Julie Minevich

April 1st, also known as April Fools’ Day, is a great time for companies to shed their corporate images and show a little personality.

Here are a few pranks I’ve seen so far today that I’ve really enjoyed -

“University President Dan Mote, who will resign his post in the fall, announced yesterday that to leave his final mark, he will push hard to get the school’s mascot changed from the diamondback terrapin to the endangered giant panda.”
Panda to be university’s new mascot | The Diamondback, University of Maryland’s campus newspaper

“The Johns Hopkins University announced today that it is bowing to the inevitable and officially changing its name to “John Hopkins.” ‘We give up,” university President Ronald J. Daniel said. “We’re fighting a losing battle here. And we strongly suspect the extra ‘s’ was a typo in the first place.’”
The “S” is out: We’re “John Hopkins” now | Johns Hopkins University

“Plenta™ (128 fl oz) and Micra™ (2 fl oz) cups arrive in Starbucks stores this Fall. Derived from Italian word for plentiful or small, the Plenta™ delivers coffee lovers record amounts of the world’s finest coffee beverages while the Micra™ delivers a quick and satisfying morsel of goodness.”
Starbucks Listens to Customer Request for More Sizes | Starbucks

“Early last month the mayor of Topeka, Kansas stunned the world by announcing that his city was changing its name to Google. We’ve been wondering ever since how best to honor that moving gesture. Today we are pleased to announce that as of 1AM (Central Daylight Time) April 1st, Google has officially changed our name to Topeka.”
A different kind of company name | Google

I’ll add my finds throughout the day as they unfold.

What are some April Fools’ Jokes you’ve seen today?

So, like the now expert DCer that I am, I went out to a happy hour (or two) Friday after work. By the time I got home from my misadventures, it was indeed bedtime.

I was in good spirits, apparently, and jumped onto my bed. (Yes, I jumped. Who did I think I was? A five-year-old kid??)

Well, I must have used a bit too much force because I went sailing across the bed and the next thing I know there’s a big thud and I’m on the floor with a skinned knee.  

How I disguise myself as an adult most of the time, I don’t know. I couldn’t make this stuff up even if I tried.