Buzz
Although April Fools’ Day has passed, it still managed to get the best of many. As we’ve mentioned before, some pranks certainly backfired on their creators.
It’s no surprise that many continue to fall for these pranks, especially the ones that are intricately planned and flawlessly executed. These pranks are a real treat to watch, especially when they happen to someone else. Below are 10 that stood out this year. How many did you fall for?
10. The Observer reported that an Italian company had created a Brexit emoji, and the BBC was taken in by the hoax.
The BBC is a true expert in April Fools’ Day pranks. One of their most famous aired on April 1, 1957, when they claimed that Swiss farmers were planting spaghetti on their fields. Many in the UK fell for it, even calling the BBC to ask how they could plant their own spaghetti. This prank is often cited as the first-ever April Fools’ joke to be broadcast on television.
In 2018, the tables were turned and hunters became the hunted. The The Observer newspaper pulled off an elaborate hoax, and the BBC fell for it—on live television.
The Observer reported that a tech company in Gibraltar, Italy, had launched two Brexit-themed emojis. One was the Brexit Bulldog for pro-Brexit supporters, while the other, Starry Blue, was for those against Brexit.
Roger Johnson and Babita Sharma were hosting BBC Breakfast when they reported on the story. They were taken in by the prank, showing clear excitement over the two emojis. Their enthusiasm continued until viewers started calling in to point out that it was all an April Fools’ joke.
The broadcasters only realized their mistake 10 minutes after they first aired the emoji story. Johnson congratulated the newspaper for its successful prank and smoothly moved on to the day’s other news.
It seems neither of the hosts knew Italian. Had they understood the language, they would have recognized that the newspaper's byline, “Scherzo Primavera,” actually means “Joke of Spring” in Italian.
9. The European Union announced it would be switching to dark blue passports.
Sticking with Brexit, on April 1, 2018, the European Parliament’s UK office tweeted a humorous announcement that the European Union would replace its burgundy passports with dark blue ones. They claimed the change would take place in March 2019, following the UK’s decision to switch to dark blue passports.
Though not mandatory, EU regulations recommended that all member states use burgundy passports. All members, except Croatia, followed this rule. Croatia, however, chose dark blue passports because the burgundy version reminded them of the red passports used during their time in Yugoslavia.
8. Elon Musk claimed that Tesla had gone bankrupt.
A subsequent tweet, allegedly from someone else using Musk’s account, showed an image of a passed-out Elon Musk. The caption humorously described that Musk had been found near a Model 3, accompanied by bottles of “Teslaquilla” (a play on “tequila”), and evidence of dried tears on his cheeks. A sign on his chest read “Bankwupt.”
In another update on Instagram, Elon Musk shared a photo of a bottle of his Teslaquilla, complete with the Tesla logo. Some people took the joke seriously and started asking when they could buy Teslaquilla in stores.
7. Google rebranded itself as Googz in Australia.
On April 1, 2018, Gabi Conlon, Head of Brand for Google Australia & New Zealand, posted on the company’s blog announcing that Google Australia had officially changed its name to Googz. According to Conlon, this rebranding was essential to keep up with the evolving language trends in Australia.
It seems Australians preferred referring to Google as “Googs” or “Googz.” However, Google settled on “Googz” because “Googs” was deemed too uncool, and the shape of the “s” was too complicated to incorporate into the new logo design.
Conlon played along with the prank, claiming that Google Australia had teamed up with Australian designer Jazza to craft a new logo that suited the rebranding. After months of work, the company simply altered its original logo by replacing the “le” with “z.”
She then revealed that the company had updated the logo on their Australian office building and even included a picture as proof. New Googz-branded merchandise was said to be available for purchase. At the end of her post, she revealed it was all part of an April “Foolz” joke.
6. Courses.com.au introduced a course aimed at surviving an AI apocalypse.
For April Fools’ Day 2018, Courses.com.au announced a new course designed to help humans survive in a world dominated by machines. According to the site, robots were predicted to rebel by 2022, bringing humanity to the brink of extinction by 2030. The course offered classes such as “Scavenging Food” (SCAV101), “Avoiding Detection” (AVDE101), “Identifying Intruders” (INRU101), and “Shelter” (SHELT1010).
“Scavenging Food” would teach techniques for sourcing food in a world where the Earth’s soil is contaminated with nuclear waste and food is in short supply. “Avoiding Detection” was vital for survival, as robots would be relentlessly hunting humans. “Identifying Intruders” focused on spotting robots disguised as humans trying to infiltrate underground human hideouts, and “Shelter” provided the knowledge needed to protect humans from lethal acid rains.
Those completing the courses could earn certifications to work as Bunker Security Specialists, Mushroomers (Food Experts), Tax Accountant Specialists, Surface Patrol Specialists, Battery Boys, Gasoline Boys, and Bot Detection Specialists. Payment for the course could be made with 6.5 bitcoins or 12 large potatoes.
5. Disney acquires WWE.
This prank didn’t originate from either of the companies involved. Instead, it was a creation of Wrestling News Source, a site focused on wrestling-related news. The website falsely claimed that The Walt Disney Company had bought World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) for $5 billion, just in time for WrestleMania 34, WWE’s biggest annual event. The purchase was supposedly confirmed by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
3. LEGO launched the VacuSort.
On April 1, 2018, The LEGO Group unveiled the VacuSort, a vacuum designed to automatically collect and organize scattered LEGO bricks. The company announced that this machine, slated for release later in the year, would gather, clean, and sort LEGO bricks based on their shapes and colors.
Many parents initially believed the announcement until they realized it was just another April Fools’ prank. However, the joke didn’t stop there. Frustrated parents took to Twitter, telling The LEGO Group that this was actually a product they could really use.
2. eHarmony launched a service for dogs.
On April Fools’ Day 2018, dating website eHarmony announced its plans to launch a dating service for dogs. Named “Furever Love,” the service aimed to match canine companions based on compatibility. The announcement referenced a fictitious study claiming that 94 percent of dogs were happier with a single partner, measuring their joy through barks and tail wags.
Human users wishing to use the service had to create profiles for their dogs, providing details about the dog’s personality. Based on that information, the service would match the dog with another suitable dog, while the owners would arrange the date for the dogs to meet.
The announcement also mentioned that similar services for cats, rabbits, horses, sea lions, and dolphins were expected to launch in the coming months. Ultimately, it was revealed to be an elaborate April Fools’ Day joke.
1. Netflix announced it had acquired Seth Rogen.
When users logged into Netflix on the morning of April 1, 2018, they saw a banner declaring that Netflix had acquired actor and comedian Seth Rogen. Clicking the banner led to a statement and video on Netflix’s website where Rogen expressed regret for not reading the terms and conditions of the deal that resulted in his 'acquisition.'
A person named Jareth Chumley, identified as a Senior Netflix Development Executive, humorously remarked that Seth Rogen cost Netflix a bit more than a meal at Chili’s. This prank also served as a way to promote Rogen’s Hilarity for Charity fundraising event, which was streamed on Netflix on April 6. The fundraiser aimed to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease among millennials.
