Subaru, Twisted Tea Lead The Pack In April Fool's Day Pranks

After several years of lighter than normal April Fool’s Day pseudo-marketing efforts, brands seem to be back with a vengeance this year, starting with Subaru of America.

“Subaru, the car brand whose drivers have a reputation for living on the crunchy side of life, will unveil the all-new Subaru Forager Granola,” according to the automaker. “With packaging made from 100% recycled good vibes and ingredients including love and organic compost, Subaru Forager Granola is the ultimate driver’s seat treat to power people through life’s crunchiest pursuits.”

Twisted Tea is launching a product to make March Madness viewing and vasectomy recovery as comfortable and refreshing as possible: the Twisted Tea VasectomUndies. The company says it is in response to the yearly 30% rise in vasectomies during the college basketball tournament. 

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The UPS Store is unveiling its latest product that packs (and ships) a punch – “Unstoppable in a Can,” a hypercharged energy drink that puts the power of The UPS Store in liquid form. One can reportedly gives consumers the energy to conquer your five-year business plan ... in under five minutes.

If there’s one thing America can agree on, it’s that there’s nothing quite as satisfying as the smell of a brand-new car. Jerry, the app that helps car owners shop for better insurance rates, is introducing a new AI-powered feature. This first-of-its-kind offering eliminates the need for those flimsy, rearview mirror car fresheners forever. The launch is taking place across Jerry social channels.

MOD Pizza is debuting Pocket Pie Parka. The one-of-a-kind wearable was created to transport MOD’s new Pocket Pies. It features two detachable and insulated pockets. Two additional front pockets hold a beverage and a No Name Cake (MOD’s signature dessert), and a special sleeve pocket dispenses napkins. MOD fans can enter to win this unique jacket on MOD’s Instagram and TikTok. 

Duolingo, the language learning platform, is partnering with NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, to debut “Love Language,” a new reality dating show just in time for April Fools’ Day. From cities all over the world, 10 singles will come together to share a house in paradise in hopes of finding true love. The catch? None of them speaks the same language. If they fail to do their daily Duolingo language lessons or find a match by the end of an episode, the singles will be eliminated by the show’s iconic host and merciless judge, Duo the Owl.

Energy drink Celsius is “launching” a new mocktail with the tequila hard seltzer brand Mamitas. Inspired by a classic  Prickly Pear Margarita, the drink will be promoted as a way to skip the hangover and never miss a beat -- providing consumers with essential energy to keep on vibing!  The fake product launch will go live on Celsius’ social channels on April 1.

Hop Wtr is introducing a new flavor dedicated to “MILFs.” The new flavor launched this week on the brand’s Instagram page and website.“MLF Wtr” is Mango Lime Flavored hop infused water, mixed with stress-busting and mood-boosting ingredients made just to keep mom hydrated. 

M.i.’s Westside Comedy Theater in Los Angeles is launching its own signature scent: L’Humor. The scent and a video, developed by Milwaukee-based Hanson Dodge, celebrates the theater’s 14th anniversary and reminds people that “something smells funny in here.” 

Dr. Squatch will be “launching” a Rizz Rinse Bar Soap on its website. When customers click “Add to Cart,” they’ll be met with an April Fools pop-up, along with an option to sign up for Dr. Squatch’s SMS program to get notified about real product launches. The prank will also reach consumers via Dr. Squatch’s Instagram and email promo. While this is an April Fool's prank, if the brand gets 50k likes on their Rizz Rinse TikTok, it might actually make a Rizz Rinse collector’s box.

Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners created a short film introducing the agency’s new “AI Creative Director,” Craig (Creative Relational Advertising Idea Generator). In little to no time, Craig starts to exhibit tell-tale characteristics of creative directors, responding with vague and obscure feedback, being “too busy” to be bothered by a trivial task such as timesheets, or going MIA and only responding at a time like “5 p.m. on Friday.” The light-hearted film was shot and edited by the folks at Cleaver, starring BSSP team members.

Pet wellness brand Vitail is launching a new product, “calming gummies” for stressed dog parents. The gummies for dog parents are a playful marketing stunt, but Vitail’s Calming chews for dogs are an actual product. 

Intelligent home appliance maker Tineco is launching Ice One Extreme, “the world’s first-ever smart, cordless ice resurfacer.” It allows consumers to maintain their ice rinks -- backyard or elsewhere -- quickly and efficiently.

In a stunt that’s linked to April Fool’s Day but is entirely real,  Krispy Kreme is bringing back its Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed Doughnut for a limited time. From April 1 - April 2, fans can get their hands on what’s normally a fall favorite at participating Krispy Kreme shops nationwide.

Finally, in what falls in the category of “Is it or isn’t it (for real),” Heinz says it is developing its own tattoo ink free of banned ingredients for red pigments. The condiment company worked worked with Brazilian creative agency, SOKO, and top Brazilian tattoo ink manufacturer, Electric Ink, in the development of a Heinz red pigment as part of a brand love campaign, including a video

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