Best Brand-based April Fools’ Gags of 2018

It’s not just your friends that get involved with the sometime sophomoric humor that only occurs on April Fools’ Day, the corporate world has also gotten involved with the assistance of the internet machine.  They have taken to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media sites to have a bit of fun at the consumer’s expense.  I must admit, for 2018, a few were quite well done and actually made me smile and, on a rare occasion, laugh.  Which few?  Well, keep reading for my five favorites, in no particular order…although my search was by no means exhaustive and my sense of humor is a bit warped.

Google Israel’s Hummus API – First things first, API is an acronym for application programming interface, but that really is meaningless to this gag based on Middle Easterners’ affinity for hummus. Second things second, hummus is an ancient food (or spread) made from ground chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and other spices.  But I digress…this gag app brings hummus lovers and hummus together through the use of a massive hummus database and something called a taste stick which you breath into, kinda like a breathalyzer, and then insert into your smart phone.  The taste stick analyzes your hummus preferences (apparently, hummus comes in all kinds of varieties, especially in Israel) and then maps the route to your hummus destination.  The Zohan (from a totally under-rated Adam Sandler movie, Don’t Mess with the Zohan) would love this app.  They also have stereotypical plans for a pizza API in Rome and a taco API in Cancun.  Watch the fake promo here >>

eHarmony’s “Furever Love” Canine Compatibility Companion Service – Having no luck finding a companion for yourself? Then try your luck locating one for your dog with this site that features pup profiles, doggie dates, and puppy playtimes.  Not to worry, it’s more than just a canine hook-up site, unless you and your pooch are looking for that.  It analyses your four-legged friends hobbies and preferences (swimming, head-out-window car rides, feline or squirrel animosity, and/or garbage or poop eating to name a few) and then pairs him or her with a suitable match.  Read more here >>

Biolite’s Backcountry Bites – Have you ever been camping or backpacking in a remote location, like Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, and craved a drone-delivered meal with the freshest ingredients? Well then, with the help of your phone’s GPS system, Backcountry Bites has got you covered.  I included this one due to the professionalism of the site that advertises the fake service.  Also, of the ones I reviewed, this one seems most likely to occur in the not-too-distant future given Amazon’s research into drone home delivery.  Lastly, if you click the “free trial” button on the site, you’re directed to real Biolite products.  (Sorry, I just couldn’t resist including a meal delivery gag site since, you know, I write for a meal delivery service).   Visit the site >>

Honda’s Sixth Sense – No, it doesn’t see dead people for you like that kid in the movie with the same name. If it were real, it would assist distracted walkers with staying on the straight and narrow via its sidewalk departure warning system similar to its lane departure warning system found within its cars.  It also helps smart phone addicted walkers from blundering into doors, fountains, dog poop (left over from a “Furever Love” encounter), other people, stairs, and urban furniture.  However, its best fake feature is its “personal avoidance” system that can track certain contacts in your phone that you wish to avoid (for professional and/or personal reasons) and directs you away from them.  See it in action >>

Disney’s Lion King goes to Antarctica – Yes, the Tony Award winning musical, which has been performed on six continents, is headed to the seventh: Antarctica. Despite its remote location, frigid temperatures and relatively small population of just over 1,100 people, Disney is going way down under.  And since Disney takes pride in the fact that they incorporate local culture into their musicals, they will be utilizing emperor penguins in this version of the Lion King, despite not being, according to someone involved in the production, “not vicious enough.”  After all, Disney is quite used to “frozen” environments and claims that “…the cold never bothers us.”  Laugh like I did here >>