The morning of April 1 is a perilous time for journalists. As an industry, we're taught to question everything and verify, verify, verify.
But if you don't have your wits about you, falling victim to a prank on April Fool's Day is a real risk.
It's no longer just about harmless jokes with siblings, partners or colleagues, come the morning of April 1. Brands get in on the action, too. Which means that my inbox is flooded with playful pranks dressed as pitches from the end of March.
But here's my plea for 2026: read the room. Let's skip it this year.
I don't think I am alone in thinking like this. Conversations with peers aside, I have seen a good few memes that echo my thoughts.
“We should cancel April Fool's this year. There is no prank topping our reality,” read one. Another: “April Fool's is cancelled tomorrow. Keep your jokes to yourself, this whole year has been one already.”
Distrust towards some factions of the media has never been higher, at a time when we need clear, honest and direct reportage more than ever. Fake news is everywhere, we're all in enough noisy WhatsApp groups to see that. So, for this year, can brands and publications in the UAE agree that we'll park the pranks and practical jokes? Misinformation tends to spread faster than corrections, and when people are already (and rightly) second-guessing headlines, intentionally blurring the line between fact and fiction feels irresponsible.
In the past, I have enjoyed a good April Fool's laugh as much as the next person, particularly when we see jokes land.
Emirates has tricked the masses with branded cruises, residences and chauffeur-less drone travel in years gone by. But for now, it feels like the airline has enough on its plate.
GymNation is another brand with a history of fun marketing campaigns. In 2024, it played a cafe prank, convincing some people that it was opening a space where “fitness enthusiasts will have to walk or run on treadmills while they queue for their coffee”.
This year, “protein shisha” is already on the April Fool's menu – and in my inbox. So while I am making requests, if we are going to have some good-natured pranks, can we please get stricter with the timing?
Lore dictates that if you play a prank after midday on April 1, you're the fool. But what about pranking too early?
I have had tongue-in-cheek emails since March 25 that I have earmarked as potential pranks. One of my editors joked that it's becoming like Christmas or Halloween, and creeping up earlier and earlier every year, and he's right. Except, we're not talking about decor and seasonal food in shops; with April Fool’s, we’re just guessing what’s real, and for longer each year.
That said, levity is certainly required, now more than ever − I know that I am certainly looking for distractions in the shape of light books, TV shows and games. But let’s call it on the pranks, just for this year. No fake pitches, no double takes at headlines, no laughing at each other's expense. Reality has us second-guessing enough already.
