Firm apologises as April fool joke annoys Lahm

AFP, BERLIN: A Munich-based business has issued a grovelling apology to Philipp Lahm over a spoof April 1 story claiming he has invested in them with Germany's ex-captain reportedly threatening legal action.
On Saturday, April 1, several German media outlets ran what later emerged to be a spoof story claiming Lahm, who will retire in June, has invested in the fitness start-up after the company newsletter carried a prank article.
The piece even contained a fake quote attributed to Bayern Munich star Lahm and an employee decided to circulate it to the media without the knowledge of the company's co-founder Vahid Imani.
But the joke quickly backfired as Lahm's management failed to see the funny side and have threatened to take the matter to court.
“This thing has nothing to do with fun. In our eyes, it is a cheap trick to use a celebratory for advertising,” Lahm's advisor Roman Grill told German daily Bild, who had also briefly carried the spoof story. The start-up firm say they have repeatedly apologised to Lahm's management, but the spoof has already generated lots of free publicity.
“I am very sorry that we triggered such a wave with the 'announcement'," said Imani in a statement.

Firm apologises as April fool joke annoys Lahm

AFP, BERLIN: A Munich-based business has issued a grovelling apology to Philipp Lahm over a spoof April 1 story claiming he has invested in them with Germanys ex-captain reportedly threatening legal action. On Saturday, April 1, several German media outlets ran what later emerged to be a spoof story claiming Lahm, who will retire in June, has invested in the fitness start-up after the company newsletter carried a prank article. The piece even contained a fake quote attributed to Bayern Munich star Lahm and an employee decided to circulate it to the media without the knowledge of the companys co-founder Vahid Imani. But the joke quickly backfired as Lahms management failed to see the funny side and have threatened to take the matter to court. This thing has nothing to do with fun. In our eyes, it is a cheap trick to use a celebratory for advertising, Lahms advisor Roman Grill told German daily Bild, who had also briefly carried the spoof story. The start-up firm say they have repeatedly apologised to Lahms management, but the spoof has already generated lots of free publicity. I am very sorry that we triggered such a wave with the announcement, said Imani in a statement.