeff Clavier, Mark Cuban, Dave McClure, David Cohen, Jay Adelson, Gabriella Draney and Aaron Patzer.
The app claims to be "a miraculous, free application for iPhone and Android that allows people who spend most of their time alone to capture and have real-time access to monochromatic photos and videos of themselves — created by themselves, for themselves. GreyScale is the best way to experience life’s everyday moments without having to share them with people you barely know and could care less about – or anyone else, for that matter." You can see the press release here.
HootSuite
Opening your HootSuite Dashboard today, you might be invited to play HappyOwls, a game that can be played "in dashboard." Hootsuite did develop a mini-game to launch owls from a slingshot, but when you click on the link to get the app from the iStore, you get a note that you have been had. A fun gag. Go check it out here.
Introducing Gmail Motion
Brilliant. Eat your heart out Microsoft Kinect. Gmail takes us away from our keyboard and transcends the touchscreen. Totally hysterical. As one commenter said, "I just sneezed and it erased my whole message!!!" (via Ed Truitt)
In other Google news today, meet Michael, an autocompleter for Google. Google is hiring autocompeters who can type really fast and who are also psychic. (via Jerald Reichstein)
LinkedIn People You May Know
If you have a LinkedIn account, be sure to check out the "People You May Know" widget on the right hand side of the page. You might find you have some pretty sweet connections. And if you pay for InMail you might even be able to add them as contacts. Someone tell me if it works! (via Marc Nathan)
Starbucks Mobile Pour
And for the ultimate in mobile. Starbucks pairs a mobile app with real-world delivery. From the Starbucks blog:
"Inspired by your ideas on MyStarbucksIdea.com we’re proud to introduce the exciting new Starbucks® Mobile Pour service that puts baristas on scooters. In seven of the largest cities around the country, we’re sending out two scooter baristas per every square mile to ensure speedy service."
They also provided this handy animation so we can see how it works and you can read more about it on the Starbucks blog. (via Katie Sunstrom)
Farmville Meet Churchyville
And proving that the Episcopal Cafe has a sense of humor, they are launching a social game to allow, "anyone, anywhere to create the diocese of their dreams from scratch. Available in beta in the coming weeks, Churchyville has features that allow players to build a cathedral, plant churches, and create governance resolutions with the help of their friends." If you have ever wanted to be a Bishop, this might be the game for you.
Please leave other April Fools gags you see in the comments and I will add them up here :-) Also, if you can't get enough of this stuff and want to peruse a database of April Fools Jokes, or you want to get a few ideas for next year, check out April Fools Day on the Web. (link is via Kami Miller)
Links to Other Gags
- Rich Becker Interview with @BonxZoosCobra
- Conquer Club translated their whole website into Swedish chef’s language!
- Food Writer Katharine Leigh Shilcutt introduces a restaurant that is more like the Little House of Horrors
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