For PR professionals, April Fools’ Day is about more than just pranks – it’s an opportunity for brands to let their hair down and engage with fans in a self-aware, tongue-and-cheek way. However, the “Marketing & PR Super Bowl" requires the right joke that can start conversation and rally fans—and naysayers—through a clever, outlandish farce.
So, what makes up a successful brand April Fools’ Day joke?
- Cultural Relevancy: Pranks seem to attract attention when they tie into a trendy, buzzworthy topic in the zeitgeist (hello, pickle!). It’s this connection that will draw in the eyes, but the joke itself that will make audiences do a double-take. This year, Cup Noodles flawlessly executed a culturally relevant prank by “announcing” a ramen Heatless Curls kit, playing off the hair trend and the insight that curls often resemble ramen, leading to almost 5,000 engagements on Instagram and coverage in key trade outlets.
- Improbable – But Not Impossible: What makes these pranks memorable is when they almost seem real… until you check the calendar. This is also an easy way to flip a successful prank into an in-demand new release or innovation by creating a built-in consumer focus group. A great example of this comes from Spritz Society, who teased out a pickle-flavored canned cocktail on April Fools’ 2022. In response to overwhelming customer feedback wanting to see the product come to life, the brand partnered with Claussen to make it real in summer 2023.
- Self-Aware and Ownable: A brand prank is truly great when it can make fun of itself. Consumers like to be reminded that, at the end of the day, there are real people with a sense of humor behind the handle – and it’s the perfect way to make everyone feel “in” on the joke. For instance, Halls teased a “grandma’s purse” lavender and lint flavor, playfully acknowledging that cough drops are often found among the miscellaneous debris in your elderly relatives’ bag, securing widespread media attention in notable April Fools’ Day roundups.
These pranks create fun visuals and offer a clever way to celebrate the day – but they are also an effective tool to generate earned coverage and conversation on social media, online and broadcast. In addition to the elements above, a great way to get consumers and media talking is by leveraging a relatable or polarizing insight.
We worked with Laffy Taffy®, the iconic candy brand known for jokes on every wrapper, to tease out a “new” Ripening Banana flavor, going from green to yellow to brown just like the real fruit. Not only is banana the brand’s most popular (and polarizing) flavor, but we also saw consumers and reporters weighing in on how ripe they prefer their bananas and showing genuine interest in a Laffy Taffy flavor for these other stages. The result? Nearly 2,000 engagements on the brand’s Instagram and 18 pieces of earned media coverage, from online, to social media to broadcast, sparking conversation and brand engagement beyond the joke itself.
Pranks abound on April Fools’ Day, from big names to emerging brands trying to capture attention, but as long as you know your audience and subtly hint that your news isn’t serious (yet), April Fools’ is the perfect opportunity to get creative, let loose and generate buzz.
Interested in other ways that H5 has brought client news to the forefront? Learn more about our past work here.