April Fools Day round-up 2026

I was fooled once, so this year I endeavour to list the offending campaigns that might otherwise hoodwink you (when you most suspect it). Be wary, readers, and happy April Fools Day.

In around 2019, when I would occasionally rent my flat on Airbnb, I received a text message (apparently from a previous tenant - the trickster in question did their homework) asking whether their Shetland pony could be hosted in my apartment. Much to my chagrin, I was taken in.

Similarly, jocularity is on full display by the creative industry, and below are a few of the cheeky fake-outs that caught our eye.

Heathrow Express x PureGym: the ‘Training Train’

Heathrow Express and PureGym have (allegedly) teamed up for a stunt that transforms the 15-minute journey from Paddington to Heathrow into the UK’s first ever onboard workout.

The idea imagines passengers doing a full pre-flight gym session on the train, complete with “overhead locker lifts,” “luggage lunges,” “duty-free curls” and “passport pocket squats,” turning a routine transfer into a tongue-in-cheek fitness experience.

The campaign is built around a simple joke with a strong travel insight: airport journeys are already oddly physical, so why not lean into the absurdity and make the journey itself part of the holiday prep.

Frankly, I kind of like the idea, and can see a mini workout to look ‘beach body ready’ (as if it’s not already a little late) being a good shout. Regardless, good fooling Heathrow Express.

Bolt Food: SnackBag

Bolt Food’s April Fools’ idea, SnackBag, is an edible delivery bag that supposedly tastes like the dessert you crave after a meal.

The joke is deliberately over-the-top, but the campaign gives it a smart twist by pairing the prank with a real dessert giveaway on Bolt Food’s global Instagram account.

The hero film is the strongest part of the concept: it directly nods to Andy Warhol’s famous Burger King scene, reimagined in a deliberately spare VHS-style setup where an artist finishes a Bolt Food meal and then eats the bag as dessert.

A fair bit of effort went in here then, so hats off.

Dole: Tinned Hawaiian Pizza

Dole has leaned into the ‘pineapple-on-pizza’ debate with ‘Tinned Hawaiian Pizza’, a fully assembled Hawaiian pizza sealed inside a tin.

It’s basically an exaggerated convenience product that turns a divisive food argument into a neatly packaged gag, while still keeping the brand’s pineapple at the centre of the story.

The joke pushes Dole’s familiar product territory into absurdity without losing relevance. So for that reason, we’re all in on the tin.

Vaseline: Official Nipple Protector

Lastly, dear readers, one that did indeed fool me. Of course, now that I’ve said this, it might sound obvious in hindsight, but I reckon this one was subtle enough to pass my smell test. At the time of writing, it's not confirmed, but we're calling it!

Vaseline claims it has been named the ‘Official Nipple Protector of the 2026 TCS London Marathon’ in a campaign that turns one of running’s most common problems into a headline-grabbing partnership.

The (definitely very believable) idea draws attention to a topic runners already know all too well.

If it is indeed what we think it is, fair play!