If you don’t like Mondays, this one may especially be grating. It’s April Fool’s Day, when you should trust no one and question everything.
The roots of April Fools’ Day may date back before to before the 15th century. But the modern-day April Fools’ Day has become a day to prank a friend, family member, co-worker − or your customers.
Even though some companies have had April Fools’ pranks backfire, marketers continue to issue spoof products in attempts to get some laughs and attention.
Already ahead of April Fools’ Day, 7-Eleven has hinted at a possible prank product: In addition to new Lemon Lime, Green Apple and Sweet Orange flavored 7-Select sparkling waters, out now with partner Miracle Seltzer, there’s a fourth flavor coming April 1: Big Bite Hot Dog.
The hot dog-flavored water “combines the mouthwatering experience of 7-Eleven’s iconic Big Bite Hot Dog into one refreshing beverage – ketchup and mustard included,” the convenience chain says in a press release. “Say goodbye to the days of alternating bites of a hot dog with sips of a beverage, now those on the go can swap the bun for bubbles.”
Will Big Bite Hot Dog sparkling water be sold? Its availability will be announced April 1. However, some reporters were sent a can of the drink. USA TODAY can confirm that it definitely smells like hot dog water and has a smoky aftertaste.
If you are interested in trying it, both 7-Eleven and Miracle Seltzer have hinted at having some to give away on their Instagram pages. (If you get a can, share with a friend as it’s 16 ounces.)
Here’s a roundup of many of the brand-related April Fools’ gag announcements. You’ve been warned.
The product would have been “a match made in heaven … to bring the delicious, tangy flavor of Pringles’ Sour Cream & Onion flavor to life in liquid form with prebiotic benefits,” the companies said.
Stoner lingo translation app
Another dream team prank product: Rosetta Stoned, a mobile app from Rosetta Stone and medical marijuana company Fluent, that “bridges the conversational gap between novice users and seasoned stoners in any social setting.”
Da da decoder
Infant equipment site BabyQuip has its own language-bridging lark: the “Baby Translator” app, to decode your baby’s secret language.
“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,” it promises.
An AI-powered plush doll
Custom stuffed animal maker Budsies already makes selfie plush dolls with a built-in voice recorder. Its April Fools’ spoof: Artificial intelligence-enabled dolls that “come programmed to learn everything about you and to become your new best friend.”
A 50-pound Bearabuddy
Sorry to the 3,500 or so who have already signed up to buy Bearaby’s Jumbo Benji plush toy, which is four times the size of its regular weighted plush toys and twice as heavy as its heaviest weighted blanket. This isn’t actually going to be sold. But it is real and will be making its home in the lobby at The Child Mind Institute in Harlem to welcome children and their families. More weighted plushies are due the day after April Fools’ Day, the company says.
A sleeping bag to go bananas over
The Dole Banana Peel Sleeping Bag, conveniently promoted as being available on April Fools’ Day only, is made from actual banana fiber and “allows parents to escape into their own cocoon of sensory deprivation.”
A full-body cleaning suit
Outrageous clothing company Tipsy Elves has a special product for April Fools’ Day: The Mopsie. You don’t need paper towels anymore, you can use your body to clean up those messes, with this “innovative, wearable microfiber towel jumpsuit” for “effortlessly soaking up spills and messes with ease.” There’s also a Baby Mopsie for “hard to reach places.”
Korean BBQ deodorant
Kevin’s Natural Foods, which has paleo- and keto-certified ready-to-cook and easy-prep entrées, is touting a new line of personal care products inspired by its food dishes including Korean BBQ Deodorant, Cilantro Lime Toothpaste, Lemongrass Basil Shampoo and Tikka Masala Sunscreen.
“These new face, body and hair care essentials will help fans prioritize self-care inside and out,” the company says.
Omaha Steaks’ meaty sprays
Omaha Steaks has its own personal care prank product: Meaty Spritz sprays with flavors such as Omaha Fog, Hog Haze, and Cock-a-Doodle-Dew.
“The world’s first protein-infused, flavor-packed, portable pump spray … (to) enjoy all the mouthwatering flavors of your Omaha Steaks gourmet favorites no matter how far away from the kitchen you are!” the company says.
Sriracha toothpaste
Asian sauce maker Lee Kum Kee, which makes Sriracha Chili Sauce and Sriracha Mayo Dressing, is introducing – not – its Siracha Mayo Toothpaste. It’s “fiery and creamy goodness … is sure to spice up your morning dental routine.”
Post-salad dental kit
Need some less powerful toothpaste? Sweetgreen offered these fanciful personal hygiene products as part of its Sweetgreen After Salad Kit, which is “designed with your pearly whites in mind … offering everything you need to freshen up post-meal.”
Choose from Miso Ginger Toothpaste, Spicy Cashew Mints, Lime Cilantro Dental Floss, and Sweetgreen Toothbrush and Floss Picks.
Fruit juice lip gloss
More personal care prank products: Welch’s Juicyfuls Juicy Fruit Lip Gloss – now available in five flavors: grape, orange, peach, strawberry and raspberry – made with real juice from Juicefuls fruit snacks so “you get that irresistible sweet flavor you love, all in a lip gloss that’s as fun as it is nourishing.”
Protein-powered seasonings
Quest Nutrition, maker of protein powder, snacks and other products, has a prank product line of seasonings including All Purpose, Lemon Pepper, and Garlic Herb, each of which deliver “21g of protein, 2g of net carbs and less than 1g of sugar.”
If you want to try Quest’s real products, you can use code NOJOKE for free shipping on online orders over $49 April 1-3.
Superpowered Superfeet?
These would certainly come in hand on a run, but – sorry – it’s a jogging joke. Superfeet SuperBoost Power E-Soles gives you 8 hours of continuous battery-powered boost, for almost Iron Man-like propulsion. “All the comfort and support of Superfeet, now with electrifying performance,” the company says in a video about the prank product. “It’s like having a powerful electric motor in your shoes.”
Scotch tape-branded Scotch?
This shenanigan seems like a blend that could stick: Scotch Whisky by Scotch Brand. The whisky “features a nose of cherry wood and a delightfully smooth finish that hits like a well-wrapped gift.”
Who you gonna call when ghosted? This new title at Tinder
Dating app Tinder announced a new April Fools’ Day hiring quest for a Vice President of Ghost Hunting to help combat “one of dating culture’s most prevalent vices – ghosting,” a practice inflicted on 78% of singles already in 2024 (an untrue fact from Tinder).
Patrón’s bringing back a beloved liqueur. No kidding.
Patrón patrons get some good news today. The premium tequila maker chose April Fools’ Day to announce the return of its Patrón XO Cafe tequila-based coffee liqueur, which was discontinued in 2021. Since production ceased, devotees took to social media and signed a petition asking parent company Bacardi to bring it back.
Made with Patrón Silver tequila and Arabica bean coffee – the dry liqueur can be sipped straight, in cocktails and as dessert topping – Patrón XO Cafe will begin arriving in stores again later this month.
Say it with dead flowers
Don’t forget to put roses on your April Fools’ Day list. UrbanStems has this “special” delivery, The Dead Inside Collection, “an assortment of dead flower bouquets, dead plants, half empty vases, and more for the pessimist in your life.” But, for real, check UrbanStems’ social media accounts including Instagram for how to get 20% off an order of real flowers.
Cheesecake Factory’s real deals
The Cheesecake Factory also has a deal that’s no joke: Sign up for the chain’s Cheesecake Rewards loyalty program on April 1 to get an Any Slice, Half Price reward, redeemable for 50% off any slice of cheesecake or layer cake, with any food or beverage purchase (no gift cards).
Those who were members before April 1 will find something special in their account on Monday, too: either a free slice of cheesecake each month for a year, a free whole cheesecake, a free slice of cheesecake, $5 off $25 purchases, or $10 off $40 purchases. (All rewards redeemable by April 16; can be redeemed for dine-in, to-go and DoorDash.)
Human Resources Officers must be very busy these days what with the general turnover of employees in our retail and business sectors. It is hard enough to find skilled people let alone potential employees willing to be trained. Then after the training, a few weeks go by then they come to you and ask for a raise. You refuse as there simply is no excess money in the budget and away they fly to wherever they come from, trained but not willing to put in the time to achieve that wanted raise.
I have had potentials come in and we give them a test to see if they do indeed know how to weld, polish or work with wood. 2-10 we hire, and one of those is gone in a week or two. Ask that they want overtime, and their laughter leaving the building is loud and unsettling. Housing starts are doing well but way behind because those trades needed to finish a project simply don’t come to the site, with delay after delay. Some people’s attitudes are just too funny. A recent graduate from a Ivy League university came in for an interview. The position was mid-management potential, but when we told them a three month period was needed and then they would make the big bucks they disappeared as fast as they arrived.
Government agencies are really no help, sending us people unsuited or unwilling to carry out the jobs we offer. Handing money over to staffing firms whose referrals are weak and ineffectual. Perhaps with the Fall and Winter upon us, these folks will have to find work and stop playing on the golf course or cottaging away. Tried to hire new arrivals in Canada but it is truly difficult to find someone who has a real identity card and is approved to live and work here. Who do we hire? Several years ago my father’s firm was rocking and rolling with all sorts of work. It was a summer day when the immigration officers arrived and 30+ employees hit the bricks almost immediately. The investigation that followed had threats of fines thrown at us by the officials. Good thing we kept excellent records, photos and digital copies. We had to prove the illegal documents given to us were as good as the real McCoy.
Restauranteurs, builders, manufacturers, finishers, trades-based firms, and warehousing are all suspect in hiring illegals, yet that becomes secondary as Toronto increases its minimum wage again bringing our payroll up another $120,000. Survival in Canada’s financial and business sectors is questionable for many. Good luck Chuck!. at least your carbon tax refund check should be arriving soon.
NORMAN WELLS, N.W.T. – Imperial Oil says it will temporarily reduce its fuel prices in a Northwest Territories community that has seen costs skyrocket due to low water on the Mackenzie River forcing the cancellation of the summer barge resupply season.
Imperial says in a Facebook post it will cut the air transportation portion that’s included in its wholesale price in Norman Wells for diesel fuel, or heating oil, from $3.38 per litre to $1.69 per litre, starting Tuesday.
The air transportation increase, it further states, will be implemented over a longer period.
It says Imperial is closely monitoring how much fuel needs to be airlifted to the Norman Wells area to prevent runouts until the winter road season begins and supplies can be replenished.
Gasoline and heating fuel prices approached $5 a litre at the start of this month.
Norman Wells’ town council declared a local emergency on humanitarian grounds last week as some of its 700 residents said they were facing monthly fuel bills coming to more than $5,000.
“The wholesale price increase that Imperial has applied is strictly to cover the air transportation costs. There is no Imperial profit margin included on the wholesale price. Imperial does not set prices at the retail level,” Imperial’s statement on Monday said.
The statement further said Imperial is working closely with the Northwest Territories government on ways to help residents in the near term.
“Imperial Oil’s decision to lower the price of home heating fuel offers immediate relief to residents facing financial pressures. This step reflects a swift response by Imperial Oil to discussions with the GNWT and will help ease short-term financial burdens on residents,” Caroline Wawzonek, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance and Infrastructure, said in a news release Monday.
Wawzonek also noted the Territories government has supported the community with implementation of a fund supporting businesses and communities impacted by barge cancellations. She said there have also been increases to the Senior Home Heating Subsidy in Norman Wells, and continued support for heating costs for eligible Income Assistance recipients.
Additionally, she said the government has donated $150,000 to the Norman Wells food bank.
In its declaration of a state of emergency, the town said the mayor and council recognized the recent hike in fuel prices has strained household budgets, raised transportation costs, and affected local businesses.
It added that for the next three months, water and sewer service fees will be waived for all residents and businesses.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
TORONTO – A new report says many Canadian business leaders are worried about economic uncertainties related to the looming U.S. election.
The survey by KPMG in Canada of 735 small- and medium-sized businesses says 87 per cent fear the Canadian economy could become “collateral damage” from American protectionist policies that lead to less favourable trade deals and increased tariffs
It says that due to those concerns, 85 per cent of business leaders in Canada polled are reviewing their business strategies to prepare for a change in leadership.
The concerns are primarily being felt by larger Canadian companies and sectors that are highly integrated with the U.S. economy, such as manufacturing, automotive, transportation and warehousing, energy and natural resources, as well as technology, media and telecommunications.
Shaira Nanji, a KPMG Law partner in its tax practice, says the prospect of further changes to economic and trade policies in the U.S. means some Canadian firms will need to look for ways to mitigate added costs and take advantage of potential trade relief provisions to remain competitive.
Both presidential candidates have campaigned on protectionist policies that could cause uncertainty for Canadian trade, and whoever takes the White House will be in charge during the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2026.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
