April Fool’s Day is just around the corner. It is a rather odd time for marketers as they’re expected to create authentic messaging the entire year, but on this day, they have absolute liberty to come up with witty content, and even indulge in trickery and lie about their products and services.
While this freedom also triggers creativity, sometimes brands go too far to leave the audience simply confused about whether it’s a prank or it is real.
The ideal April Fool’s Day prank should be such that the audience can identify whether or not it is real by the time the ad ends. But what do these ads look like and how can brands come up with such content?
To help you find that sweet spot, here are the 6 best April Fool’s Day ads by brands from the last decade that every marketer can learn from.
1. Amazon: Petlexa
Amazon came up with a fun video in 2017 to demonstrate what would happen if pets were given control of Alexa or Petlexa. The video has been viewed more than 1,900,000 times and has over 13,000 likes.
The reason why it became so popular is that it involves a great idea while clearly letting the viewers know that it’s only a joke. It’s amazingly cute and slyly showcases the capabilities of Alexa without seeming like an ad at all.
2. T-Mobile: ONEsie
T-Mobile came up with a funny ad in 2017 that combined the two trends of wearable devices and constant digital access into something that was absurd to the core- a full-body internet-backed onesie outfit.
The ad showcased the different scenarios in which the outfit could come in ‘handy’. The commercial helped T-Mobile find the best of both worlds- while it took a dig at some of the most prominent buzzwords of the telecom sector, it also successfully communicated the benefits of T-Mobile’s unlimited ONE plan.
3. Zappos: The In Secure Box
Zappos came up with a brilliant April Fool’s Day ad in 2017. The ad begins by highlighting a genuine problem i.e., package theft. However, this is addressed with the most bizarre solution- boxes that can become invisible at the push of a button.
The ad goes on to show the various ‘problems’ encountered after the creation of these boxes. For instance, even the owners couldn’t find the box upon delivery, neither could the delivery executives locate it in their delivery vans.
The ad succeeds because it’s clever and funny at the same time. It showcased the brand by smartly featuring Zappos’ app and delivery policy.
4. Burger King: Whopper Toothpaste
What do you do if you don’t want the taste of Burger King Whopper to leave your taste buds? Well, you stop brushing your teeth for days, obviously!
Burger King came up with a ridiculously funny ad for 2017 April Fool’s Day. The ad showed a man who’d stopped brushing his teeth to savor the taste of Whoppers. However, this leads to his wife leaving him. The solution to this is a Whopper-flavored toothpaste.
The idea behind the video is disgustingly compelling while the video itself is over-the-top, which clearly clues the audience that this is all merely a joke.
5. Toms + Uber: shuberX
Toms and Uber joined hands in 2014 to come up with a tag-team April Fool’s Day idea to present shuberX, a foot-based transportation option for consumers.
shuberX is aimed at reducing the carbon footprint in the environment, which is why its transportation solution involves a fake cardboard car that is powered by walking. What an ingenious idea!
The video is funny because it shows that both Uber and Toms have a sense of humor about themselves. Moreover, it also highlights Toms’ charitable mission, thereby, proving that an April Fool’s joke can also be a force for good.
6. Duolingo: Duolingo Push
Duolingo released an April Fool’s Day video in 2019 that quickly went viral. The language app is known for its persistent reminders and decided to capitalize upon this to deliver a funny commercial.
The ad shows Duolingo launching a new service called Duolingo Push, which would unleash the app’s owl mascot Duo. It would then appear in front of users to nudge them to continue their lessons regardless of wherever they were- in an important office meeting, on a romantic dinner date, or in the gym.
The ad is again funnier because people can relate to Duolingo’s persistent reminders to people about taking their lessons.
Bottom Line
So, that was our list of the funniest April Fool’s Day ads from the past. We’ll be back with more funny ad campaigns from this year to brighten your day.
Till then, stay tuned!