Top 5 April Fools’ Day Marketing Stunts

April Fools’ Day is a great opportunity for brands to showcase their personalities - so much so, that the day has essentially been taken over by them. Indeed, the below brands certainly seized the opportunity and got very creative with their pranks this year…
 

1. Domi-No-Driver

Domino’s may have outdone last year’s April Fools’ efforts (an edible pizza box!) with the world’s first driverless vehicles. Introducing: the ‘Domi-No-driver’. 
 

In what it claims to be a strong step forward in tech innovation, Domino’s’ new vehicle is able to carry 400% more pizzas thanks to being driverless, will track customers’ orders by GPS and the Domi-No-Driver’s H.U.N.G.A.R. system (Hunger Detection And Ranging) will detect any obstacles on the way, ensuring maximum safety for road users. In the case of any accidents, an LED screen will flash up with messages such as "Sorry", "Apologies" and "What am I like?!"
 

 

In a world with Google’s driverless cars, at first glance this prank is just ever so slightly believable, which is what makes it so good.   

2. Hailo’s Piggy-back service
Talking of quirky transportation, on 1st April, cab app Hailo announced a new feature that will help city-dwellers get around more easily. Using the app’s new ‘Piggyback’ function, users will see one of Hailo’s specially-trained human piggyback carriers arrive in a matter of minutes to transport the passenger to their destination.
 

With the ability to dart in-between busy city traffic, Hailo’s Piggybackers were recruited for their athleticism and knowledge of the city, as well as allowing passengers to enjoy a 360 degree view of their surroundings.
 

Take a look at this week’s other blog: ZANG’s piggy-back taxi service. 
 

3. Curvy Kate’s BootyBra

British lingerie brand Curvy Kate launched the world’s first push-up bra for your behind on April Fools’ Day. Called the ‘BootyBra’, the buttock-enhancing pants come in sizes 8 to 22, but with buttock “cups” in sizes D, G and J that accentuate curves with patented “upfront engineering”.

“We’ve taken the technology from our best-selling balcony bras and put it into a pair of knickers,” said Curvy Kate’s Hannah Houston. “Instead of lifting breasts, our clever engineering system gives a cheeky lift to your backside.”  

4. Tesco’s trampoline aisles

For the more petite of shoppers, trying to reach the top shelf can be a real burden. But this week Tesco claimed to revolutionise the shopping experience with the introduction of trampolines in the aisles, which will help people reach the top shelves more easily.

The Only Way is Essex star Lucy Mecklenburgh was claimed to have used her experience on the BBC’s gymnastics show Tumble to work with the supermarket to develop the trampolines. She said: “I think people will jump at the chance to use them.”
 

5. London Eye’s Zero Gravity Capsule

But the London Eye took the mid-air idea a bit further by announcing its ‘Zero Gravity Capsule’ experience. The experience, which supposedly came about through a new partnership with the British Space Research Programme, simulates weightlessness via indoor vertical fans embedded in the capsule floor. 

Take a look at last year’s best April Fools’ Day offerings.

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