April Fools Ad Campaign Round-Up

On April 1, the internet was awash with April fools jokes as companies took advantage of an opportunity to use humor to create brand awareness. Not all companies were able to generate a buzz, but several campaigns were regarded as a huge success as they gave customers a laugh and lit up social media.SelfiesSeveral companies used the ever popular "selfie" trend to create a humorous, nonexistent product. Honda Motor Co Ltd (NYSE: HMC) announced its "HR-V Selfie Edition"; a SUV fully equipped with interior and exterior cameras that allow drivers to take better self portraits. Petco similarly advertised a fictional selfie stick for pets with "bark" or "meow" activation.Cats EverywhereThe internet's most popular meme, the cat, was front and center for this year's April fools jokes. Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) presented Office 2016 for cats, Groupon Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN) revealed a ride sharing service with feline drivers calledGrouber, and Bing announced the Cute Cloud, a database containing the best kitten, puppy and other adorable animal photos.NostalgiaMany companies used nostalgia to take customers back to their childhoods on April first, Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) revised its homepage to look like it did in the 90's for the day, but it was Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) who took home the prize for most epic April fools prank this year. The company added a pac-man feature to Google Maps, resulting in a hugely popular way to waste time at work. The company's salute to the 1980's arcade game soon went viral soon after it was uploaded with users sharing their picks for the most fun "pac-man" cities.