The early days of spring brings April Fools’ Day, a day when brands and companies try to spring some goofy pranks on you – remember last year’s “Baby Translator” app and 7-Eleven’s hot dog-flavored water?

There’s a long history to April Fools’ Day, a tradition that may date back to the 15th century. But these days it’s mainly about getting attention for your product or brand – despite companies’ gags occasionally backfiring; Volkswagen and Google, we are looking at you.

Why would a brand put itself out there on April Fools’ Day? Well, it can pay off, says Guido Campello, co-CEO of lingerie and pajama brand Journelle.

The holiday “presents a unique opportunity for brands like Journelle to engage customers with a playful twist,” he told USA TODAY. “By incorporating humor and cheekiness into our marketing, we can create memorable campaigns that stand out in a crowded marketplace.”

Back in 2020, Journelle teased men’s lace lingerie on April Fools’ Day. Later in the year, the company began actually offering men’s lingerie and it’s become a top-selling category, said Campello, who heads Journelle with his wife and co-CEO, Dr. Sapna Palep.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

This year, Journelle’s foolish frippery is a new Mood-Matching Lingerie collection, intimate attire that changes color based on your mood just like a mood ring (yes, you can still get those). Not sure which colors tell if you are in the mood or not, however.

Journelle will promote the Mood-Matching collection on its website and app, social media channels, and in email. When customers click to explore, they’ll get an April Fools’ message and a discount off a purchase.

“This strategy not only attracts new consumers but also fosters a sense of community among existing customers who appreciate a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously,” Campello said. “It allows us to showcase our personality, turning the shopping experience into a delightful adventure.”

Here’s some more of the pranks looking to give you a laugh today.

Omaha Steaks’ ‘meat-cute’ April 1 romance novel

The direct-to-consumer food purveyor last month said it was getting into the literary business, with the first of three planned romance novels, “Certified Tender,” arriving in April. “Omaha Steaks is bringing its signature passion for quality and tradition into storytelling, crafting a narrative as rich and satisfying as its world-class steaks,” according to the announcement.

Turns out it was a bit of a tease; there’s not three books on the burner, but you can download the entire first book, “Certified Tender,” for free on OmahaSteaks.com.

You can also take advantage of the $99 Meat Cute Collection, with a deal on a combo of Filet Mignons, Gourmet Steakhouse Fries, and a bottle of Drawbridge Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Income tax refunds: What is the average tax refund? Why yours might be lower or higher

The perfect couch for wine lovers from Josh Cellars and Josh & Main

Oenophiles know it’s inevitable – wine stains on the furniture. This April Fools’ Day you can embrace the spillage with a new collaboration from Josh Cellars and furniture brand Joss & Main.

The collection of “stylish, modern couches and chairs with built-in wine stains” is perfect, the companies say, “because wine spills happen, so why not turn ‘oops’ into ‘ooh la la’ by making them part of the design?” 

Spritz Society’s new foolish flavor

Spritz Society, which makes wine-based flavored sparkling cocktails has a new concoction for April Fools’ Day, the Grape By Manischewitz, a kosher spritz “sure to knock your yamaka off,” the drink maker says.

This trick could turn into a real thing. Back in 2022, Spritz Society teased a Sour Pickle-flavored spritz for April Fools’ Day and just more than a year later, actually partnered with Claussen on the real thing.

Reese’s new April Fools’ Day bread for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

A “new” product coming from the makers of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: Reese’s Chocolatey Bread, another way to experience two flavors – peanut butter and chocolate – together and, when paired with peanut butter and jelly gives you “the ultimate PB&J experience,” the candy maker says.

Crunch bar’s quieter candy caper

This new Crunch bar is quieter, so you can sneak a snack anytime. Supposedly, some consumers said the traditional Crunch bar, made with milk chocolate and crunchy rice, was too loud. So, the chocolatier is making a Crunch Lite bar, made with cooked rice instead.

“Now, fans can enjoy their favorite chocolate candy, in a much quieter way,” the company said.

Stay the night with Nutella

Crazy about Nutella? Now – at least in your April Foolish dreams – you can build your summer vacation around it by staying at the Nutella BnB in Lake Placid, New York.

“Created for the ultimate Nutella fans, travelers can immerse themselves in a Nutella-shaped house with furniture, decor and everything in between representing the beloved hazelnut spread,” the rental pitch goes.

A new tack for Tic Tac

Tic Tac has teamed with Dr. Pepper on a limited-time offer: Dr. Pepper flavored Tic Tac mints.

“Taste the blend of sweet, spicy and slightly fruity notes of cherry, cola and cinnamon and a unique pepper flavor,” according to the description.

And the mints look like mini cans of the soft drink.

Curry and ice cream – together?

Feel guilty when you eat ice cream? Deep Indian Kitchen has some new flavors for you, letting you get your dinner and dessert simultaneously, with an April 1 lineup of limited-edition Indian Ice Cream Flavors including Chicken Curry, Chicken Tikka Masala, Spinach Paneer, Butter Chicken, and Chicken Vindaloo.

Baby gear delivered by drone? Yes, on April Fools’ Day

Baby gear delivery service BabyQuip is expanding its services starting April 1 with its new Baby Gear Drone Delivery Service,” which transports all the baby items you need including diapers and snacks in less than 15 minutes.

Here’s how it “works”: How it works: Simply select the items you need, then set your address and watch for your delivery – 50% faster than any other delivery service, the company professes.

While the Drone Delivery Service is a prank, BabyQuip is a real company and you can get $25 off your order on BabyQuip’s website through April 6 with the code APRILFOOLS.

This isn’t the first case of April Fools’ tomfoolery from BabyQuip. Last year, its “Baby Translator” app promised make parents’ lives easier. “Say ‘goodbye’ to restless nights as you decode your baby’s coos and cries instantly, providing you with the understanding you need as a parent, all in one convenient app,” the punch line went.

Tabañero hot sauce for your body

Hot sauce maker Tabañero

wants lovers of spicy flavors to “protect their skin with the same care they give their taste buds” and has a new Tabañero sunscreen, made with aloe, green tea, and coconut oil.

There is a real deal, however. With Tabañero’s new Flavor Protection Program, you can get 50% off its Original Hot Sauce for every new flavor you try – among the options are Sweet & Spicy, Extra-Hot and Curry Habanero, all made with habanero peppers and agave nectar.

BodyArmor’s new shampoo and Stanley Cup giveaway

BodyArmor is the official sports drink of the NHL, but it could be skating on thin ice with its new product: BodyArmor Sport Performance Shampoo, made “to hydrate, strengthen, protect, restore, and volumize hair,” the company said on April 1.

The shampoo “is scientifically formulated to ensure the perfect balance of electrolytes and vitamins to meet the unique needs of athletes and support healthy hair care,” especially hockey players’ “iconic hockey hair.”

Speaking of hockey, here’s a real power play: you can go to

the BodyArmor site

where you can enter for a chance to win tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Dude Wipes’ new manscaping tool for your bum

Here’s another interesting skincare “concept” from Dude Wipes and Manscaped – the Dudeman 2.0, a grooming tool for “down-there maintenance,” the companies say.

The Dudeman has multiple heads for trimming, buffing and cleaning and uses WipeTech technology and has a suction cup base for … hands-free trimming.

No time to work up a sweat? No problem with new workout gear

Athletic apparel brand Set Active has a new collection of activewear for those busy days when you don’t have time to work out but want folks to think you did.

The Wet Set collection comes pre-saturated with its proprietary H2SET technology, “ensuring you start your workout exactly how you’ll finish it: absolutely drenched.”

The clothes are guaranteed to maintain wetness for up to 12 hours, however “results may vary based on local humidity levels and personal drip factor,” the company said.

Duolingo’s April Fools’ Day trip tease: a 5-year Carnival cruise

Want to really immerse yourself in learning other languages? Duolingo is partnering with Carnival Cruise Line for a “first of its kind, five-year global voyage” that will have you speaking like a local at every port, “from ordering tapas in Spain to perfecting small talk in Japan,” the language education provider says on the official booking page.

“At Duolingo, we help language learners prepare for real-world conversations. So we thought: what if we gave learners even more conversation practice through five years of full immersion, with no hiding from Duo the Owl?” said George Audi, Duolingo’s head of global partnerships, in a press release dated April 1.

Once you’ve accepted the 5-year trip is a trick, you can take advantage of two real deals: a free month of the Super Duolingo language app and special offers on a shorter Carnival cruise.

Mini products hint at need for 5% plastic solution

April Fools’ Day is about pranks and jokes, but that doesn’t mean the gag can’t have a message behind it.

Plastic-neutral retailer Grove Collaborative is debuting the 5% Collection, an assortment of its top cleaning formulas but in miniature form. Why only 5% the actual size? Because, only 5% of plastic is recycled, the company says. The rest goes to landfills, the oceans and the rest of the environment, breaking down into microplastics and nanoplastics that have been found throughout the human body.

Guardio’s scam-sniffing AI nose device

Tired of worried about falling for an online scam? Cyber protection service Guardio has developed SniffGuard, the world’s first scam-detecting nose. A highly sophisticated AI device, the $12 product has the “olfactory power of a thousand security experts,” the company says.

“You never have to fall for a scam again,” the company says in a video. And SniffGuard ($12.99) also has SniffGPT technology to learn new scams.

Yahoo’s ‘Touch the Grass’ keyboard, available April 1

Just can’t get away from your desk? Yahoo has a new productivity tool that brings a bit of the outdoors to your desk: the Yahoo Agricultural Interface, a grass-covered keyboard that allows you to “touch grass” without needing to log off.

The keyboard has “87 hand-placed tufts of turf” allowing you to “experience the great outdoors, and stay grounded, even when you’re at your desk,” the product description goes.

“For April Fools’, we’re playfully reminding the perpetually online that while Yahoo helps you accomplish your goals efficiently, sometimes the best innovation is stepping away from your screen to touch some actual grass,” Sona Iliffe-Moon, Yahoo’s chief communications Officer and acting interim chief marketing officer, said in a press release. “We believe in technology that enhances life both on and off the screen.”

The grassy keyboard actually works – it connects via USB and is fully functional – and Yahoo begins selling it at 1 p.m. ET Tuesday for $19.95 (the year Yahoo launched) on Yahoo’s TikTok shop.

Popeyes Pickle Menu: No April Fool, it’s the real dill

Popeyes has an April Fools’ Day surprise that started out as what looked to be a tease. Last week the fast-food chain posted a video on Instagram with pickle juice being mixed with lemonade and the message: We’re in a bit of a pickle rn 🥒 4.1.25.

But it’s no joke. Tuesday marks the arrival of the limited-time Popeyes Pickle Menu with dishes including the Pickle Glaze Sandwich, Pickle Glaze Bone-In & Boneless Wings, Fried Pickles, and of course, Pickle Lemonade.

“What started as a playful social tease has now become a full-fledged culinary reality – a Pickled Popeyes,” said Bart LaCount, the chief marketing officer for Popeyes U.S. and Canada, in a press release.

April Fools’ Day deals and specials

A few companies are passing on pranks and giving their customers deals or specials:

• Burger King: Members of its Royal Perks loyalty program get a free order of any size onion rings with their purchase of $1 or more on Tuesday. Get the deal in the BK app or online. “There are no silly pranks attached, just pure deliciousness,” the company said in a press alert.
• Dunkin’: On Tuesday, you can win one of one million free Hot or Iced Coffees or Cold Brews of any size to members of the Dunkin’ Rewards program; enter the promo code ThisIsNotAJoke in the Dunkin’ app, while supplies last.
• The Cheesecake Factory: Members of the Cheesecake Rewards loyalty program will want to check their account on April 1 for a special “No Joke” reward. Rewards range from a free slice of cheesecake with any purchase, or perhaps, one slice free per month for the next year. Other awards include a $25 dine-in credit, $10 off a $40 purchase and $5 off $25 purchase (offers good for dine-in, takeout, or delivery). Any new Cheesecake Rewards members who sign up on April Fools’ Day will get the “Slice, Slice Baby” reward, a free slice when they buy one (good for dine-in or takeout).
• Tacodeli: The Texas-based taco chain is really offering a one-day limited-time menu item on Tuesday, an April Fools’ Day burrito ($12) made with refried beans, Mexican red rice, Monterey Jack cheese, sirloin, guac, pico, crema and Arbol salsa.

This story has been updated with new pranks.

Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow Mike on Threads, Bluesky and X:mikegsnider &@mikegsnider.bsky.social  & @mikesnider or email him at [email protected].