April Fools the Right Way: Fakes That Would Make it in Market
On April 1st, pranking friends and family has become a global tradition. Over the years, brands have embraced this playful ritual, launching prank products and bizarre content that often leaves us asking, “What did I just see?” 2025 was no exception. In fact, some brands even got ahead of the game, like Lipton, who “discontinued” their popular peach iced tea flavor. Could April Fools’ Day be taking a page from the UK’s Christmas playbook, with brands launching playful “limited-time” products earlier, much like the October rollout of Christmas ads?
While most of these product pranks are blatantly obvious, some are a little more subtle, and a rare few are actually good ideas. Take Walkers (known as Lays in the States), who, in 2022, teased “Giant Bread Shaped Crisps.” It was a genius concept that played into their #CrispIN or #CrispOUT campaign and the UK tradition of adding crisps to a lunchtime butty. When we tested the idea using our Test Your Innovation platform, it received a 5.5-Star rating from real consumers, achieving a 48% happiness rate, with many labeling the idea as “novel” and “trusted.” While the idea never made it to our shelves (sigh), it served as a valuable lesson for brands on how to approach April Fools: use it to strengthen your broader brand identity and foster happiness and humor, rather than relying on gimmicks that might upset your customers.
Were consumers fooled or wooed?
This year, plenty of brands once again jumped on the April Fools’ bandwagon, tapping into culturally relevant trends like pickle lip gloss and Dubai pistachio beans. Unlikely partnerships sprouted, like soda flavoured setting spray, and even iconic British staples like PG Tips and Pimm’s branched into entirely new categories. It’s safe to say April Fools’ Day was full of tomfoolery, giggles, and, in some cases, pure disgust.
As a proud pickle lover, I have to admit a pickle gloss is right up my alley. I’d fight that corner solo if I had to. But, alas, I am not the voice of all consumers. So, here’s how we put these quirky ideas to the test.
Leveraging the predictive power of consumer emotion through System1’s Test Your Innovation platform, we put some of the most viral April Fools’ product pranks to the test in the UK and US, to see whether any had potential to make it in market. Using a rating scale from 1.0 to 5.9 Stars, Test Your Innovation quantifies emotional responses, offering a clear benchmark for evaluating product ideas, taglines, slogans, and pack designs against a nationally representative audience of consumers. Here’s how we assessed them:
- Emotional Pull: Using our FaceTrace® tool, we measured emotional resonance to determine how effectively the products resonated with consumers.
- Share Trading: We gauged consumers’ willingness to “buy” or “sell” the design, revealing key insights into purchasing behaviour and preferences.
- Decision Speed: We tracked how quickly and instinctively consumers engaged with the products. Fast reactions were positively weighted, while slower responses were penalised, offering a nuanced view of enthusiasm and spontaneous engagement.
But could any of them truly compete with the brilliance of Walkers’ bread-shaped crisps? Could they help build brand equity and even be positioned to thrive in market? I know you’re on the edge of your seat, so let’s dive into the results.
Reese’s Peanut Butter, get in my Belly!
Head-to-head with Walkers’ bread-shaped crisps, our winning idea from the April Fools’ Day products of 2025 came from Reese’s in the US. Much like the reigning champion before it, this concept cleverly played on cultural tropes and clearly resonated with real consumers. Scoring a whopping 5.5-Stars, this product not only appealed to US audiences but showed real potential to fly off the shelves as a legitimate addition to their lineup.
And what a surprise it was to discover that just a day later, Reese’s actually did launch a Peanut Butter and Jelly Cup. The chocolate loaf may have been the joke, but the concept was already priming audiences for the real release. And yes, cue the dramatic music, this move aligned perfectly with their broader brand strategy. For Reese’s, April Fools’ was not just a joke. It was a smart, strategic stepping stone to launch a real product, build brand love, and drive commercial impact.
That is how you win April Fools’ Day. Here is what consumers had to say:
Similar to Walkers, Reese’s stayed true to their brand identity, blending a touch of humor with real consumer insight to create mass appeal. They aligned April Fools’ Day with their broader innovation strategy, turning a playful moment into a purposeful one. This is how brands level up from fool to cool. A winning strategy worthy of a gold Peanut Butter Winners Cup.
Bird’s Eye Score a Wafflehole-in-one!
In the UK, Bird’s Eye joined the podium in 2025, earning second place for their Potato Waffholes. As a former university student, the original “Waffle” potato snacks were a freezer staple and a nostalgic reminder of childhood. The brand created a product not too dissimilar from their beloved potato waffles, serving up the leftover cubes that get cut away from the original waffles, combatting waste and filling a quirky gap in the market.
This clever idea may not have made as many waves as the Peanut Butter Sandwich Kit, but it achieved something else entirely: it kept their iconic waffles top of mind. With the same packaging, a similar name, and a clear reference to their core product, it’s no surprise that many consumers said, “I’d probably just buy the waffles.” Smart strategy or a happy coincidence? Either way, Bird’s Eye scored a wafflehole-in-one, prompting audiences to head straight to the freezer aisle.
Unsurprisingly, this product outperformed on metrics like “easy to understand” and “fits with the brand”; it’s familiar, recognizable, and yes, you guessed it, perfectly aligned with their broader product range.
Create with Confidence
Launching a new product in time for a national holiday, movie release, or one-off event? System1’s Test Your Innovation platform enables you to test new products, packaging, messaging, taglines and more, predicting in-market success so you can launch innovations that consumers will love.
We’re excited to see what 2026 brings for April Fools’ Day, but one thing’s for sure: the pranks that win are the ones that support your broader strategy. Treat it as an opportunity rather than just a joke, and you might find that April Fools’ can bring you attention well beyond April 1st.