Aussies outsmart Google in April Fool’s prank gone wrong

Today is Easter Sunday, but it also happens to be April’s Fools Day.

You’ve probably had some cheeky grandchildren try and prank you today, but it’s not just kids who are playing pranks. Major news outlets and multi-billion dollar companies trying to trick customers today.

While it’s all a bit of harmless fun, Google appears to have messed with the wrong crowd, failing to prank internet users with their attempt at a prank.

Taking to Facebook on Sunday morning, the search engine website claimed that it was changing its name for Aussie users. Given that McDonald’s has found success by calling itself Macca’s in Australia, it’s easy to see why Google thought it had audiences fooled.

Complete with an almost-convincing sketch and explanation, the tech company thought it had it in the bag with its joke, gleefully taking to Facebook to roll out the fake campaign.

“After months of sketching, mood boarding, foraging and finger painting with leading designer Josiah Brooks, we’re delighted to unveil our new Aussie logo,” the post read.

“Google” had been replaced with “Googz” and a further explanation had been posted on the Google blog.

“We Aussies are a unique lot, on a unique land,” the post read. “Since we arrived in Australia in 2002, our goal has been to build and adapt our products to best serve Aussies – whether you’re finding your way around town using Google Maps, or chatting with your Google Assistant about brekkie recipes.”

It claimed that an increasing number of Australians were referring to Google as Googz and that it was only natural for the logo to be updated to reflect that. It also said that from April 1, the new logo would appear on the Google homepage, as well as on Google offices around the country. A video was also included to make the prank seem real.

Unfortunately for Google, no one fell for the joke, with people flooding the post with how obvious the prank was.

One person wrote: “No one has ever called it Googz. ever. Go back to spying on us quietly”. Another comment joked: “Can’t you just say you’re pregnant like the rest of us on April Fool’s Day?”

Google isn’t the only major company having some fun today. Website TV Tonight claimed that Lisa Wilkinson would be hosting a rebooted version of Big Brother on Channel 10. Complete with a Photoshopped photo of Wilkinson in front of the famous eye, this prank did fool diehard fans of the show.

Lisa Wilkinson to host Big Brother revival for TEN https://t.co/9dsuP0FKag

— TV Tonight Australia (@tvtonightau) March 31, 2018

Meanwhile, Virgin Australia joked that spin classes would be offered mid-flight so travellers could get a workout in the air.

Sea Life Sydney Aquarium was a little less-creative, telling customers that staff would be provided with water desks in what they claimed was an “Australian-first”.

“Effective from today, the new program will see staff donning their wet suits and working from the aquarium’s feature tanks in a bid to diversify work arrangements and increase productivity,” the bogus post read.

Famous wax museum Madam Tussauds in Sydney also pranked punters by saying that an x-rated room dubbed the “50 Shades of Wax” would be opened to the public and feature models of famous celebrities stark naked.

Have you been fooled today? What is your favourite April Fool’s prank?