Brands
Indian brands show witty side on April fool’s day
MUMBAI: April fool’s day gives everyone a chance to enjoy some hearty laughs and pranks at the expense of friends, colleagues or families. This is the day when you trust no one and nothing. But sometimes, the trickery is so fine that it takes forever for one to realise that they have been fooled. This 1 April, a number of brands played their best cards. Here are some of the best specimens we saw on our social media handles.
Kingfisher
Kingfisher announced the launch of a new product – Kingfisher’s Instant Beer mix, a revolutionary product which would change the beer industry. People were asked to register for free samples, which they did in abundant numbers. As per the brand, people also made WhatsApp groups discussing the product, hence making it a trending topic on the messaging app too.
Netflix India
Netflix India’s April fool’s prank started 14 days in advance as it started sharing cryptic messages that seemed to be pointing towards the much awaited season 2 of the popular original series Sacred Games.
Calendar nikaal. Tareekh likh le. 14 din mein kuch bada hone wala hai.
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) March 19, 2019
But on 1 April it turned out to be a very creative announcement of the launch of popular American sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S on its platform.
Koi bolta hai sach hai, koi bolta hai mazak, par mandala kabhi kisi ko samajh mein nahi aya. pic.twitter.com/Io681VfPrS
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) April 1, 2019
Ola
Ride-hailing platform Ola came up with an interesting solution to the one big problem that the generation, which is ‘always on the go’ faces, the lack of public toilets. It announced Ola Restroom facilities on its social media handles attracting a lot of eyeballs. However, after telling people that it was indeed an April Fool’s prank, they also shared that from now onwards, people can opt to donate Re 1 to Gramalya and help it build toilet across India.
Thank you for laughing with us. While #OlaRestrooms are not here yet, we can do our bit to facilitate better sanitation for thousands. Starting 2nd April you can opt to donate ₹1/ride to https://t.co/WSZtcQyo34 & help them build toilets across India https://t.co/P8a2MHS9uy pic.twitter.com/ZmzteQK7ny
— Ola (@Olacabs) April 1, 2019
One Plus
India’s premium smartphone brand One Plus released a small teaser of its Warp Car, an electric supercar printed using SLS 3D and ABS 3D printing that can also can be customised. The car doesn’t have a steering wheel and relies on smartphone control. It also asked people to participate on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #WarpCar to win one.
Get your hands on the fastest-charging electric car in the world. Available April 31. #WarpCar
— OnePlus (@oneplus) April 2, 2019
Pepsi
Pepsi used its influencer network to position its ‘Har Ghoont Mein Swag’ motto via a unique prank where a group of friends tricked a guy into a fake meet and greet with Bollywood actress Disha Patani. The video of the prank got viral as it was also shared on Disha Patani’s official Instagram handle.
7 UP
7 UP took its April Fool’s prank to the streets of Chennai as it teamed up with popular Tamil actor Sathish Muthukrishnan who posed as a local taxi driver in the city and drove around town, pranking unassuming passengers.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
