Although April Fools’ Day may not be a public holiday, it’s still celebrated by many. Websites, news organizations, public figures and corporations play pranks on the gullible public. Whether it’s a fake story or product, oftentimes the prank comes off as a failed PR stunt. Check out some of the most notable hoaxes this past April Fools’ Day.
Snapchat
Snapchat took a jab at Instagram with a filter that ripped off their format. This was well deserved, as Instagram blatantly copied Snapchat with “Instagram Stories.” It’s a filter, rather than a lens, so it’s applied after the picture is taken, similar to Instagram. The filter says “my_mom and 2 others” liked this photo, which is a subtle stab at the older generation who has taken a liking to Instagram.
Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Smart Bucket
Fast-food chain KFC teased a “Smart Bucket” that would let users order fried chicken with voice control. The bucket would learn your habits and dining preferences and delivers relevant fried chicken news. According to the listing on Amazon.ca, the power source of the Bucket is “Herbs and Spices,” and its Bluetooth connectivity offers support for “Limited Integrated Connection Kinetics (LICK).”
Netflix Live
On the Netflix homepage, you could watch 48 minutes of Will Arnett (“Arrested Development,” “BoJack Horseman”) narrating mundane scenes put in front of him. The show is dull, yet it’s satirical enough that you won’t want to stop watching it once it kicks off. For example, there’s a picture of someone putting together a jigsaw puzzle, and Arnett says, “I don’t mean to bring everybody down, but all bits aside, Puzzle was the name of my dog. He was a border terrier, and he died three years ago.”
George Takei for Congress
The former “Star Trek” actor announced that he’d be running for Congress in 2018. He even shared a fake news article in which he was quote saying,“With what is going on now in the country, I couldn’t stand by any longer merely as a citizen.”
Progressive on Mars
Progressive Insurance rolled out a life insurance plan for those seeking to live on Mars.
Zappos.com
Zappos rolled out a commercial claiming that they have created the first invisible box to combat package theft. “With one touch of a button, your delivery goes from timely to transparent.”
Virgin Australia
The airline unleashed the world’s first team of canine in-flight crew members. Platinum and gold velocity members would receive a handshake from a dog. You could also take the dogs for a walk up and down the aisle in the airplane.
A dating site for cows
Happy cows create better milk, so Turkey Hill Dairy unveiled the world’s first cow dating site. “You get the wrong match, and you’ll know it from the milk — it’s just different,” said Filo Spolar, chief dairy Officer of Cowabunga Farms.
Jim Beam
Jim Beam tweeted, “We’ve been making bourbon for 220 years, but some folks still call us Jim Bean. Hint taken. Introducing Jim Beans: aged one day in a tin can.”
Krispy Kreme name change
In a commercial, the CEO of Krispy Kreme announced a rebranding to accommodate those who cannot pronounce the name correctly. To settle the debate of Krispy ‘Cream’ or Krispy ‘Crème’ once and for all, the company is now Krispy Cream.
Google Gnome
Google debuted Google Gnome, an outdoor assistant that looks like a gnome. The description on the Google store says it’s “designed to work hard and play hard, with entertainment for humans and dogs alike. It can play music in the garden, Marco Polo in the pool, and hide and seek in the yard.” Gnome comes with accessories, such as a birdbath attachment and a dinosaur tube float for the pool.
This April Fools’ Day, Google debuted Gnome, an outdoor assistant. From playing music in the garden to playing Marco Polo in the pool, Gnome can do it all.
