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April Fools Day. A day where social media is flooded with stunts from corporations leveraging the infamous holiday as a marketing ploy.

But is it effective?

Executed well an April Fools joke is a chance to connect with audiences, increase awareness, engage customers and ideally, create a viral moment.

However, what may seem like just a funny social media post can have some very real consequences, including:

• Damage to your reputation
• Unnecessary confusion around your brand and products
• Backlash and abuse directed at customer-facing staff, especially for promotion-based April Fools

So, who got it right this year and who got it wrong?

Right: Queensland Police

Already known for its humour on social media, Queensland Police used April Fools to promote kindness on the roads.

The video posted across social media shared that from April 1, the ‘courtesy wave’ would be mandatory.

The video even featured drivers being pulled over and reprimanded by uniformed officers.

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A post shared by Queensland Police Service (@qldpolice)

Senior Constable Krystle Muller said, “While we won’t actually be enforcing the ‘courtesy wave’, our intention of promoting kinder practices between road users is genuine,”.

The stunt was well-timed as the Queensland Police continue to encourage safer and kinder driving in the lead up to the Easter school holidays after last year saw a devastating record of the highest number of lives lost on the state’s roads since 2009.

Overall, the stunt sparked a much-needed conversation about mutual respect between drivers.

Right: Jatz

Iconic cracker brand, Jatz joined the fun introducing a new product, a Jatz cracker dipped in Arnott’s chocolate.

The announcement was welcomed by customers, with the comment section filled with customers begging the brand to make the product a reality.

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A post shared by Arnott’s Biscuits (@arnottsbiscuits)

What took this stunt to the next level was the giveaway Jatz posted shortly after.

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A post shared by Arnott’s Biscuits (@arnottsbiscuits)

Jatz had a small number of Jatz Chocolate manufactured and encouraged customers to enter a giveaway on social media, creating even more conversation, awareness and engagement!

Mixed: Lipton Iced Tea

In mid-March, Lipton Iced Tea drinkers were sent into a frenzy when the brand announced its Peach flavour would be discontinued.

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A post shared by Lipton Ice Tea (@liptonicetea)

As its most popular flavour, many were confused by the news. Some reacted by flocking to stores to stock up while others expressed their annoyance on social media.

A few hours later, Lipton Iced Tea shared that the peach flavour wasn’t going anywhere, posting “Oops, is it still March? Got my dates mixed up…thought it was April Fools already!”

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A post shared by Lipton Ice Tea (@liptonicetea)

However, the comment section was filled with confusion and anger, with others labelling it as a “terrible publicity stunt” and “most unfunny thing ever”, with one commenter even saying the brand owed them compensation after they stocked up.

While the stunt has created some distrust amongst their community, it increased sales, earned global media coverage, and created a buzz on social media with customers talking about their beloved peach Lipton iced tea.

Wrong: Cr Ryan Murphy

Cr Ryan Murphy, the Councillor for the Chandler Ward took to social media yesterday to share three April Fools jokes.

The first, that the Brisbane City Council would be launching a new Blue Vape Bin, to be collected fortnightly.

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A post shared by Cr Ryan Murphy (@cr.ryan.murphy)

The second, introducing ‘IttyBittyCats’, jet skis as transport across Brisbane’s inner city.

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A post shared by Cr Ryan Murphy (@cr.ryan.murphy)

The third, introducing transparent red bins.

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A post shared by Cr Ryan Murphy (@cr.ryan.murphy)

All three posts were met with backlash with comments left including, “Maybe spend as much effort on your yearly joke on helping your community you’re elected to help” and “your team have too much time on their hands if they can come up with this much material”.

Under the vape bin post, commenters were calling on the council to address the safe disposal of vapes and under the ‘IttyBittyCats’ post many commenters believed the announcement to be true.

While the posts are jokes, they are designed to look real and remain on Cr Murphy’s social media feed, surrounded by very real announcements.

While the posts are humorous, we think it’s best to avoid April Fools, especially multiple stunts, as Cr Murphy’s social media is primarily used for sharing factual announcements and building trust within the community.

Four years after Brisbane was announced as the host city of the 2032 Games, the State Government finally unveiled the venues.

Amongst a new Brisbane stadium, Queensland Tennis Centre and upgrade to the RNA Showgrounds, is a new National Aquatic Centre.

Centenary Pool in Spring Hill will be redeveloped to become a new national hub for Australia’s four peak aquatic sports.

With a capacity of 25,000 spectators during the Games, and 8,000 after, Brisbane will be home to a venue capable of attracting major aquatic events and an environment for daily high-performance training alongside community access.

Swimming Australia and the wider water sports community has welcomed the announcement with resounding praise.

Swimming Australia CEO, Rob Woodhouse said, “Today we celebrate the most significant investment ever in aquatic sports in Australia,”

The Water Polo Australia CEO joined in sharing his praise saying, “Australia’s first ever national high-performance hub for all aquatic sports…will provide the unique opportunity where we won’t be in competition with the community needs but rather have enough pool space for everyone to enjoy and hopefully inspire more people to get active,”.

The announcement of a National Aquatics Centre was met with cheers from the KDPR office with KDPR Director, Kristin Devitt previously taking on a project as Strategic Communications Advisor for Swimming Australia.

A highlight of Kristin’s role was delivering a 2032 Games legacy impact strategy, including a consultation process with swimming’s diverse stakeholders, considering safety in the water, high performance and social impacts. Initiatives included Deadly Little Dolphins promoting learn to swim in First Nations communities, participation growth and access to swimming spots.

The strategy also called on the State Government to invest in legacy infrastructure for swimming as Australia’s most successful Olympic and Paralympic sport and the highest participation sport in the country, with nearly six million participants.

To ensure the call to action was impactful, KDPR led a highly successful national media campaign, with runs appearing on ABC (TV, radio and digital), The Today Show, Channel 7 News and even The Fiji Times.

Now that venues have been announced, excitement for the 2032 Games is brewing and we are eager to see our River City continue to grow in the lead up to the Games. 

By KDPR Intern Jayden Ford

On the 19^th of January, the United States was scheduled to ban Tik Tok. To the shock of many users, the site actually went dark. Tik Tok was removed from the App Store and Play Store, and existing users were unable to use the platform. However, less than 24 hours later, TikTok was restored following Trump’s 90 day extension of the enforcement of the ban. This extension is aimed to facilitate the sale of a 50% stake in TikTok to a U.S.-based company.

While the ban has been temporarily withdrawn, there is much uncertainty. If no sale is made, will Tik Tok be banned again, this time permanently? If it’s sold, who will buy it? We know Elon Musk’s name has been thrown around, as well as a group led by Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven MnuSchin. How will this impact the United States and the world?

Global Uncertainty

Since its rapid rise in popularity between 2018-2020, Tik Tok has revolutionised how people interact, both socially and professionally. For marketing, communication and PR, Tik Tok became one of the most important platforms used to connect with audiences, especially younger ones. Thanks to its unique algorithm, Tik Tok allows for a more raw, personalised and interactive way for companies and public figures to connect and build relationships with their followers.

The biggest impact Australia and the world will feel from this ban is uncertainty. It sends a clear message to businesses and individuals; don’t rely on a singular channel or a singular strategy. Having a plan B or having alternative ways of storytelling and delivering messages is vital in today’s ever-changing media landscape.

It also highlights the need to invest time and resources into tracking global and local industry trends, as well as conducting regulatory and media monitoring. Understanding what is happening outside the bubble of your organisation is vital for adapting to changes and maintaining a competitive edge.

What if the ban is enforced?

While audiences outside of the US would remain unaffected, US users make up the second-largest TikTok user base with 170 Million users. With these users off the app and likely migrating to competing apps, there would be a fragmentation of a previously global audience. Given the international scope of many marketing, communication and public relations campaigns, this will impact how organisations choose to engage with audiences.

This may encourage non US-based companies to follow US audiences to wherever the majority decide to settle. Even with Australian audiences still allowed to access Tik Tok, the popularity of the platform may dwindle. Therefore, it will be vital for businesses to reassess their audiences and where they are, to keep up with swiftly changing trends.

Alternative Apps

So with or without Tik Tok, what other apps can be used in its place? Existing competitors Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are the most likely competitors/replacements, both offering similar short-form video content. Furthermore, both platforms already have established user-bases. Snapchat also has a similar function, but it is not currently as popular.

A surprising alternative to TikTok is RedNote (Xiaohongshu), a Chinese-made platform that has quickly surged to the top of the Apple App Store’s social networking charts in both the U.S. and Australia. This rapid rise can be attributed to users, many self-proclaimed “TikTok refugees”, seeking a new platform amid the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future. Additionally, some individuals are protesting the U.S. government’s decision to ban TikTok by supporting RedNote, an explicitly Chinese-owned platform.

However, RedNote’s popularity may not be sustained in the long term due to its Chinese ownership, raising similar concerns to TikTok over data privacy and national security. Given the potential for similar regulatory scrutiny, RedNote could also face a future ban. It will be important to closely monitor how RedNote evolves to decide whether it should be integrated into your social media strategy.

By KDPR Consultant, Stella Coppard

This Christmas I decided to ditch the heat, and head to Europe for a white Christmas. But with this came the dreaded long-haul flights and the staple in-flight safety video.

As we settled in for a gruelling 24+ hours of travel, the Emirates safety video opens with a flight attendant saying, “This is your no-nonsense safety video. We do not have dancers breaking into song, characters from movies, or celebrities trying to be funny, I’m afraid”.

I couldn’t help but immediately think of Qantas’ recent flashy safety video with no actual shots on an aircraft.

Turns out I wasn’t the only one with this thought. After some online research I discovered that this line had ignited a fierce and long-standing debate in the aviation industry – which is more effective, a video that is clear, easy to understand and prioritises safety, or one that prioritises retaining passengers’ attention.

Now Qantas is by no means the only airline to divert from the traditional format, but they’re certainly the airline to receive the most criticism for doing so.

Early last year, Qantas released a new, almost 10-minute-long safety video showcasing a variety of domestic and international destinations.

However, there was one glaring issue.

Flight Attendants Association of Australia’s (FAAA) national secretary, Teri O’Toole summed it up when she said, “There are no cabin crew in uniform and there are no shots of an interior of an aircraft, which are all important factors for non-English speaking passengers and those that need to know who is in charge”.

Qantas defended the criticism with Chief Customer Officer, Catriona Larritt saying, “…we try to make it as engaging as possible, in particular for regular flyers who might otherwise tune out.”

FAAA’s O’Toole had nothing but praise for Emirates ‘no-nonsense’ safety video, saying “The Emirates video points out the errors made by other airlines using these videos as travel blogs”.

But not everyone is a fan of Emirates ‘no nonsense’ approach. December 2024 saw Qatar Airlines releasing a new safety video starring Hollywood actor Kevin Hart.

Qatar wastes no time taking a jab at its competitor with Hart saying within the first minute, “no nonsense, how about we just call it what it is, unimaginative, uninventive, and flat-out boring”.

But in January 2024 the importance of in-flight safety videos became all too clear.

When a Japan Airlines plane collided with a coast guard aircraft, the plane was quickly engulfed in flames. While 5 passengers aboard the coast guard aircraft died, all 379 passengers on board the Japan Airlines plane survived.

The in-flight safety video was hailed as a key player in the survival of the passengers, with its clear and direct safety messages, particularly the importance of following cabin crew’s orders and leaving belongings behind in an evacuation. 

The Takeaway

Don’t lose sight of your message.

As the in-flight safety video is a staple across every airline, many work hard to stand out from the crowd.

However, some become too caught up in trying to be the most different and the most impressive.

If airlines decide to go down the more playful route, a careful balance needs to be achieved. Remember sometimes it’s best to keep important messages simple.

Another key takeaway – consider your audience.

Airlines have the unique challenge of communicating life-saving information to a broad audience who speak numerous languages and have varying levels of flying experience.

In a situation where visual communication is relied on heavily, it’s probably best to keep it clear.

A note from our Director, Kristin Devitt

January often gets a bad rap, making a return to work and end to lovely, long, languorous days on leave. 

I like to treat these opening weeks of a new year as the perfect time to create a momentum on achieving your agenda for the year ahead.

If you are wanting to make significant headway on an advocacy campaign, media training and public speaking skills, media profile or refreshed branding, book a call with us now. I’m looking forward to working with you in 2025.

Advocacy

 Do you need to influence opinion and encourage support for your project or cause?

We are your expert advocates.

Many comms strategies focus on establishing a reputation, but advocacy takes it a step further, advancing a message to convince key decision makers to support a cause or make a change.

With extensive experience in the not-for-profit and corporate sectors, we offer strategic, specialist advice that produces results.

Profile Raising

There are stories to tell your target markets and there are stories to create with your stakeholders and community. 

Big brands and small, we’ve worked with the best.

We are well-versed in curating stories and identifying angles to cut through the noise, land valuable media coverage, and open new doors for individuals and organisations.

Share your story with us to discover how we can facilitate valuable connections and achieve your business vision.

Branding

For most industries the market is flooded.

Lift your profile and stand out with experienced and strategic branding advice.

We work as an extension to your team, bringing specialist skills, and fresh eyes. We are experts at appealing to your stakeholders with a refreshed brand to match your organisation.

New year, new brand. Speak with us to reinvigorate your brand in 2025.

Media & Presentation Training

Are you ready to step up your public speaking and media interviewing skills?

Whether it’s an annual team session or a quick one-on-one  session ahead of a media opportunity, networking event, conference or presentation, KDPR prepares you to deliver your story with confidence and to own the room.

We work with key executives, emerging leaders and professionals across all sectors.

Make 2025 the year you thrive in the spotlight.

The now infamous 4 corners interview with Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci earlier this week, serves as a reminder to all senior executives across industry, institutions and the professions, that being properly prepared for media interviews is critical.

An interview with 4 Corners was never going to be an easy going, friendly chat, so Banducci should have fully expected penetrating questions and a full interrogation. In fact, I advise execs to prepare for tough questions even if the interview is positioned as a friendly feature.

If you say yes to an interview, put the time n to prepare. Not only to get your facts ready, but to get your mindset right. At KDPR we  put clients through a rigorous interview session ahead of key interview opportunities such as this. Prep them for a worst-case scenario. That way, my clients are ready for anything, and know how to manage the situation in lieu of walking out, which of course then becomes the headline. It pays to have a formal journalist as your media trainer, to properly put you through your paces.

Explore media training at KDPR here.

Genuine content

People are seeking authentic, genuine content and a more ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at businesses. Consumers look to support local and small businesses that provide an authentic view into how they operate, who they are, and their values.

Social media has become the easiest and most personal way to connect with audiences. When lockdown restrictions halted trade, closed stores, and shut down events, genuine, behind-the-scenes content helped brands become more than a provider of goods and services and establish meaningful relationships with their customers.

Communications success in 2021 for larger companies means sharing truth, facts, and education. The industry has already shifted towards championing these communications strategies, and prioritising campaigns around authenticity and transparency. We will see this continue to grow with companies putting more resources into authentic communications strategies and fostering genuine connection with their audiences.

Creative and flexible strategies

2021 will provide the perfect springboard to find new ways of connecting with stakeholders and consumers. Even though parts of life here in Australia are starting to resemble the ‘Before COVID’ era, we now have the opportunity to rethink how to get materials to wider audience in any environment.

We have created platforms and technologies that will allow us to explore new opportunities and create experiences across a wide range of technology types. In-person events are still valuable, but it is necessary to deliver just as valuable of an experience virtually.

Having seen how quickly new policies and movement restrictions can come into play, a creative and flexible plan A will serve you better than having many alternative plan Bs. Communications professionals should consider all possibilities when developing that plan. Embrace technology, have options for all audiences, and set frameworks that allow you to adapt the strategy at a moments notice.

New ways to reach audiences

‘Thinking outside the box’ starts with the question: where is your audience? Media coverage is a core activity of PR but is not always the best way to reach and meaningfully engage audiences.

Beyond traditional publicity, platforms like podcasts, panel discussions, and webinars offer opportunities to expand your reach and enhance your credibility. Creative activations and guerrilla marketing can do wonders for brand voice and storytelling. Offering virtual and in-person opportunities to access any events or thought-leadership significantly expands your engagement.

Being able to understand the potential of your strategies and reach will see the communications industry to evolve – and allow your business to remain connected to your audience, no matter where they are.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented experiment for the modern workplace, with the we way both live and work drastically challenged by restrictions. Many employees have long called for more flexible work arrangements, whether to accommodate carer duties, working parents, or work-life balance. The post-pandemic world presents an opportunity to implement on a large scale what was once a radical, progressive approach to work routine – and is now a widely praised model of thriving workplace culture.

Today is Flexible Working Day, an international day to celebrate and showcase the benefits of flexible work for both people and organisations. KDPR has embraced the WFH lifestyle and is lucky to be in an industry that allowed us to easily adapt when the pandemic restrictions first instructed much of the workforce to stay at home. We have seen firsthand how flexible working systems have helped our team, our clients, and our community to increase their productivity and improve their work-life balance. The ability to work on projects from the comfort of home has proven to improve workforce mental health.

We recently wrote an article on authentic and transparent leadership, and how the pandemic provides the opportunity to reflect on management best practice – including a stronger focus on tangible outcomes and deliverables rather than just turning up. Management has evolved from a top-down hierarchy, with workplaces forced to adopt less of a micro-managerial model and more employee autonomy. The environment of online work has borne a leadership style that places more emphasis on employee satisfaction, autonomy, and growth.

We understand that for some, face-to-face engagement and team environments are necessary tools for effective collaboration. Meetings and strategising with colleagues and clients are still beneficial ways to align and inform, but the ability to choose is the most beneficial tool of all. There is no one way to work, but rather a multi-pronged approach that is rooted in flexibility, with the critical component of employee choice.

Today, on Flexible Working Day, we are showing our support for formalizing flexible work arrangements and are excited to see how the very fabric of our working society adapts to a post-COVID world.