BMW's April Fool's Day Special Provides a Treat Instead of a Trick
Laura McQuarrie — April 2, 2015 — Autos
References: bmw.co.nz & creativecriminals
In anticipation of pranks, most people are on high alert on April 1st—so BMW decided to set up a reverse April Fool's Day Special. In a local newspaper in New Zealand, BMW ran an ad detailing that the first person to arrive at the BMW dealership and ask for Tom was eligible to swap their old vehicle for a brand new BMW.
Knowing that most consumers would dismiss this as an April Fool's joke is exactly what made it work. What really makes the challenge interesting is that a consumer is required to put themselves on the line and risk looking like a gullible fool in order to get this deal.
When a brave pair of consumers come in to claim their new car, the reveal is almost anti-climactic, since you know exactly what's going to happen—although you can't help but want to find out it's truly not a prank after all. Fortunately, this anti-prank led only to rewards for the new BMW owners and the automotive brand.
Knowing that most consumers would dismiss this as an April Fool's joke is exactly what made it work. What really makes the challenge interesting is that a consumer is required to put themselves on the line and risk looking like a gullible fool in order to get this deal.
When a brave pair of consumers come in to claim their new car, the reveal is almost anti-climactic, since you know exactly what's going to happen—although you can't help but want to find out it's truly not a prank after all. Fortunately, this anti-prank led only to rewards for the new BMW owners and the automotive brand.
Trend Themes
1. April Fool's Day Specials - Create reverse April Fool's Day specials to surprise and engage customers.
2. Risk-based Marketing - Incorporate risk-taking challenges into marketing campaigns to generate excitement and buzz.
3. Anti-prank Marketing - Turn traditional pranks on their heads to provide positive and rewarding experiences for customers.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive - Use innovative marketing strategies like reverse April Fool's Day specials to attract and retain customers in the automotive industry.
2. Advertising - Explore risk-based marketing tactics to create unique and memorable advertising campaigns.
3. Retail - Implement anti-prank marketing techniques to surprise and delight customers in the retail industry.
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