When you hear of new products or services launching on or near April 1, it’s hard not to get a little suspicious.
This year, companies aren't holding back in announcing new products and services that are admittedly fake. Sunday isn't just Easter. It's April Fools' Day.
Here are some of the “new” items and services:
Arby's
The restaurant chain and eyewear company Warby Parker are launching the Onion Ring Monocle by WArby's. It'll be available at two New York City locations -- an Arby's restaurant and a Warby Parker store -- Friday through Sunday. Other swag -- such as beef-hued glasses frames and lens-cleaning clothes covered with pictures of marble rye, cheese, corned beef and lettuce -- is for sale online.
Auntie Anne’s
The world’s largest hand-rolled soft pretzel franchise is bottling up its famous scents for a line of essential oils, the company announced in a news release introducing the Auntie Anne’s “House of A” Heavenly Scent Essential Pretzel Oils
“This is the first time the brand has bottled its scent, which was previously only available at Auntie Anne’s locations in malls, airports, and countless other venues around the world,” the release notes, adding the scents are Freshly Baked, Salty and Cinnamon Twist. The essential oils line will be available to purchase at 12:01 a.m. Sunday online.
Bulletproof
The brand known for its butter-laced coffee announced in a news release the April 1 debut of Bulletproof Grass-Fed Butter Balm, which “promises to be the only lip balm you’ll ever need, replacing fat-free substitutes and lip-drying imposters in your moisture routine.” The lip balm will be “available in one shade that appears pale yellow in the tube and applies clear with a high-shine finish that can take your lips from day to night, filling the gap in your previously butter-less beauty regiment,” the company said in a news release.
Burger King
On its Facebook page, the fast food chain announced its Chocolate Whopper, which includes a chocolate cake bun, flame-grilled chocolate patty, raspberry sauce, white chocolate rings, candied blood oranges, milk chocolate leaves and vanilla frosting. The company said it's “Coming soon. Maybe.”
Chegg
The “student-first connected learning platform” is debuting the Chegg Osmosis Pillow with “proprietary patent pending memory foam will actually improve your memory.” According to a news release, the pillow available in both regular and travel sizes, is “perfect for students that want to learn an entire semester's worth of Physics in one night, or students looking for a quick study session and power nap before the exam.”
Unfortunately for students everywhere, this isn’t a real item. “If it sounds ridiculous, that's because it is,” the release notes. “Osmosis pillows can't help you study, but Chegg Tutors can.”
Glamsquad
The on-demand beauty service has announced a new partnership with Wag!, on-demand mobile dog walking and dog care app, to offer dog parents and pooches matching beauty services. Styles include the “Poodle Pou” and “Off Duty Dog 'Do.” Not to spoil the fun, but the last line of the news release outs this one as an April Fools' Day joke: "While this concept isn’t so far-fetched, it unfortunately won’t be available to book on April 1st- we may be pulling your hind leg.”
L.A. Wine Project
The Los Angeles wine company’s new wine Blasé -- The World’s First 'Rosé of Indifference,’ will be available starting April 1 for $99 a bottle. It has a “stultifying blend of rosé and activated charcoal to soothe your troubled soul,” company officials wrote in an email to USA TODAY, adding “Blasé is a totally new kind of wine because it’s made in a totally new way. We start with grapes that have seen it all: drought, industrial pesticides, mechanical harvesting.”
Life Storage
The national self-storage company unveiled the next generation of self-storage technology with AI-powered “Howie,” the first-ever Smart Storage Smart Bot for an added $199 a month.
Man Crates
The men’s gifting company announced in a news release “Porch Piracy Protection,” a “new free service to combat the growing epidemic affecting people who shop online - having the packages they ordered stolen from their homes before they receive them.” Options include a giant mouse trap, swarm of bees, creepy clown and more.
Pindrop
Forget about fingerprinting. The Atlanta biometic company is launching “tongueprinting” technology, the “newest mouthpiece in Pindrop’s authentication and anti-fraud product lineup.” The technology will be available for pre-order Sunday and email aprilfools@pindrop.com to schedule a demo.
Rent the Runway
The popular fashion rental company is “is expanding its unlimited closet in the cloud to dog clothing for the first time ever.” Yes, this is another joke, however, it might turn into a reality. The website notes “If we get 10,000 signatures, we just might rent dog clothes.”
Roku
These new socks look to replace the remote. “The longtime battle between snack and remote comes to an end with an innovation for Roku device, the company said in a news release introducing the “Roku Happy Streaming Socks.”
ShopRite
Last week, Reese's swapped chicken eggs inside supermarket cartons with their own Reese’s Peanut Butter Crème Eggs to surprise food shoppers.
SodaStream
The company is teaming with Bed Bath & Beyond for a fake commercial for SodaSoak, which adds bubbles to your bath water.
T-Mobile
The company unveiled the world’s first Smartshoephone: T-Mobile Sidekicks. The shoes are “fully tricked out for speed on the fastest LTE network ever and optimized for unlimited data with T-Mobile ONE,” according to a news release. The release also unveiled the tech shoes are a joke but that a non-tech version actually can be pre-ordered before April 15.
Tripping.com
In a blog post, the travel website claims to be a member of The Flat Earth Society and has come up with a list of the “10 best places to visit that prove the earth is flat.”
Wayfair
On April 1, the company is introducing the “world’s first digitally-controlled interactive wallpaper, enabling homeowners to completely transform the look and scent of a room in a matter of seconds,” according to a news release. “From bold florals to understated prints to trendy patterns, the new Scentsible Wallpaper collection makes it easy for design enthusiasts to instantly and remotely change the pattern of their wallpaper to match their mood, the weather or any occasion.”
White Castle
The hamburger fast-food chain announced in a news release it’s innovating to become the “first quick service restaurant to enter the fitness and supplement market.” Starting April 1, “those seeking gains in their protein intake can access the highly-concentrated, 100% White Castle Whey Protein Powder in stores nationwide.”
Each serving includes “includes 27 sliders scientifically granulated into 189 grams of pure Whey Protein, perfect for those who are training to be the next heavyweight champion, or simply looking to maximize their muscle mass for the summer season.”
