West Point’s April Fool’s Day Joke
April 1st is always met with funny joke and interesting ways to get things to go viral on the internet, and this year did not disappoint. One particular April Fools joke that got me came from my undergrad institution- West Point.
Full disclosure to the editors, I know this prompt was supposed to be about a business and how the April Fools campaign helped them achieve business goals. This particular campaign was not very business related, but it did implement a lot of the things we learn about in class and was within the spirit of the April Fools Day theme.
One of the mascots for West Point is the Army Mule. It was implemented back in the 1800s as a response to Navy’s goat mascot, which obviously sucks. The mule is strong, stubborn, and reliable. It was also a nod to all the mules used by the army to transport equipment throughout the years. At West Point, the mules are adored. The beloved mules would attend sporting events and are generally a part of the culture at the school.
I would have never thought we would get rid of such a great mascot until I noticed something peculiar in my Facebook newsfeed. It was the West Point Facebook page announcing that we were getting rid of the mules as a sign of “progress and innovation”. I was shocked to say the least, and I was not the only one outraged. Several people made disparaging comments about the pending change and demanding that this decision be reconsidered.
Finally, after all the angst built up- there was another announcement the following day telling everyone that it was merely an April Fools Day joke and that the mule would remain the mascot. The comments immediately changed from scorn to praise and all was right in the world.
Again, not a very “business” focused media campaign, but it did generate a lot of activity over Facebook. It received a few thousand likes and was shared multiple times. I would argue this was a successful April Fools Day joke campaign. The purpose of the West Point Facebook page is to share news about the school and increase camaraderie in the community. Hearing about the mule being replaced reminded many people just how much we adore those creatures and brought everyone a little closer together. Plus, it was nice to see West Point have a sense of humor for once.
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