1. Duolingo - Duolingo push: the green owl that follows learners everywhere
Duolingo has long been known for its humorous yet persistent learning reminders that keep users coming back to continue their language lessons. On April Fools' Day 2019, the brand took this joke even further with a video introducing a fictional feature called Duolingo Push. According to the concept, if users ignored study notifications, Duolingo’s green owl would appear in real life to remind them to continue their lessons.
This humorous idea made many people both amused and curious, with some joking that if this feature were real, it could become a powerful learning motivation… or a “nightmare” for those who often skip lessons.
2. McDonald’s - #MyBigMac: a burger that prints your portrait
On April 1, 2018, McDonald’s entertained the online community by introducing #MyBigMac – a burger that could print a customer’s portrait on the bun using sesame seeds. Users simply needed to take a selfie via the McDonald’s app or at an in-store kiosk. After that, a burger printed with their image would be ready at the checkout counter and could be shared on Instagram.
Of course, this was only an April Fools' Day prank. Previously, McDonald’s had also “trolled” fans with the idea of French fries dipping sauces in strawberry and chocolate milkshake flavors – a strange yet entertaining sweet-and-savory combination. Even though these ideas were not real, they still helped the brand create laughter and test customer reactions.
3. Google - Google play for pets: an app store for pets
Google once delighted pet lovers when, in 2017, it announced the launch of “Google Play for Pets.” The platform was introduced as a place offering games, entertainment apps, and training tools specifically designed for cats and dogs.
This was also a classic April Fools' Day prank. However, many people still found the idea interesting, and some even believed that a similar platform could become real in the future.
4. PayPal - printing money directly from your phone
In 2018, PayPal made the online community laugh when it tweeted that users could print money directly from their smartphones through the PayPal app. The idea sounded completely unrealistic yet intriguing enough to make many people pause and think: “What if it were real?” Of course, this was simply an April Fools' Day joke.
Despite being a prank, the campaign still attracted massive attention on social media while subtly boosting brand awareness and promoting the PayPal app.
5. Dr Squatch - beef jerky soap
Dr Squatch captured attention in 2022 by launching a beef jerky soap product – a bizarre idea that was displayed on the website as if it were a real product. However, when customers tried to add it to their cart, a popup appeared wishing them a happy April Fools' Day while inviting them to sign up for SMS updates about new products from the brand.
This creative prank not only entertained consumers but also helped Dr Squatch capture attention and increase customer engagement.
6. Sprite x McDonald’s - fried chicken flavored soda
In 2022, Sprite and McDonald’s collaborated on a playful April Fools' Day campaign by launching a print ad promoting a canned version of “McDonald’s Sprite” – a fried chicken flavored soda. To make the joke even funnier, the official Sprite Twitter account also posted an image of a dinosaur standing next to a giant glass of Sprite, playfully implying that this drink might have caused prehistoric extinction.
The campaign quickly gained attention from the online community. Many users shared photos and videos related to Sprite on Twitter, including one selfie post with the caption “Wish me luck” that received more than 100,000 likes, along with a video featuring a strange sound from a Sprite can that reached over 150,000 views.
7. Duolingo - Duolingo roll: language learning toilet paper
One of the biggest barriers to learning a new language is a lack of time. Based on the insight that people spend an average of about 14 minutes a day in the bathroom, Duolingo launched a humorous product called Duolingo Roll on April Fools' Day.
This was a roll of toilet paper printed with language learning sentences, with multiple versions such as Spanish for English speakers or English for Chinese speakers. Each sheet contained familiar Duolingo example sentences, such as “My cat is a lawyer.”
This limited-edition product was sent to influencers and placed in 18 WeWork offices in China. The campaign quickly went viral on social media, attracting 250,000 visits from 173 countries, helping Duolingo increase new global users by 3.5% and by 18% in the US. Even though it quickly sold out, Duolingo Roll continued to be mentioned by the community for months afterward.
8. Grab - Grab xích lô: a culturally inspired mobility service
Grab amused the online community when it announced the launch of Grab Xích Lô in 2019 – a mobility service inspired by traditional Vietnamese culture. According to the introduction, the cyclo service could handle multiple needs such as passenger transport, food delivery, and parcel shipping.
This unique idea quickly captured users’ attention. Some people even suggested launching Grab boats for the rainy season, and Grab humorously replied that if the comment reached 5,000 likes, the service would be implemented. Even though it was only an April Fools' Day joke, the campaign still received strong engagement from the online community.
9. Starbucks - Plenta & Micra: giant and mini drink sizes
In 2010, Starbucks introduced two unique drink sizes: Plenta and Micra. Plenta had a capacity of nearly 4 liters with an oversized appearance that looked like a bucket, while Micra only held around 60ml and looked as small as a teacup.
What made it even more interesting was that after finishing a Plenta-sized drink, customers could reuse the large cup as a popcorn container, a rain hat, or even a plant pot. Meanwhile, Starbucks also suggested that the Micra cup could be used to hold a boiled egg or paper clips.
In reality, this was just an April Fools' Day prank by the brand. However, thanks to the convincing introduction, many customers actually came to stores looking for Plenta and Micra drink sizes.
10. Mirinda - April Fools’ Day for people who want to tell the truth
In 2017, Mirinda launched the campaign “April Fools – half joke, half truth,” based on a familiar insight: many young people use April Fools' Day as an opportunity to say things that are difficult to express, especially confessions. The campaign recreated adorable school-life situations and featured well-known artists such as Trấn Thành, Miu Lê, and Phan Mạnh Quỳnh. The message “Just say it all – half joke, half truth” was delivered in a friendly and relatable way, encouraging young audiences to express their feelings naturally. The campaign MV quickly gained attention, reaching more than 500,000 views within just one day of release.
11. Burger King - Whopper flavored toothpaste
To celebrate the day of pranks, fast-food chain Burger King decided to transform its iconic Whopper burger into a toothpaste with the same signature flavor through a highly humorous advertisement. The brand also released a press announcement stating that the product was developed with Buzzman, combining the signature Whopper flavor with oral care ingredients. The witty message: now you no longer have to choose between eating a Whopper and brushing your teeth. Of course, this was just a creative April Fools' Day joke from Burger King.
Conclusion
April Fools' Day is not only an opportunity to create humorous pranks but also a great moment for brands to showcase creativity and connect with audiences in a fresh way. Smart and entertaining campaigns do more than make people laugh – they also help increase brand awareness and drive stronger engagement in modern branding campaigns.
Today, many brands are moving toward a brandformance strategy – combining brand building with performance optimization. With the support of advertising platforms like SmartAds, creative ideas can not only go viral but also deliver real business results. Start your first campaign with SmartAds here.
