April Fools’ Day can be a fun one for advertising people. It’s hardly mark-your-calendars fun, really, but it’s fun to have the freedom to think up non-campaign-related, mildly off-brand high jinks and see them actually brought to life. And it’s relatively low pressure — if a prank doesn’t land, no one’s going to really care, and if it lands big, it can get a lot of attention for the brand. (This is not to say it’s impossible to pull a complete boner, VOLKSWAGEN. Maybe tell your leaky PR team to get its ish together.)
Some April Fools’ jokes, though, are a disappointment — not because they weren’t creative, but because I WANT THEM and they should be a real thing but they’re not. They’re a joke. A prank.
Just because you meant well, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t hurtful, y’all.
Anyway, here are five April Fools’ Day pranks that broke my heart in 2021.
Lego SmartBricks
If, of course, it were real.
Razer Rapunzel hair dye
I’m an inveterate hair colorer, particularly with colors not found in nature, and the only reason I’ve never tried blue is that it fades into green, and I’m just not up for the maintenance required to prevent that. (Also, I’m a “soft summer,” and it’s hard to find the right shade of blue hair dye to match my coloring.) I would kill for nanotech hair color I could control with an app. Why are you playing with me like this, Razer?
TaskRabbit TaskRabbits
You might ask, “Caperton, as a freelancer, how do you feel about TaskRabbit?” As a freelancer, I might reply, “None of your business, but from what I can tell, there aren’t enough bunnies.” Well, TaskRabbit appears to have taken care of that for me. Or at least they CLAIMED TO HAVE DONE, JUST FOR ONE DAY, and then ripped it all away.
BUNNEH.
While TaskRabbit was, ultimately, lying like a rat bastard about the bunny thing, they have pledged to donate up to $40,000 to rabbit rescues, so something good is coming of it.
Bearaby Hogger
While dropping three figures on a weighted blanket is a bit out of my price range, the actual product looks wondrously cuddly. What is less cuddly? Honestly, hedgehogs, which are adorable, and you want to cuddle them, but ouch. (They’re kind of shifty in that respect, if you think about it.) Bearaby’s solution to that — a teeny weighted blanket sized just for comforting hedgehogs — is a perfect one. Or would be, if it actually existed.
In our household, “I hope you step on Legos” is one of the worst curses that can be conferred. Lego’s newly announced innovation takes care of that with torture blocks that escape your foot before you can make painful contact. Yes, it takes the sting out of that curse, but out of consideration for all the parents of kids (and significant others of full-grown Lego enthusiasts), I’m willing to make that sacrifice.
Wheyhey new flavors
I’d never even heard of Wheyhey ice cream — it isn’t available in the U.S. — so this was a double whammy: I discovered something new (if inaccessible), and I discovered it’s a lie. “Ha ha ha, banana bread ice cream, amiright?” Banana bread ice cream sounds freaking delicious, Wheyhey, and if it was actually available, I’d… I don’t know, do something, and you’ve just lost yourself a (non-)customer.
Green Giant Cauliflower Peeps
I’m kidding. This is stomach-turninghttps://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/green-giant-and-peeps-partner-to-introduce-limited-edition-cauliflower-flavored-marshmallow-bunnies-301259063.html.
Liar, liar
I’ve mentioned before how The Boy jokes that, as an advertising professional, I’m a “professional liar.” (At least, I tell myself he’s joking.) And I’m not! Legally, I’m not allowed to lie. Except every year on April 1. Every April 1, we’re allowed to lie our butts off, and the best liars are rewarded by going viral. Services you don’t offer? Promises you don’t intend to keep? Table stakes. Impress me, brands.
Just don’t leave me sad at the end because li’l hedgehogs are left in the cold and I don’t get to eat banana bread ice cream.
Have you had your heart broken by a brand’s April Fools’ Day prank? I want you to know I’m here for you. We’ll get through this together.
For the next 360 days, at least.