Attention-getting connections

Oh Doughnuts patrons received a prank with their pastries on Wednesday morning.

The beloved Winnipeg business posted on social media that, at day’s end, it would shut its doors for good.

“The economy has been rough for us all, but as a small business it just became too difficult to keep this doughnut train going,” the post stated.

Eagle-eyed readers noted it twice mentioned April 1 — a hint it was in fact an April Fools’ Day jest.

Not everyone was sure it was a joke though, said owner Amanda Kinden. Staff at Oh Doughnuts’ Broadway and Taylor Avenue locations were fielding phone calls and in-person inquiries from concerned consumers.

“I didn’t want to make people mad or sad, but I think I maybe ended up doing both of those things,” Kinden said.

For Kinden, the post was a way to participate in April Fools’ Day fun, just as she has many times since starting Oh Doughnuts in 2014.

“I didn’t want to make people mad or sad, but I think I maybe ended up doing both of those things.”

It was also a way to draw attention to the challenges small businesses face, including rising costs and slower sales due to customers feeling cash-strapped.

“I don’t want to make light of small businesses closing, because it is really difficult for us out here right now,” Kinden said. “I’m just sort of like, tongue in cheek, trying to create a little bit of awareness (about) that while having some fun.”

Oh Doughnuts wasn’t the only local business trying to make the most out of the day.

Nuburger posted on social media it was selling jackets filled with honey dill so customers will have an easier time dipping their yam fries in the sauce.

“We like to show that we have a little bit of personality and fun, and (that) there’s humans behind these burgers,” said Kyle Matheson, co-owner of the chain, which has six restaurants around the city. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously … and that’s why we like to participate.”

Nuburger held off on advertising a new, real promotion on April Fools’, lest the company confuse customers, he added.

Wednesday marked the start of “Eggpril,” a month-long offer that allows patrons to add an organic egg from Manitoba producer Nature’s Farm to any burger on the menu.

“We actually have to wait until April 2 to announce it because otherwise people would think (it’s) a joke,” Matheson said.

At La Brasserie Nonsuch Brewing Co., staff created a social media post announcing the Exchange District business is converting its “Rain Room” into a full-time photo studio.

The post was meant to gently rib the people who have visited Nonsuch in recent months for the sole purpose of sneakily taking photos, said Ty Johnston, director of marketing and communications.

The photogenic space features dark green couches, luscious plants and 3,500 tassels hanging from the ceiling that mimic rain.

Johnston scheduled the social media post to go up early in the day with the hope that people would see it before realizing it was April Fools’ Day.

“We get some comments and we get some people laughing and we just get to connect with our audience.”

“We get some comments and we get some people laughing and we just get to connect with our audience that way, and it reminds them to come on in,” he said.

Meanwhile, Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism posted on its social media channels about Donna AI, as in Donna “Actual Individual.”

The post poked fun at artificial intelligence while highlighting Donna, the real-life receptionist who answers calls at the organization.

April Fools’ Day paid off big time for the organization last year, when it published a blog post dubbing Winnipeg the “middle child” of Canada.

The post received so much online attention, a month later, Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism launched a campaign in select Canadian markets based on the concept as part of its efforts to attract visitors to the city.

The campaign is now expanding into the United States, with Minnesota and North Dakota receiving Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism’s middle-child messaging, said Tyler Walsh, director of marketing.

“We’ll always take advantage of coming up with a fun idea for April Fools’ if it has an opportunity to shine a light on Winnipeg and shine a light on the work that we do,” Walsh said.

“Any kind of publicity we can generate that positions Winnipeg as a great place to live, work, invest and visit — we’re going to take those opportunities.”

Generally speaking, April Fools’ Day social media posts are a positive thing for businesses, according to one expert.

“If something pops up (that is) a surprise, people like to care more,” said Sijie Sun, a marketing professor at the University of Manitoba. “It gets people’s attention.”

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca