10 delicious April Fools’ campaigns

April Fools’ Day is an odd thing for marketers.

They’re expected to create authentic and clear messaging the rest of the year, but on this one day, they’re given license to indulge in trickery and lie about ideas, products and services.

This freedom sparks lots of clever creativity, but it also produces plenty of headaches. Often, brands go too far or not far enough, leaving consumers annoyed, angry or simply befuddled.

How can marketers indulge in some April Fools’ fun without creating confusion or provoking a backlash? What does it look like when firms get things right and manage to entertain and humor audiences all while staying on brand and ensuring that everyone is in on the joke?

The idea: This fun little video shows what would happen if different types of pets (a gerbil, a cat or a dog) could control an Amazon Echo using “Petlexa.”