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# Canadian Mayoral Pranks
Calgary's Mayor Pranked Newspaper Readers in This 2014 April Fool's Gag

By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2014-04-02 | Unique
Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2014-april-fools
References: [calgarysun](http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/04/01/readers-have-a-good-chuckle-over-calgary-sun-naheed-nenshi-april-fools-gag) & [calgarysun](http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/03/31/meet-the-calgary-suns-new-boss)

Naheed Nenshi, the Mayor of [Canadian city Calgary](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pizza-73), teamed up with local newspaper the [Calgary Sun](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prime-monday-night-hockey) to prank newspaper readers and city residents in this 2014 April Fool's gag.

In a special editorial printed on the Calgary Sun's April 1st newspaper copies and published on its website, Nenshi announced that he is "now the proud owner, editor-in-chief and publisher of the Sun, or as it will be known henceforth, the Nenshi News."

The April Fool's edition of the newspaper was swathed in purple to match Nenshi's 'Purple Revolution' campaign that got him elected as the Mayor of Calgary. Readers' reactions ranged from confusion to anger to amusement, all of which went to show that this prank-loving politician's 2014 [April Fool's prank](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/april-fools-month-mystery-donut) was a success.

"It was a fun joke, and thanks to the Sun for being good sports," Nenshi said after the prank. "Now, back to work!"

## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter)

- Score: 4.4/10
- Popularity: 40% | Activity: 84% | Freshness: 8%
- Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women
- Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X
- Top markets: North America

## Categories

[Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Pranks](https://www.trendhunter.com/pranks)

## Key Themes

### Key Themes Behind This Trend

- **Prankvertising:** Opportunity for businesses to incorporate pranks into their marketing campaigns and create shareable content with high engagement.
- **Brand Collaboration:** Potential for brands to collaborate with local personalities or public figures to create unique and memorable pranks that generate buzz.
- **Interactive Media:** Growing trend of interactive media and immersive experiences that allow consumers to engage with content in new and unexpected ways.

### Where This Applies

- **Advertising:** Innovative advertising agencies can utilize pranks as a form of unconventional marketing to capture attention and generate brand awareness.
- **Media and Publishing:** Opportunity for media outlets to collaborate with public figures or politicians for unique editorial pranks that attract readership and increase engagement.
- **Entertainment:** Entertainment industry can explore incorporating pranks into their content, such as television shows or live events, to enhance viewer experience and create viral moments.

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