Can brands still make an impact with April Fools Day?

After what seemed like an interminable March, full of snow, increasing inflation, and politics galore, April 1 was a chance for a new start – and finally, a bit of fun as April Fools Day 2023 dawned.

Formerly a tradition practised by family and friends, in recent years brands and the media have increasingly got in on the April Fools act, creating well-executed jokes about famous people and products.

A favourite of mine was Aldi’s announcement of a brand-new candle range inspired by the greasy Scottish fry-up. Based on “customer research”, the new range, Eau d’Écosse range, featured future favourites such as Breathtaking Beechwood Bacon, Tantalising Tattie Scone and Pudding Noir.

Others included the launch of Walkers’ new heart-shaped crisps, “made with love from the world’s first heart-shaped potato farm”, and Ant and Dec’s discussions about joining the Bond franchise. More than a few April Fools centred on the royal family; the one that made me chuckle was claims that Prince Harry was to star in a new biopic of artist Van Gogh.

Not all April Fools attempts were so successful. Royal Mail bosses were forced to apologise after its Gloucester North delivery office displayed a poster, promising workers – who have been embroiled in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions – an 11% wage rise. The organisation described the prank as “misjudged” and sought to make amends for “any upset caused”.

The problem with the Royal Mail stunt isn’t just that it left a bad taste in the mouth, but also that it was too realistic. The whole point of a great April Fool’s prank is that there is just enough of a hook to make you think twice, but ultimately, they are not credible.

I’d also argue that it is becoming harder and harder to achieve the shock value that is required for brands to make their mark with April Fools stunts.

Since technology enabled everyone and anyone to become a content creator, bloggers and vloggers have made the unexpected virtually commonplace.

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Elaborate pranks – check out @airrack’s brilliant $1 million scorpion venom trainers which fooled even ardent sneaker heads – and feats of survival, such as spending 24 hours in the desert with only a bottle of water, have become stock in trade for YouTubers, and their currency of clickbait.

The sheer volume of April Fools gags has also created a huge amount of competition for column inches and airtime.

While we saw plenty of great examples of brands pulling a fast one over the weekend, few of them generated headlines, and as the Royal Mail example has shown, unless carefully thought through, such tactics can even carry some risk.

So, has April Fools had its day for brands? Not necessarily. Do it for fun, do it to entertain customers, do it to be human. Having a laugh, as long as it’s not at the expense of others, is never a bad idea.

Charlene Sweeney is media relations director with BIG Partnership