Thinking of pranking your customers with a hilarious April Fools’ email but are worried about landing flat instead of funny?
You should be.
Executing a successful April Fool’s email campaign requires more than just a good chuckle. You’ve come to the right place if you’re ready to learn from the best (and maybe share a laugh or two).
This article shares some of the best April Fools email examples we’ve ever seen. We’ll also explain how to create the perfect April Fools pranks email that entertains and engages your audience.
Top April Fools Day email ideas
Here is a list of five top-notch April Fools’ email ideas from famous brands that left their subscribers grinning (and maybe a little surprised).
Some of these even had us saying, “Wait, what?!”
1. Pepsi, Always Coca-Cola
The Pepsi-Cola rivalry is one of the most famous in history. The two companies have been competing for market share for over 100 years, and they have often used advertising to take jabs at each other.
In this April Fools email, Pepsi takes a playful jab at Coca-Cola by declaring its love for its competitor. The ad is sure to get a reaction from Coca-Cola fans and is a clever way for Pepsi to get attention on April Fools’ Day. It’s also an excellent example of Pepsi’s willingness to engage its biggest competitor.
If you want a creative and attention-grabbing way to celebrate April Fools’ Day, consider sending an email that plays on a well-known rivalry. Just be sure to keep your email lighthearted and humorous. Avoid making any claims that could be misconstrued as fact, and write a subject line that gets your email opened.
2. Kipling Foolish Discount GIF
It’s clear from the get-go that Kipling is not serious about offering monkeys or hot air balloons—it’s just a bit of silly fun.
But here’s where it gets clever: instead of leaving it at that, Kipling follows up the prank with a genuine offer that adds value for the customer. “Because you were such a good sport, enjoy free shipping today only with code NOJOKE.”
Kipling rewards its customers with a discount and ensures that everyone walks away happy. It’s a win-win situation that leaves a lasting impression and reinforces positive feelings towards the brand.
This is a good example of turning an April Fools’ prank into a positive experience, showing that you appreciate your customers and want to make them smile.
3. Grammarly’s Educational April 1st
Grammarly’s April 1st campaign email from 2017 strikes a good balance between being funny and staying true to the brand’s identity. The email maintains a professional layout and design consistent with Grammarly’s branding.
You also see elements you would typically expect to see in a regular Grammarly email, such as blog posts and tips sections.
The headline—“Remember it’s April Fools’ Day. Not April Fool’s Day. Don’t be a fool”—playfully reminds the reader of the holiday while also correcting a common grammar mistake. This aligns perfectly with their product offering.
4. Adorable Bunnies of Task Rabbits
TaskRabbit connects people with local contractors to complete tasks around their homes.
They pulled off a successful April Fool’s Day email campaign announcing a fake new service called “TaskRABBITS.” The campaign claimed that the brand was now allowing customers to rent rabbits to keep them company while contractors completed tasks in their homes.
People would not expect a company that provides home improvement services to offer a service that rents out rabbits.
To make things sound real, they also put up an Instagram post on the same day that complemented their email.
The company concluded its email by announcing “APRIL FOOLS” as a promo code offering a 10% discount to customers on their next task. This ensures people remember their joke for a long time.
Discounts are particularly helpful for increasing the average order value of e-commerce businesses. So, make sure to end your April Fools email with a discount if you run an online store.
5. Cheeky Promise by Duolingo
On April Fools’ 2021, Duolingo advertised Duolingo Roll—toilet paper, promising to turn your bathroom into a language-learning haven.
The email introduced this whimsical product, describing how it’s designed to accompany you on your daily bathroom routine.
The company went all in on the prank, creating a fake website complete with enticing “Buy” links that lead unsuspecting visitors straight to the Duolingo app sign-up page.
From quirky product descriptions to hilarious reviews (“Keeps my language learning on a regular schedule”), every detail in the email and the website tickles your funny bone.
They even produced a limited number of toilet paper rolls to give away. This shows the company put a lot of thought and effort into the prank to make it effective and memorable.
Pros of using April Fools’ Day email campaigns
Savvy marketers have discovered April Fools’ Day emails as a powerful tool for engaging with their audience.
The day offers an opportunity to connect with subscribers on a personal level while displaying your brand’s creativity and wit.
Here’s how a well-executed April Fools’ email campaign benefits you:
Increases brand awareness and engagement
According to an Oracle survey, 91% of the surveyed people favored brands with a sense of humor. Similarly, the Buffer State of Social Media 2019 Report indicates that humorous content generates the highest level of engagement.
If your email is funny, surprising, or thought-provoking, people are likelier to forward it to friends and family or discuss it on social media. Either way, it extends your reach beyond your subscriber list.
What’s more, with inboxes overflowing with promotional emails, a playful April Fools’ Day message is a good opportunity to stand out and grab attention.
Check out this April Fools email:
Quartz’s April Fools’ Day email includes refreshing, minimalistic elements with captivating visuals. The tone of the message truly stands out amidst the flurry of pranks and will instantly grab attention in a dull inbox.
Makes your brand relatable
While competence and quality remain essential, they are no longer enough. A brand offering exceptional products may struggle if consumers cannot identify with its personality or values.
That is why building relatability is crucial if you want to connect with consumers, particularly younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z.
Humor has a unique ability to humanize brands and make them more approachable. 48% of consumers in an Oracle survey didn’t feel a connection with a brand unless it brought about a smile or laughter on their faces.
By showcasing your brand’s ability to be playful and lighthearted, you demonstrate that you are not just a faceless corporation. This humanization allows consumers to see the people behind the brand and relate to them on a more personal level.
Boosts customer loyalty
Taking the time and effort to create a unique and entertaining email demonstrates that you value your customers and are willing to go the extra mile to engage with them.
Customers take such thoughtful gestures well. And this fosters feelings of appreciation and loyalty among your audience.
Plus, engaging email campaigns, especially those with a humorous twist, spark conversations and encourage interaction with your brand. The two-way communication allows you to build stronger relationships with your customers. It also demonstrates your commitment to listening and engaging.
Drives sales and conversions
While the primary focus of an April Fools Day campaign is humor and engagement, it can also be surprisingly effective at driving sales and conversions. That’s because it generates curiosity and buzz, driving traffic to your website.
The increased traffic translates into sales if you have clear calls to action or strategically placed product recommendations.
For example, when Duolingo announced their Duolingo Toilet Rolls on April Fools’ 2021, people went crazy looking for them on their website. Although it was a fictitious product, it raised awareness of the company’s real offerings.
Similarly, Domino’s introduced the “edibox” as an April Fools’ prank in the UK a few years ago. Marketed as a “snackaging innovation,” it claimed to offer an eco-friendly, waste-free dining option.
Although the promoted product wasn’t real, the positive associations and goodwill generated by the April Fools’ Day prank had long-lasting effects on consumer perceptions of the brand.
Cons of using April Fools’ Day email campaigns
There’s a fine line between a well-executed prank and a misguided email campaign. In the rush to capitalize on the holiday’s jovial spirit, it’s easy to overlook the potential drawbacks of using April Fools’ email campaigns.
Before hitting send on those joke-filled April Fools emails, here are four cons to consider.
Risk of offense
Despite their potential for lightheartedness, April Fools’ Day email campaigns carry the risk of offending your recipients.
Topics like politics, religion, or personal struggles are inherently sensitive and should never be the subject of April Fools’ Day pranks. Although using jokes is an email copywriting tip that works, jokes about these topics are hurtful and damaging to your brand reputation.
Public backlash, negative media coverage, and even boycotts might occur in severe cases, jeopardizing your brand’s standing.
Misinterpretation
People read emails with varying levels of attention. Jokes that rely on quick comprehension or subtle cues might be missed entirely by some recipients.
If recipients don’t grasp the joke right away, they might take the information at face value and misinterpret the context.
This is especially true for sarcasm and irony, which are communication styles heavily reliant on context and are easily misinterpreted in written text.
Emails lack the vocal inflections and facial expressions that convey sarcasm in person, so you want to be careful with sarcastic emails.
Distraction from the message
The primary objective of any email marketing campaign is to convey a message or promote a product or service. Your email subscribers are looking for valuable information, promotions, or updates—not just a laugh.
Striking the right balance between an April Fools’ prank and a clear message is challenging. If the humor is too subtle, it might go unnoticed. If it’s too over-the-top, it might overshadow the message entirely.
This means if your April Fools email is off-brand or poorly timed, it could distract readers from engaging with your content or following your call-to-action.
April Fools Day email strategy
To create an effective April Fools’ Day email strategy, start by brainstorming fun and harmless pranks or jokes that align with your brand.
But don’t send your prank email into the wild without a test run. Send it to your team or a small group first, gather feedback, and refine it based on their reactions.
Here are three additional things to remember when executing an April Fools’ Day email strategy.
1. Express authenticity
You can’t copy-paste a generic prank and call it a day. Trying to be someone you’re not will backfire and leave your audience confused and unsure of your brand’s true identity.
So, don’t force a humor style that doesn’t fit your brand. Instead, embrace what makes you special, whether it’s your witty wordplay, quirky illustrations, or lighthearted self-deprecation.
The Grammarly campaign we discussed above is a good example of a brand staying authentic. Grammarly is known for its educational content; its April Fools campaign reflected that.
2. Create high recall value
Creating high recall value means ensuring your prank sticks in your audience’s minds long after the laughter subsides.
To do this, don’t just reveal the prank and move on. Offer a lighthearted explanation, a witty comeback, or a bonus reward for those who figured it out.
Here are some additional tactics to consider:
- Write email subject lines that pique curiosity without giving away the punchline.
- Tease your prank in advance through social media and make your recipients eager to see what unfolds.
- Encourage engagement by incorporating email gamification through polls, quizzes, or challenges related to the prank.
- Use eye-catching images, GIFs, or even short videos to grab attention and reinforce the humor.
- End on a positive note. A witty closing line or a lighthearted apology can go a long way.
Also, remember that you can always send a follow-up email to clear the air after your April Fools prank email.
3. Understand your audience
April Fools’ Day is all about good-natured fun – but remember, humor is subjective. You wouldn’t tell the same joke to your grandma as you would to your best friend.
That is why understanding your audience’s expectations, sense of humor, and even their potential sensitivities is vital to crafting an April Fools’ Day email that lands well.
Pay special attention to their age and demographics. Younger audiences might be more receptive to edgy humor, while older generations might prefer something gentler.
It’s also a good idea to analyze how your audience has reacted to previous communications, both serious and lighthearted, to determine how far you can go.
An example of how necessary it is to be cautious while executing the April Fools’ prank is when an Australian airline, Qantas, faced backlash over an April Fools’ Day joke in 2016.
They announced a new fictitious in-flight program, “Qantas Assure,” claiming to track passengers’ physical activity for frequent flyer points.
While meant to be a fun initiative, it drew criticism for making light of data privacy concerns. Many took to social media, calling for a boycott and deeming the prank inappropriate. Initially defending the program as a harmless joke, Qantas later had to apologize and acknowledge its insensitivity.
Build your April Fools Day email campaigns with GetResponse
April Fools’ Day email campaigns are a powerful way to boost engagement, brand awareness, and conversions—but only when executed well.
You want to weigh the pros and cons of such a campaign carefully, choose an idea that aligns with your brand voice, and prioritize authenticity throughout the message to ensure your prank lands well.
GetResponse offers a comprehensive suite of email marketing tools designed to help you create engaging and effective campaigns throughout the year, not just on April 1st.
Click here to sign up for free and create emails that truly connect with your audience.