Hospitality is a notoriously competitive market for candidates. Although Gaucho felt that it offered a great working culture and good perks, it wasn’t attracting enough people through the door. So it decided to use an April Fool’s prank – a claim that the famous steak chain was going completely plant-based. The aim was to generate a buzz and position Gaucho as an innovative leader with a sense of humour.

Working with WeLove9am, Gaucho developed the #NoBull campaign. This was a multi-channel social campaign, asking ‘Could you manage a steakhouse that doesn’t serve steak?’ The message was transmitted across multiple social media platforms and radio ads, and those who clicked through landed on a personalised page tailored to their location.

During the week of April 1, the truth was revealed that it was a joke, and automated emails were sent to applicants. Instead of outrage, candidates were genuinely curious about the opportunities available. There were 450 applications in the April Fool’s Week alone, a 98% vacancy fill rate, and 100% increase in brand awareness.