12 Corporate April Fools’ Jokes That Ended Up Becoming Real Products
Companies have long used April Fools’ Day to showcase outlandish product ideas and generate buzz through creative marketing stunts. These pranks typically disappear by April 2nd, leaving nothing but press mentions and social media chuckles. However, some jokes resonated so strongly with consumers that companies found themselves facing unexpected demand for products that never existed.
Here is a list of 12 corporate April Fools’ jokes that surprised everyone by transforming from punchlines into actual products you can buy.
Gmail
Launched on April 1, 2004, Gmail offered 1GB of free storage—vastly more than the few megabytes other providers gave. The timing and generous features made many assume it was a hoax. Instead, it became one of Google’s most iconic successes, turning prank energy into permanent utility.
ThinkGeek’s Tauntaun Sleeping Bag
ThinkGeek’s 2009 April Fools’ ad for a Star Wars-inspired Tauntaun sleeping bag went viral, complete with a lightsaber zipper and faux guts lining. Fans wanted it so badly, ThinkGeek made it real with Lucasfilm’s blessing. What started as a gag became a top-selling product.
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Left-Handed Whopper
In 1998, Burger King claimed they had rotated their Whopper ingredients 180 degrees to create a version for left-handed diners. Thousands requested it before realizing it was identical to the original. The prank was so popular, it inspired actual Whopper variations down the line.
Google Maps Pokémon Challenge
Google’s 2014 April Fools’ game had users “catch” Pokémon in Google Maps. The joke sparked massive excitement and inspired Niantic, a Google spinoff, to create Pokémon GO. The gag became one of the most profitable mobile games ever made.
Elon Musk’s Tequila
Elon Musk joked about “Teslaquila” in a fake bankruptcy tweet. Fans loved the name so much that Tesla released a real tequila in a lightning-bolt bottle. Priced at $250, it sold out instantly. Musk turned an April 1st tweet into a luxury product.
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Hypercolor T-Shirts
Temperature-sensitive color-changing shirts debuted as a prank in the ’80s—but the tech was real. The shirts hit stores and became a full-blown fashion craze. Over $50 million worth were sold before the novelty wore off and manufacturing issues slowed down production.
Impossible Whopper
Announced on April 1, 2019, Burger King’s plant-based Whopper sounded like a joke, but it was 100% real. The buzz from its prank-adjacent reveal helped make it one of the chain’s most successful launches ever.
Pet Rocks
Pet Rocks began as a joke product—just rocks in boxes with care manuals. Creator Gary Dahl sold millions, raking in $15 million in six months. The absurdity was the appeal, proving that a clever idea can make even literal rocks profitable.
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Voltswagen
Volkswagen prematurely leaked a press release in 2021 saying it would rebrand as “Voltswagen” to promote its EVs. Initially called an April Fools’ joke, the confusion sparked backlash. Still, the branding idea stuck and later influenced real EV campaigns.
The Selfie Shoe
Miz Mooz introduced a fake shoe in 2015 with a toe-mounted phone holder for taking selfies. While the product itself never launched, the viral response inspired other companies to design wearable selfie gadgets that did hit the market.
WD-40 Perfume
A parody ad for WD-40 cologne struck a nerve with fans who genuinely liked the scent. While WD-40 never launched it officially, indie perfumers stepped in to create WD-40-inspired fragrances—turning a joke into a niche trend.
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Scratch-and-Sniff Phones
Google’s “Google Nose” prank in 2013 promised scratch-and-sniff search results. The idea was fake—but it sparked real development of scent-releasing phone accessories using sticker-like tech. The humor opened the door for novelty innovation.
From Joke to Journal Entry
These product pranks blur the line between laughable and lucrative. April Fools’ Day has become a launchpad for unusual ideas, testing consumer interest with low risk. When a joke lands just right, it can turn into a best-seller—and maybe even change an industry.
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