April Fool’s Day Hits, Misses, & Awkward Attempts At Humor

April Fools’ Day is always a mixed bag when it comes to brand pranks: some are hilarious, some are just plain weird, and a few make you question how that idea ever got approved. This year’s holiday saw everything from HOP WTR’s cheeky “Hoppi” rebrand to Deep Indian Kitchen’s attempt at chicken-flavored ice cream (yikes, no thank you). While some brands nailed the humor, others reminded us that universal humor is harder than it looks, especially when designers get AI in the mix. AI can generate visuals, but it still doesn’t quite “get” what makes a joke funny, you need a human for that! At the end of the day, the best pranks are the ones that feel smart, playful, and, most importantly, actually make people laugh.