Every year around this time, without fail, companies attempt to show they’re funny with a little April Fools’ Day gag. And every year, without fail, it backfires.
This year we already have a winner and it’s not even April 1.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Late Monday, Volkswagen’s US subsidiary published (and quickly deleted) a draft of a press release saying that from now on the carmaker would go by “Voltswagen” in America — a rebranding to underscore its commitment to electric vehicles (Volt, get it? Yeah, we thought it was lame too…)
The document was up long enough to create a bit of a stir among fans and journalists — was this an April Fools’ Day stunt? we all wondered. It was, but instead of saying so, VW doubled down on the lie.
It posted a full version of the press release Tuesday morning, signaling it was serious — it was really changing its name and the timing was purely coincidental.In the press release, which was still on the company site Tuesday evening, Scott Keogh, president and CEO of “Voltswagen” of America, is quoted as saying: “This name change signifies a nod to our past as the peoples’ car and our firm belief that our future is in being the peoples’ electric car.The carmaker’s official social media accounts touted the rebranding.
Here’s the thing, though: Volkswagen officials confirmed to CNN Business on Tuesday that it was all a mistake, and the rebranding was not, in fact, real.
“The renaming was designed to be an announcement in the spirit of April Fool’s Day,” the company said. It was mean to highlight the launch of the ID.4, its first all-electric SUV.
