For brands and influencers worldwide, April Fool’s Day is a major marketing moment.
They use that day to engage audiences with playful deception and lighthearted humour. From hilarious product launches to absurd announcements, companies and influencers use April 1st as a tool to go viral.
Some pranks were so convincing that people believed them, while others were so outrageous that they instantly went viral. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best April Fool’s Day pranks from brands and influencers.
ALSO READ: The truth behind April 1: Why we celebrate the day of foolishness
Brands
1. Google’s “Google Nose” (2013)
On April Fool’s Day in 2013, Google introduced Google Nose, a new “smell search” feature that lets users sniff their screens to experience different scents. Google Nose BETA, the company’s new fictional product, promised “to offer the sharpest olfactory experience available.” People were intrigued and they fell for it until they realised their phones weren’t capable of scent technology.
2. McDonald’s “Milkshake Sauce Pots” (2019)
In 2019, McDonald’s UK announced a game-changing addition to its menu: milkshake-flavored dipping sauces for fries, including chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, and banana. The campaign took off with a short 19-second video shared on McDonald’s UK Twitter (now X) account showcasing the sauces in action, which quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of views. The content sparked enthusiastic responses from fans before they realised it was, in fact, a prank.
3. Netflix’s “Original Movies for Pets” (2017)
Netflix played into its massive streaming dominance by announcing a new category—films designed exclusively for pets! They claimed these movies would keep cats and dogs entertained while their owners were away.
4. BMW’s “Lunar Paint” (2019)
BMW announced a new Lunar Paint technology that could charge its electric vehicles using the light of the moon at night. The announcement was so detailed that many eco-conscious consumers got excited before realizing it was an April Fool’s joke.
5. Duolingo’s “Duolingo Pillow” (2022)
Duolingo, the popular language-learning app, claimed to launch the Duolingo Pillow, a device that would let people “absorb” new languages while they sleep. Their clever marketing and fake testimonials almost made it seem possible.
6. Burger King’s “Chocolate Whopper” (2018)
Burger King teased a chocolate version of their Whopper, complete with a chocolate cake bun, raspberry syrup ketchup, and white chocolate onions. Fast-food lovers were both curious and horrified at the thought of this sweet-savoury combo.
7. Tesla’s “Model W” Smartwatch (2015)
Elon Musk and Tesla announced the Model W, a revolutionary smartwatch that could “power a Tesla vehicle, measure calories, and control the stock market.” The exaggerated features gave it away as a joke, but some fans still wished it was real.
Influencers
8. MrBeast “Quitting YouTube” (2022)
YouTube’s biggest philanthropist, MrBeast, shocked fans when he tweeted that he was quitting YouTube for good. Given his massive impact, fans panicked until they realised it was April 1st.
ALSO READ: Top 5 World’s richest Youtubers in 2025
9. Kylie Jenner’s “Bald Look” (2021)
Kylie Jenner, the beauty mogul, posted a photo of herself completely bald, claiming she had shaved her head for a fresh start. The internet went wild only to find out she was just trolling for April Fool’s Day.
10. Marques Brownlee’s “Transparent Phone” (2019)
Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) showed off a completely transparent smartphone, claiming it was the next big thing in mobile technology. Of course, it was just a cleverly edited prank.
Why Do Brands & Influencers Love April Fool’s Day?
April Fool’s Day gives brands and influencers a perfect opportunity to engage their audience in a fun and creative way. The best pranks:
Create buzz and go viral
Make people laugh and interact with the brand
Showcase creativity and humour
Boost engagement on social media
April Fool’s Day has evolved into a global event where brands and influencers push their creativity to the limit. While some April Fool’s pranks have backfired, most have become legendary marketing moments that people still talk about years later.
READ MORE: April Fool’s advert no joke for Turkish sweet giant
