Each year on April 1st, brands of all shapes and sizes go to some pretty extreme lengths to prank their audiences and generate a buzz. Increasingly, these brands are relying on marketing agencies in a bid to really nail an integrated April Fools’ Day campaign that is as convincing as it is ridiculous.
But what makes a memorable April Fools’ stunt?
We asked our team about the campaigns that have stuck with them over the years – and they all have four things in common.
‘Love Language’ – Duolingo and Peacock’s new dating show
In 2023, Duolingo released the trailer for its brand-new dating show on Peacock which brings together 10 hot and flirty singles in the hopes of finding true love. The hook? None of them speak the same language.
To cement the announcement’s legitimacy, the trailer for ‘Love Language’ features Francesca Fargo, a regular on some of Netflix’s most popular dating shows including ‘Love Is Blind’ and ‘Too Hot to Handle.’
While the show unfortunately turned out to be fake, the stunt delivered real business goals for both Peacock and Duolingo who used the campaign as a tool to advertise new-user promotions.
Jade, Digital PR Exec: “This fooled a lot of people because honestly, I’m surprised they haven’t done this for real. It makes sense with Duolingo’s whole brand persona on social media as well.”
BBC – ‘Miracles of Evolution’
How do you get users flocking to your new streaming service? Broadcast a 90-second advert for a new documentary titled ‘Miracles of Evolution’, showing never-before-seen footage of penguins taking flight, of course.
That’s exactly what the BBC did in 2008 in a bid to promote the newly launched BBC iPlayer. Presented by Monty Python star Terry Jones and created by filmmaker ‘Prof Alid Loyas’ (a clever anagram of April Fools Day), the completely fake footage of flying penguins even caught the attention of The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mirror who published headline articles about the upcoming film!
Mike, PPC Manager: “Penguins… what’s there not to like? I like how this campaign looks to bring awareness to equality. Just because penguins can’t fly, doesn’t make them any less of a bird… it’s bigger than black and white, ya know?”
Yorkshire Water – Diet Tap Water
In 2004, Yorkshire Water fooled over 10,000 people into believing they had found the solution for weight loss in the revolutionary form of ‘diet tap water’.
Using GMTV and Calendar News as its primary outlet, Yorkshire Water announced it was fitting a third tap for ‘diet water’ into the homes of one estate in Bradford, even interviewing a couple who claimed to have benefitted from the miracle elixir.
The stunt resulted in 10,000 calls to Yorkshire Water’s special hotline, neighbouring water companies being inundated with requests for the product, and national newspapers also falling for the gag.
Tom, Data Analyst: “This April Fools stunt has stuck with me for over 22 years, because it highlights that simple messages comedically delivered can have profound outcomes. Pretending “diet water” is a thing belies the profound effect hydration in general can have on your health, your weight, and how you feel generally – which is what Yorkshire Water were really trying to promote.”
Keepmoat Homes’ Instant Hot Tea Tap
In the wake of the pandemic, Keepmoat Homes found the perfect way to tease would-be homeowners: an instant hot tea tap that would make working from home even more of a dream.
Abbie, Marketing Manager: “I’m a bit ashamed to say this one actually fooled me before I realised what day it was. It taps perfectly into what makes a great April Fools’ – highly desirable and just realistic enough to make people second guess themselves. We already have instant hot water taps, so what’s to say that an instant tea tap isn’t on the horizon?”
Google Tulip
Ever wished your poorly plant could tell you exactly what’s wrong? Google seemingly solved this universal problem with the launch of ‘Google Tulip,’ an AI offering that communicates with tulips! Google’s press release announcing the product cited well-renowned journals and even a link where curious plant-owners could learn more about the technology involved in bringing ‘Google Tulip’ to life.
Josh, Designer: “I thought the campaign was genuinely funny. The idea of using hi-tech to speak to flowers is ridiculous but the quality of the campaign was so good, mixed with the fact we know how innovative Google are, made you question if it was actually real for a second.”
Google’s Toilet Internet Service Provider
If free at-home Wi-Fi sounds too good to be true, it’s because it is. But that didn’t stop hundreds of people falling for Google’s Toilet Internet Service Provider (TiSP) prank in 2007, which would allow users to connect to the internet via their toilet. Yes, it’s as weird as it sounds.
Dean, Head of CGI: “It’s just memorable, disgusting, and actually plausible! And at the time there was rumours about Google planning to offer free broadband, and this fed in it so well!
Branston Beans – Branston Lip Gloss
In 2025, Branston Beans went to Instagram to ‘launch’ a Branston Beans-flavoured lip balm on April Fools’ Day – but Digital PR Executive Isobel thinks it missed the mark.
“Some of the best campaigns are something the audience doesn’t know they need yet. This lip balm doesn’t solve an audience need or want, but instead creates something a little confusing – or potentially forgetful – for viewers, diving into a different industry need (cosmetics) that they haven’t mastered.
I think the key with these campaigns is looking internally. What do you offer? What’s the human element of what you do? If you can find that authenticity in what you can give to your customers, you can usually find the humorous hook to go alongside it.“
So, what makes a brilliant April Fools’ Campaign?
First things first, commitment to the bit. Our favourite campaigns have research, press releases and even influencer collaborations to convince audiences of their legitimacy.
Pranks also work best if they’re actually plausible – no one would believe Keepmoat Homes had developed self-building houses, but an instant hot tea tap had people second guessing!
The successful campaigns above also highlight the importance of leaning into current trends and topics. Duolingo effectively tapped into the world’s current dating show obsession, and Google listened to conversations about its free broadband offering to deliver a convincing prank.
Most importantly, the campaigns that did well all aligned with the brands personalities and service offering. Whether it’s light-hearted fun from Duolingo, technical innovation from Google, or austere authority from the BBC which had some of the most prolific editors in the UK hoodwinked, no one will believe (or love) a prank if it doesn’t seem authentic to the brand!
