If you're anything like me, you might just dislike April Fools' Day - a lot. It's a time where many companies try to come up with ways to be funny - generally by misleading users or promoting somewhat ridiculous features. While some of those attempts can actually be funny or interesting, very often they go south, upsetting customers and resulting in a bad reputation for the company or organization that created the prank.
Microsoft seems to have acknowledged that April Fools' Day pranks don't always ring too well with customers, and Chris Capossela, the company's Chief Marketing Officer, has sent out an internal memo to all the teams at Microsoft asking them not to engage in public-facing pranks, as reported by The Verge. Capossela says that, while the results can sometimes be entertaining, "data tells us these stunts have limited positive impact and can actually result in unwanted news cycles". Unwanted news is exactly what Google got with its mic drop feature in Gmail a couple of years ago.
While Microsoft's move will likely be welcomed by many, it may be somewhat disappointing seeing as Microsoft has actually delivered interesting ideas for April Fools' Day in the past. In 2015, the firm released a Windows Phone app that simulated the classic MS-DOS operating system, and it even included a number of easter eggs for those curious.
With Microsoft leading the way in making such a move, it will be interesting to see if any other companies will follow in its footsteps. Nonetheless, you'll likely want to take extra caution when April 1 comes.
Source: The Verge
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