April Fool’s Day Email Examples, Subject Lines & Tips [2026]

Consumers love brands with a good sense of humor, especially when it feels authentic, witty, and relatable. Big names like McDonald’s and Duolingo have mastered this formula, using humor to build massive, loyal followings.

There’s one specific day of the year that offers the perfect opportunity to connect with your audience in a fun, engaging way: April Fools’ Day. Many marketers use the holiday to craft unique narratives that promote products and humanize their brand.

In this guide, you’ll find engaging April Fools’ Day email examples, best practices, and pre-made resources to get inspired before you craft your own campaign with a fun plot twist.

April Fool’s Day Email Benefits

If you’re wondering if April 1st email marketing campaigns are right for your brand, consider these advantages before making your final decision:

• Showcase your brand personality: April Fools’ Day emails humanize your brand by showing the people behind the logo. They make your business feel like a relatable friend rather than a faceless corporation.
• Boost open rates: Subject lines with a playful twist grab attention instantly. They trigger curiosity and entice readers to see what’s actually inside.
• Drive sales: Since these emails generate high engagement, they often lead to a spike in sales, provided the narrative is clever from start to finish. A well-placed, witty CTA can make all the difference.
• Gain customer insights: These campaigns are a great test for your audience’s sense of humor. They reveal how your customers react to lighthearted content and help you understand what truly resonates with them.

Overall, a clever April Fools’ email can be a gateway to more creative marketing and a way to see if your customers “buy in” to your brand’s fun side. To reap these benefits, however, you must stay on-brand; otherwise, you risk alienating your audience with a prank that feels forced or awkward.

Best April Fool’s Day Email Examples & Why They Work

Ready to “fool” your audience like a talented comedian? Check out how notable brands shaped their April Fools’ Day messaging to stand out and delight their audience:

Bubble

Subject line: WE MADE PIMPLE PATCHES!!!

Bubble surprised their audience by announcing a fake new product they had resisted making for a long time. Once subscribers opened the email, they quickly discovered it was all “fake news.”

Why it works:

• The introduction immediately clarifies that the announcement is a joke, followed by an honest explanation of why the brand chooses not to release that specific product type.
• By listing the benefits of their existing spot treatments, they cleverly push subscribers toward their actual product line as a better alternative to patches.
• The call-to-action buttons prompt readers to purchase the spot treatments, turning a prank into a direct sales opportunity.
• The layout provides a smooth reading experience, ensuring the punchline is clear so subscribers aren’t left feeling confused.

AllTrails

Subject line: New! Fresh air, now in a bottle

How would you react if a campaign promoting “fresh air in a bottle” appeared in your inbox? It’d be hard to scroll past. AllTrails chose to connect with subscribers through this surreal yet meaningful plot-twist campaign.

Why it works:

• The subject line uses clever phrasing to suggest a product launch, using a hook that instantly sparks curiosity.
• The campaign promotes a vital initiative (protecting clean air), framing it as something we need to protect before it actually becomes a “luxury” product.
• By using humor to highlight a serious issue, the narrative drives emotional engagement and increases the potential for donations, which is the campaign’s primary goal.

Quartz

Subject line: April Fools’ is canceled

Quartz chose April Fools’ Day to share a special discount code for an annual membership to their news site, opting for a more sincere, down-to-earth approach.

Why it works:

• The messaging focuses on the importance of distinguishing real news from “fake news,” positioning Quartz as a trustworthy solution in a confusing landscape.
• The discount code encourages users to commit to an annual membership at a special rate, emphasizing that the value they provide is no joke.
• The clean email design and distraction-free layout ensure the call-to-action stands out immediately, maximizing conversion potential.

Death Wish Coffee

Subject line: It’s Laughing With You, Not At You

Death Wish Coffee used April Fools’ Day as the perfect moment to share product recommendations that lean into their unique brand personality.

Why it works:

• The subject line hook triggers immediate interest, motivating readers to click through to see what’s behind the humor.
• They promoted themed items, like a seasonal mug and exclusive playing cards, specifically curated to honor this day.
• The copy reminds readers to claim a 50% discount, using the lighthearted atmosphere of the day to drive a serious boost in spring sales.

Skechers

Subject line: Serious April Fools Savings

Skechers capitalized on the high engagement of April Fools’ Day by launching a targeted flash sale for their members.

Why it works:

• The subject line focused on the benefit of the email to attract subscribers interested in claiming the incentive.
• The copy is simple and puts the discount at the top to ensure everyone sees it, including expiration date, code, and price limitations.
• They shared three product categories to cater to different needs and linked them to their most converting pages.

Kiss My Keto

Subject line: April Fools? Nope, Just Mind Blowing Keto Swaps 😎

Kiss My Keto delivered an amazing newsletter featuring “deliciously deceptive” keto recipes to celebrate April 1st.

Why it works:

• The email copy is packed with puns and April Fools’ Day references, leaning into the holiday spirit to increase audience engagement.
• High-quality imagery of the recipes, paired with practical details like prep time and net carb counts, effectively persuades subscribers to get into cooking mode.
• The subject line perfectly mirrors the email’s content, using a well-placed emoji to add a splash of color and stand out in a crowded inbox.

TOMS

Subject line: NO JOKE: Free Shipping + 25% Off TODAY ONLY!

TOMS April 1st email is the epitome of a 24-hour flash sale designed for maximum impact.

Why it works:

• The subject line highlights both the discount and the limited timeframe, creating a sense of curiosity and urgency.
• The “Shop Now” button and the “no-joke” redemption code are placed front and center, ensuring the primary message is impossible to miss.
• By clearly stating exclusions and specifying that the offer is a “members-only” incentive, they manage expectations and add a sense of exclusivity.

Best Practices For April Fool’s Campaigns That Convert

If you’re ready to pull a prank or crack a joke for your customers this April Fool’s, here are a few essential tips to ensure you do it right:

1. Keep pranks on-brand

The first and most important box to check is ensuring your humorous approach remains consistent with your established brand voice. Aim to spark curiosity or provide a lighthearted moment that feels natural to your identity.

Why does this matter? If subscribers feel you’re jumping on a trend just for the sake of it, the content will feel “off.” Remember, the goal is to surprise, not to deceive or mislead.

Consider the difference between Death Wish Coffee and TOMS from the list above. While a brand like Death Wish Coffee has plenty of room to “push the envelope,” TOMS would likely alienate its audience if it moved too far from its usual storytelling. Instead, a more subtle, natural approach is a much better fit.

2. Write a converting subject line

Nothing guarantees a high open rate more than your subject line. To grab your audience’s attention at a glance, you need a hook that is both appealing and a clear reflection of the content inside.

When it comes to April Fools’ subject lines, wordplay and emojis are highly encouraged, provided they hint at what’s actually in the email. If you’re promoting an incentive, like a flash sale or a discount code, it’s best to mention it directly to attract high-intent customers and prospects.

Finally, align your preview text with the subject line to provide complementary information that motivates a click. You could even use this space to set up a joke like a classic “Knock, knock…” to delight your readers before they even open the message.

If you’re concerned about the efficiency of your subject line, you can also use an AI writer to get valuable suggestions, based on the brand voice you want to deliver and the audience’s preferences.

3. Personalize your email content

If you want to boost your conversion rates, it’s best to deliver a more personalized email experience rather than sticking to a generic bulk email intended for everyone.

You can start by implementing email segmentation. Divide your contacts into different categories based on demographics like age or location. For example, the type of humor that resonates with Gen Z might fall flat with Boomers. Similarly, an April Fools’ tradition in one country might not translate at all in another.

Beyond demographics, you can segment your audience by customer journey stage. For instance, save your most exclusive deals for VIP members or prospects who are very close to converting. This allows you to drive sales without hurting your bottom line by offering a massive discount to your entire list.

Finally, leverage custom blocks and dynamic content to deliver tailored product recommendations. AI-powered marketing tools like Moosend’s Audience Discovery can help you scale these personalized efforts, saving you time without compromising the quality of your results.

Try Moosend’s AI

4. Create an automation workflow

One single email is often not enough, especially if you’ve tied your April Fools’ Day campaign to specific promotional goals. To maximize impact and save time, leverage your email automation software to build a workflow that delivers timely, relevant messages to your list.

Set up your trigger conditions using if/then logic. Most email platforms offer pre-made “recipes” to help you get started, which is especially helpful if you’re new to automation.

For instance, if you’re running a flash sale, announce it with a witty hook on April 1st and schedule two follow-ups for subscribers who haven’t converted yet. Use your final communications to heighten urgency with clever wording or a countdown timer.

To take it a step further, you can temporarily “prank” your standard automated emails. Try updating your abandoned cart emails with a well-timed April Fool’s Day joke to surprise subscribers and nudge them toward a purchase in a fun, unexpected way.

5. Adopt data-driven tactics

If you’re feeling unsure about specific elements of your April Fools’ campaign, like the subject line, imagery, or copy, use A/B testing (split testing) to take the guesswork out of it. This technique allows you to test two versions of your email on a small segment of your audience; the “winning” version is then automatically delivered to the rest of your email list.

Furthermore, take a look at data from previous humorous campaigns, even if it comes from social media or SMS rather than email. Those metrics can reveal which “twists” truly resonate with your audience. The more your strategy relies on real-world data, the more predictable and successful your results will be.

6. Promote across channels

Finally, remember to integrate your email marketing with other channels like social media to expand your reach. You can feature your April Fools’ messaging in a website pop-up or share it across your most active social platforms to keep the conversation going.

If you’re running an April Fools’ or Spring sale, a multi-channel approach is the best way to meet your customers exactly where they are. Just be sure to adapt your messaging for each platform: while a playful video might be suitable for TikTok, a clever carousel could be the perfect fit for LinkedIn.

April Fool’s Day Email Subject Lines To Boost Open Rates

We collected some of the most compelling April Fool’s Day subject lines for different intents from our inboxes to help you find the best fit for your next emails:

• No pranks here! everything’s up to 75% off 🤯
• Use OUR discount! NO JOKE!
• NEW 😈 The Last Laugh Mug
• No Jokes – 20% OFF ENDS AT 10 AM!
• Playful Paintings to Make You Laugh
• We’re Not Joking – 20% off sitewide!
• This isn’t a joke….
• Who is still fooling around?
• This is NOT April Fools
• This sale is no joke.
• This April Fools Day Sale Is Real! 😯
• It’s April Fool’s Day and there’s a smile for you inside
• April Fools? 🙄Let’s Shop Instead 💁🏻‍♀️
• We’re feelin’ foolish
• 🤫 an April Fools trick you can use right NOW 🙃

Use this list for inspiration or insert your favorite in an AI writing tool to find the most suitable alternative based on your brand’s tone.

Premade Email Templates for April Fool’s Day

Here are two ready-made templates from our library that could fit April Fool’s Day themes design-wise. Tweak the copy and add any content blocks needed to meet your marketing goals.

To get them, sign up for a Moosend account or a 30-day free trial.

“Hey You” email template

Use this email template to “shout out” your April Fool’s flash sale to your list. You can easily replace the main image with a more on-brand visual or GIF and tweak product blocks as needed, making it a perfect choice for eCommerce:

“Oh nuts” campaign template

While this template is primarily created for out-of-stock messages, you can easily customize the copy to deliver an April Fool’s message for a fake product. You can also create alternative funny headlines to “Oh Nuts” based on your campaign goal:

Additional Resources

For more funny email ideas, take a look at our guides below:

• How to Add Humor in B2B Email Marketing Campaigns
• Monthly Email Planner: April Edition
• Funny Email Examples to Get Inspired

Make a Fool of Yourself, Not Your Customers

If we had just one final tip for your April Fools’ email campaigns, it would be this: Poke fun at your own brand. Invite your subscribers to share a laugh with you, rather than making them the target of the joke. This approach is a shortcut to building authentic brand awareness and earning serious loyalty points.

Of course, don’t save the humor exclusively for April 1st. Connect with your subscribers in a lighthearted way whenever the moment feels right. By building these “human” bonds throughout the year, you turn humor from a casual April Fool’s Day prank into a long-term marketing strategy.