Amy Ahmed-Dolphin hand-picks 12 of this year’s most attention-grabbing campaigns and tasks the Whistle team to rate them…
It was April Fools’ Day this week – my favourite day of the PR calendar. But when it comes to 1st April, brands have two options: play it safe; or go all in on the creativity. At Whistle, we live for the bold. This year, we decided to bring some playful scrutiny to the mischief with an analysis of some of 2025’s stand-out stunts.
With countless stunts out there this year, we simply couldn’t include them all. So, I’ve hand-picked 12 campaigns which grabbed my attention – some genius, some questionable – and asked our brilliant team to rate them on three crucial (and definitely scientific) metrics:
- Believability – Did it fool you?
- Creativity – Was it brilliantly original?
- Buzz-o-Meter – How much noise did it make?
We’ve crunched the numbers, tallied the team verdicts and crowned a winner.
No losers here though. The very fact we’re debating them means they’ve done their job. After all, sparking discussion is good brand awareness.
But first, let’s rewind a bit…
The Origins of April Fools’ Day
April Fools’ Day has been around since at least the 1500s, with roots in calendar shifts such as the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in France, which moved New Year’s Day from 1st April to 1st January. Those who stuck to the old date became the butt of jokes – and thus, the prank tradition was born.
In more recent decades, brands began to see 1st April as an opportunity for light-hearted storytelling, audience engagement and (when done effectively) viral glory. Memorable stunts like the BBC World Service informing listeners in 1980 that Big Ben was being upgraded to a digital clock and would henceforth be known as Digital Dave, or B&Q’s re-touching of the White Cliffs of Dover in 2017, have paved the way for creative teams to get inventive and have some fun.
The Campaign Rankings
From canned tap water to ‘pawsonal shopping’ for dogs, here’s how the brands stacked up this year, in reverse order of total score.
- Asda – Rear Pocket Dress Code
Customers were told they’d need visible rear pockets to enter stores, with stick-on pockets for the unprepared.
- Believability: 1.6
- Creativity: 2.8
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.0
- Overall: 2.2
“Asda’s April Fools’ prank was a play on their famous ‘pocket tap’, which is still replicated by shoppers across the UK. Whilst this was clearly intended to be light-hearted, it fell into the same trap that so many other brands have fallen victim to, which is that it simply isn’t believable. For me, this campaign made me roll my eyes, rather than roll around laughing!” – Chelsey Downing, account director
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- Napolina – Shared Spaghetti Portions
Suggesting one metre-long pasta strands to promote togetherness and evoke the classic puppy love scene from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp.
- Believability: 2.2
- Creativity: 2.7
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.0
- Overall: 2.3
“I immediately thought of Lady and the Tramp. It felt nostalgic and made me smile.” – Claire Saltmarshe, business support manager
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- Krispy Kreme – Dropping the Original Glazed
The brand claimed to be axing their flagship doughnut in favour of Glazed Raspberry.
- Believability: 2.7
- Creativity: 1.7
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.6
- Overall: 2.4
“A clever PR move, even if not the most original. It got fans buzzing – and left me craving a fresh Original Glazed!” – Camilla Haran, account director
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- Terry’s – Chocolate Mint Toothpaste
A bizarre oral hygiene-meets-chocolate invention. TV presenter Alison Hammond was quick to call it out on Instagram, commenting, “April fools Terrys” with the brand responding: “What could you possibly mean Alison, our teeth are minty and chocolatey fresh as we speak.”
- Believability: 1.6
- Creativity: 3.3
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.4
- Overall: 2.4
“I thought this stunt was funny, though of course entirely unbelievable! The non-believability of it did let the stunt down slightly I think, as it doesn’t give the shock factor of some of the more believable April Fools’ campaigns.
“I do however think the campaign was a great way to create talkability and shareability for Terry’s, with the brand being far more renowned for its orange-flavoured (and shaped) chocolate. I’m sure from a brand awareness and sales point of view, it worked a treat! They engaged in a lot of community engagement with their social audience, putting quick and funny replies to some of the comments.
“It did also get me thinking that chocolate toothpaste would make it 10x easier to brush my toddler’s teeth!” – Emily Holden, account director
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- Babybel – Wax Sleeping Bag
An absurdly on-brand ‘festival essential’ with a peel-to-reveal opening.
- Believability: 2.0
- Creativity: 3.1
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.3
- Overall: 2.5
“It did make me laugh and left me with an image of being peeled out of a bright red sleeping bag!” – Alice Wilson, management accountant
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- Aldi Scotland – Taps Aff Canned Tap Water
A cheeky nod to Scottish slang and a play on ‘premium’ water trends.
- Believability: 3.0
- Creativity: 2.6
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.3
- Overall: 2.6
“I just didn’t really get it! And based on Aldi’s normal on-the-ball social team, I felt this one fell a bit flat.” – Claire Saltmarshe, business support manager
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- Heinz – Dubai Beanz
Pistachio-stuffed beans, spoofing the viral Dubai chocolate bar trend.
- Believability: 1.8
- Creativity: 3.5
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.7
- Overall: 2.7
“Heinz’s Dubai Beanz was certainly a topical April fool following the recent hype over the much coveted Dubai chocolate bar – and Lidl’s lower cost dupe. The resulting banter from other brands such as Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Ikea helped to boost campaign reach and engagement. But for me, the best April Fools pranks are the ones you wish were actually true – and pistachio-filled beans frankly sound disgusting!” – Sarah Kent, managing director
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- Flymo – Frymo Lawn-Grill Hybrid
In a cheeky twist on their classic garden product, Flymo introduced the Frymo, a hover-style air fryer for the kitchen.
- Believability: 2.3
- Creativity: 3.5
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.4
- Overall: 2.7
“As believability goes, it’s Fly-Low… for creativity, it’s High-Though. Genuinely loved the social media caption – very playful. The post strikes the right balance of spending a small chunk of time playing with the brand but ultimately delivering a great piece of social content for hits.” – Adam Palmer, social media account director
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- Cadbury – Creme Egg On The Goo
A goo-filled chocolate condiment.
- Believability: 2.4
- Creativity: 3.7 (highest of all)
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.4
- Overall: 2.8
“I like the campaign as there are many devoted fans of the creme egg filling – myself included. The comments on the Instagram Reel have the same sentiment. What would have made it stronger is suggesting that the goo be used for sweet sauce, rather than something savoury like chips that they suggested. But it’s definitely one of the more ‘believable’ ones from this year’s pool.” – Liam Pitts, account manager
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- John Lewis – Pawsonal Shopping for Dogs
Launching a luxury, dog-only shopping experience. “Sign our pooches up,” commented The Dogs Trust.
- Believability: 2.8
- Creativity: 3.3
- Buzz-o-Meter: 3.1
- Overall: 3.1
“As the owner of a very pampered pooch myself, John Lewis’ April Fools’ campaign was right up my street. It was a clever and lighthearted way to engage customers while tapping into a big market of dog lovers who treat their animals as part of the family. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of my own dog enjoying such a luxury, if only it were real!” – Courtney Caile, account manager
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- Birds Eye – Potato Waffholes
Solving the mystery of where potato waffle holes go and sparking tongue-in-cheek inter-brand banter on social media. “These with Beanz,” commented Heinz’s social team, with Birds Eye replying: “@heinz_uk we love it, HOLEheartedly.”
- Believability: 3.3
- Creativity: 3.4
- Buzz-o-Meter: 2.9
- Overall: 3.2
“Although it’s simple, I really enjoyed this little stunt! I think it’s fun how they’ve played on curiosity and the silly questions we ask. Where do the waffle holes go? We’ve all thought it, and finally the age-old question has been answered.” – Emily Pinches, account executive
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- The Winner: Walkers – Crisp Packet Colour Swap
The beloved Salt & Vinegar pack swaps its green packet with Cheese & Onion’s blue.
- Believability: 3.7 (highest)
- Creativity: 3.3
- Buzz-o-Meter: 3.7 (highest)
- Overall: 3.6
My verdict? Walkers’ crisp-colour baiting was simple, smart and divisive enough to light up social. They clearly invested a lot into this campaign, spending on billboard placement across London. An ‘A*’ for commitment and execution. It made us wonder if this one really might be true… and that’s why it’s taken the top spot.
But while Walkers took the overall top spot, it was Cadbury’s simple social vid that clinched the highest score for creativity, proving that it only takes a little to ‘goo’ a long way.
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Want PR that’s bold and brand-true?
At Whistle PR, we know how to make noise, but we never lose sight of strategy and purpose. If you’re planning a playful campaign (April Fools’ or otherwise) and want a partner that blends creativity with commercial impact, contact us now.
We’d love to help you find your Waffhole moment.
