Unique April Fools' Day Design Ideas

Perhaps the most enjoyable graphic design assignment is that of an April Fools' Day campaign. The pranks, hoaxes and history of April Fools' Day inspire thousands of graphic design possibilities. You're practically unlimited so it can be easy to come up with original and unique April Fools' Day graphic design ideas.

Design a captivating hoax

Many companies have perpetrated famous April Fools' Day hoaxes that captivate audiences and earn free press. You can design an April Fools' Day postcard, poster, banner or brochure around a prank of your own. Run a search for famous ]]>April Fools' Day hoaxes]]> to see how others have faired with different types of hoaxes. The last thing you want to do is alienate or enrage your customers with an offensive or condescending campaign. Companies such as BMW do it best; the car company has released April Fools' Day ads featuring outlandish "innovations" such as a "Marque-wiper," which was a fictional mini-wiper for every logo on BMW cars.

Design humorous stickers and signs

Craft a design for stickers and signs to be posted in public areas. Your signs could be humorous or poignant, depending on your goals. Design for your environment, so that your stickers and signs are sure to be noticed. A small-town pet store might have storefront sign or sticker promoting the sale of its new Siberian Tigers or recently cloned dinosaurs, for example, complete with funny care instructions for each animal. Some advocacy groups routinely use irony in their campaigns by distributing stickers and posters with a strategic message in high-traffic areas.

Design inspiration through history

You can draw on the history of April Fools' Day as a source of inspiration for your artwork. As mentioned, you can browse others' past campaigns; but you can also take a look at the history of the holiday as well. Did you know, for example, that the AMC Gremlin was introduced on April Fools' Day in 1970? Or that the devastating 1946 April Fools' Day Tsunami was so-named many people drowned after believing that early warnings were an April 1st prank? Find a way to connect your company to your chosen historical event, and you can create a dazzling design for your April Fools' Day print marketing materials.

Be the wise one on April Fools' Day

Instead of depicting fools or foolish behavior, showcase your company as the only wise one left on April Fools' Day. A postcard with an image of Sherlock Holmes or Albert Einstein would be an example. You can also use a famous quote as the centerpiece for your design. Perhaps Mark Twain's quip "Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed" would be the perfect fit for your message and offer. No matter how you choose to design your April Fools' Day promotions, be sure to have them printed by a quality online printing company that uses professional inks and paper grades. Consider die cuts and foil stamps to give your artwork that extra pop and captivate your audience. Most of all, have fun with your April Fools' Day graphic designs - it is probably your best chance to really go crazy on a wildly successful campaign.