When Brands’ April Fools’ Pranks Actually Work

Every year, like clockwork, April 1st brings a tidal wave of brand pranks. Some are clever, some are cringeworthy and a rare few are truly brilliant. But what separates a passing laugh from a long-term brand win?

The answer: strategy.

Great April Fools’ campaigns don’t just entertain, they enhance brand relevance, deepen the brand story, and sometimes even spark real product innovation.

They Use Humor as a Strategic Tool, Not a Gimmick
The best April Fools’ campaigns don’t feel random. They’re grounded in something the brand’s tone, reputation, or a well-known quirk in their customer experience.

Take Duolingo’s “Evil Duolingo” campaign. They leaned into an existing meme about the app’s obsessive reminders that users had been joking for years felt more like a stalker than a coach.

So instead of shying away, they amplified the joke. Duolingo released a fake trailer for a horror movie called Evil Duolingo, complete with the owl haunting people who missed their lessons. It was smart, self-aware, and deeply in tune with their Gen Z learners audience who live online and love meta humor.

Humor works best when it reinforces what your audience already believes about you. Instead of making a joke at your brand’s expense, make one from your brand’s personality.

They Prototype the Absurd…to Validate the Real
Sometimes, the most ridiculous ideas are actually test balloons for the future.

​Take Oreo’s AI-generated flavors (April Fools’ 2024), which was announced with a slick microsite that let users generate new Oreo flavors using prompts. It was technically a joke, but audience response was so strong (and the results so intriguing) that many people asked: Why isn’t this real?

A fake launch can be a frictionless, high-reach way to explore interest in new features or categories. Great marketers test early, test loud and know that comedy can be a form of concept validation.

They Commit Like It’s a Product Launch
The most successful April Fools’ campaigns treat their joke with real respect. That means high-quality creative, multi-channel integration, and full commitment to the bit.

One standout example: Tinder’s “Height Verification Badge”. The dating app announced it would start verifying users’ actual height to eliminate deceptive profiles. The joke was written like a serious policy update, complete with mockups, UX screens, and “compliance” guidelines. It felt real and that’s what made it go viral.

If you’re going to do it, do it well. A half-baked prank won’t be funny. It’ll be forgettable. Put real effort behind the execution, just like you would a real campaign.

They Spark Earned Media, Not Just Engagement
Great pranks don’t just go viral on social…they get picked up by the press, amplified by creators, and shared across group chats. That’s the difference between short-term attention and long-term awareness.

Liquid Death’s “Armless Palmer” April Fools’ campaign, which was a fake iced tea + lemonade collab with Martha Stewart that featured dismembered arms in the packaging. It was outrageous, over-the-top, and exactly on-brand for a company that thrives on irreverent humor and shock value.

The result? Dozens of media pickups, social virality, and a huge boost in brand recognition among new audiences.
Don’t just think about how your audience will respond. Think about how your prank could earn headlines. Bold concepts and unexpected partnerships make editors and influencers want to talk about you.

They Play the Long Game
The smartest brands don’t see April Fools’ as a one-off. They use it to evolve brand storytelling, signal innovation, or pave the way for future product ideas.

BMW, for example, once joked about a driverless golf cart for dogs back in 2017. Years later, they began partnerships with dog-friendly hotels and launched pet-specific travel accessories. Whether it was planned or not, it showed how even whimsical ideas can shape the brand narrative over time.

Other brands, like Lego, have used April Fools’ to test tech-based features like “smart bricks” (bricks that avoid being stepped on). While not real, the concepts generated real buzz.

Great brand building isn’t always linear. Sometimes, the most unexpected ideas help you test themes, explore voice, and unlock future opportunities. April Fools’ is a creative sandbox—play in it with purpose.

Used wisely, April Fools’ isn’t just a marketing “holiday.” It’s a cultural permission slip to be playful, experimental, and self-aware. For brands, that’s a rare opportunity.
But here’s the secret: the best April Fools’ stunts don’t feel like one-off jokes. They feel like a natural extension of the brand.
​
What’s the best (or worst) April Fools’ campaign you’ve ever seen? Drop your favorite in the comments 👇