Faking things can be fun, but as the news story of Marcus Schrenker and his fake death make evident, sometimes faux can really be too low. On the other hand, if you keep it light, it can be a lot of fun, or an innovative attribute to use for promotions.
Leave the heavy stuff like the Marcus Schrenker scandal to the traditional media. The cluster below highlights some of the best fake innovations, from fake sperm whale sculptures for awareness, to fake stripshows to sell real estate.
33 Things You Can Fake
32
Faking Awesome
Fake Ferraris, Children, Lovers and Guns
31
Mythvertising
Faking Chupacabra and Bigfoot for Publicity
30
Faux Rockstar
Guitar Hero 3, Rock Band 2, Rockstar Supermodels, and Badass Babies
29
Faking Naughty
5 Ads That Made You Look Twice
28
Hardcore Tattoo Removal
Go for the Burn With This (Fake) Iron-Inspired Treatment
27
Fake Aging
Vogue's 'From 10 to 60 Years' Uses Only Makeup, Lighting
26
Fake Naughty
Beate Uhse TV Ads for Parental Controls and Supervision
25
Faking Naughty II
5 More Ads That Made You Look Twice
24
Faking Proof on Flickr
The Fairy Skeleton
23
Parodies of Fake Boobs as Ads
Brava Breast Enlarger Campaign
22
Fake Vampire News
Twilight Filipino Adaptation is a Hoax
21
Faking Virginity
Artificial Hymen Makes Women Virgins Again
20
Luxury for the Homeless (UPDATE)
Faux-Cardboard or Clochard Duvet Covers
19
Tiny Putting Green Jewelry
Faux Moss Rings by ‘Adorn Jewelry'
18
Fake Editorials for Awareness
APAV Anti-Domestic Abuse Campaign
17
Fake Diamond Ring Mugs
The 2-Carat Cup
16
Fake Dead Rockstars
Faux Amy Winehouse Art Cadaver
15
Faux Strip Shows for Real Estate
Window Dancers to Sell LA Apartments
14
Fake Sperm Whales
Stranded Sculptures
13
Stains as Jewelry
Fake Ketchup Drips and Lipstick Prints by Yunju Lee
12
Faking Street Cred
Hero Tattoos
11
Faux Animal Skin Rugs
Vintage Dutch Blanket Polar Bear Carpets
10
Customized Fake Corpses
Ordering Bespoke Dead People
9
Faux Wood Sinks
Bandini's Ebano Collection
8
Fashionable Holy Books
Fake Magazine Cover for ‘Bible Illuminated'
7
Hiring Fake Crowds
Queues for Hire at McDonald's in Japan
6
Faux Skin Sinks
'Ethnic' Bath Vessels
5
Faux Blood-Splattered China
Macabre Coffee With The Antonio Murado Salome Set
4
Fossilized Fake Eyelashes
‘Relics' Amber Exhibit Predicts Future Findings
3
Fake Paper Bags
Rip-Resistant 'Papier Bags' Are Not Your Every Day Brown Bag
2
Fooling Highway Speed Cameras
Pranksters Use Fake License Plates for Revenge
1
Viral Newspapers Hoaxes
1.2 Million 'New York Times' Fakes Handed Out
Related Ideas
Playful Pet Accident Campaigns
IKEA Unveils the Don't Worry, You Can Afford It Campaign
High-Performance Sunscreens
Freaks of Nature Protects Outdoor Athletes & Bolsters the Skin Barrier
Invisible Furniture Capsules
IKEA's Invsbål Campaign and Capsule are a Playful April Fool's Joke
Hater-Created Music Videos
Liquid Death's Greatest Hates Volume III Features Social Media Comments
AI-Generated Real-World Transformations
AI-Artist Who Gives a Unique Design to Real Objects
Ingenious De-Influencing Ads
Cuyana's De-Influencing April Fool's Campaign Highlights Greenwashing
Beer-Pouring Party Billboards
JUBEL Made a Billboard That Pours Pints Invites People in to Party
Plastic Waste Ice Creams
Eleonora Ortolani Proposes a Different Way to Recycle Plastic Waste
Plastic-Heavy Fashion Campaigns
Anonymous Club and PUMA Debut a New Collaboration
Deep Sea Funerals
Mondial Boasts Another Way to Scatter the Ashes of Loved Ones
Flask Phone Cases
Body Vodka Created a Take-Anywhere Transparent Flask Phone Case
Paper-Based Tray Packaging
Verday Vegan Meats are Packed in Shallow Food Trays Made for Recycling
AI-Generated Magazine Covers
Glamour Bulgaria's August Issue Has a 100% AI-Generated Photo
Three-Sided Coins
Vdk Created a 3D Coin to Spark Conversations About Money, People and the Planet
Eco Storytelling Workwear Campaigns
Patagonia's We Can Get There From Here Tells is Inspiring
Eco-Friendly Beeswax Chess Sets
This FAUM Chess Set Disappears After Use Without a Trace Left
Fluidless Scent-Releasing Facemasks
Hong Kong Researchers Developed a Smart Mask Using Wax Pads
Spoof Wine Merchants
Aldi's "Justin Youraldi" Made Affordably Priced Wines Seem More Expensive
Creative Play Pop-Ups
The Sharpie Studio Offered Opportunities for Creativity at SXSW
Candid Furniture Campaigns
Life is Not an IKEA Catalog Shows a Different Side of Home Products
Vegan Collagen Tortilla Chips
Whale Sperm Tortillas Share the Benefits of Vegan Collagen
Repurposed Vintage Apple Computers
Aquariums, lamps, and clocks made out of Apple iMac Computers
Provocative AR Campaigns
NotCo's 'Not So Happy Animals' Presents Food Logos in a New Light
Anti-Greenwashing Soap Ads
Navigating Eco-Consumer Irony with Better Climate Store's "Greenwash"
Eco-Friendly 3D-Printed Surfboards
Paradoxal Surfboards are Crafted with Algae-Based Material
Lie Detector Test Cans
Simply Spiked Lemonade™ Introduces the #KeepitRealCan Campaign
Tofu-Inspired Fragrances
Pacifica Beauty's Baked Tofu Scent Brings Awareness to Mindful Choices
Stunning Biomaterial Exhibitions
Natural Material Studio Stuns with Floor-to-ceiling Biotextiles
Waste-Reducing Produce Stickers
Grey Colombia & Makro's Stickers on Produce Suggest Recipes
Sensory Immersion Tools
Lifelines Activate the Body's Natural Stress Relivers
Playful Retail Pop-Up Installations
Selfridges Unveils the Joke Shop with a Slapstick Generator
Resurrected Used Smartphones
Think Tank Team Makes Artifacts with Project Afterlife
Submarine-Inspired Watches
The Shinola Sea Creatures Skeleton Dial Features Ocean-Bound Plastic
Fun Insurance Policies
M&M's Ice Cream & Lemonade are Protecting Summer Parties with "Funsurance"
Authentication Awareness Pop-Ups
The RealReal Pop-Up Showcases Handbags at Dupe Store Installation
AI-Generated Personalized Animations
The Simulation Puts Fans into an AI South Park Episode
Dynamic Miniature Music Stages
Love Hultén Joins Way Out West on the Future Fan Stage
Paper Vodka Bottles
Mother of Pearl Vodka Debuts the First Australian Vodka in a Paper Bottle
Temporary Tooth Tattoos
Hismile's SmileStika Enhances Teeth with a Touch of Whimsy
Luxury Fashion Sculptures
Roman Feral Boasts the Hermes Bronze Monumental, 2023 Sculpture
Faux Christmas Candle Kits
LEGO Unveils its Festive Christmas Table Decoration Set
Modern Design-Exploring Art Objects
MSCHF Slices the Tips off the Pratone Chair by Gufram
All-Paper Perfume Boxes
Ffern’s Made-to-Order Fragrances are Packaged in Biodegradable Boxes
Interactive AI Sommeliers
Chronic Cellars' Mascot Answers Wine Questions in Augmented Reality
Traveling Fine Art Campaigns
EasyJet's Get Out There Features Mona Lisa, The Thinker and More
Cheeky Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Events
Mindful Drinking Fest Boasts the NO FUN Cocktail Competition
Playful Furniture Exhibits
SFMOMA Presents Conversation Pieces: Contemporary Furniture in Dialogue
Festival-Inspired Fragrances
Natura Captured Molecules at Music Events to Make Two Fragrances
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
Perception-Challenging Art Exhibitions
Raise the Moral Studio Presents the Becoming Familiar Show
TV Show-Generating AI Tools
Fable Launches a New AI Tool That Creates South Park-Style TV Shows
Climate Crisis Awareness Exhibitions
Kinetic Singapore Unveils the School of Tomorrow Exhibition
Water Digital Wallet Loyalty Cards
Liquid Death Has Introduced the Liquid Death Country Club
Lab-Grown Reproductive Biology
A Team of Researchers Work on the Testis Organoids Project
Metallic Whisky Bottle Cases
Philippe Starck Designs the L'Evolution Collection with Mortlach
Wool-Centric Contemporary Exhibitions
Formafantasma Debuts the Oltre Terra Exhibition in Oslo
Life-Size Casket Coolers
Liquid Death & YETI are Auctioning Off a Casket-Shaped Cooler
Communication-Based Immersive Exhibitions
Intuit Mailchimp and Design Museum Present Email is Dead
Collectible Circular Design Exhibitions
Isola Presents Nothing Happens if Nothing Happens
Waterless Fish Toys
Zhu Zhu Aquarium Encourages Imaginate Play Without Spills or Mess
Cartoon Anniversary Soap Bars
Dr. Squatch Drops the SpongeBob SquarePants 'Nautical Nonsense' Soap
Dupe-Inspired Shower Gels
Lush Created Four New Versions of Its Iconic Snow Fairy Shower Gel
AR Selfie Booths
BBC's Pop-Up Booth Lets Passersby Try on Augmented Reality Animal Masks
Immersive Holographic Zoos
Hologram Zoo Lets Visitors Interact with Animals Like Never Before
Swipe-On Solid Shampoos
SeaBar Packages Solid Haircare Products in Convenient Stick Formats
Reality TV Cosmetic Campaigns
The IT Cosmetics 'Keep IT Real' Campaign Takes a Comedic Approach
Wasteful Shopping Billboards
Not On The High Street's Billboards Highlight a "Don't Gift Guide"
Villainous Board Game Campaigns
The Monopoly All is Fair Campaign Leans into Competition
Scam-Based Board Games
All Mod Cons by NatWest Educates Players on Dangerous Scams and Schemes
Sustainable Festival Stands
Mentos' Pure Fresh Gum Stand Will Be Repurposed Post-Use
All-Natural Color-Changing Spirts
Unicorn Distillery Makes Transformative Vodka & Tequila
Hyperrealistic Food Art Exhibitions
Japan House London Presents Looks Delicious! Installation
3D-Printed Bioplastic Reparation Kits
Yalan Dan Creates the Furniture First Aid Kit
Whisky-Filled Stockings
Fireball's Slappable Whisky Stocking Helps to Alleviate Holiday Stress
Hyper-Realistic Plant-Based Chicken
THIS Isn't Chicken Thighs Have a Faux Skin Made with Seaweed
Sleek Cartoon-Themed Watches
Spinnaker Celebrates 25 Years of Spongebob with a Timepiece Capsule
Navigational Protein Bars
Perfect Bar Created a Bar with a GPS to Lead Shoppers to Its Product
Mycelium-Based Artful Tables
Fefostudio and Kamilla Csegzi Create the Ephemeral Table
3D-Printed Eel Alternatives
Steakholder Foods Makes Plant-Based, Competitively Priced Printed Eel
Time Capsule-Style Branding Campigns
Coors Light & Patrick Mahomes Present a Unique Project
Plant-Based Chicken Alternatives
Recreate Foods Makes Nuggets, Filets & More for Foodservice
Music Festival Fabric Installations
Do Lab Created a Range of Fabric Mushrooms at Coachella
Eco-Friendly Gin Brand Apparel
The Gray Whale Gin Sustainable Apparel Collection Raises Awareness
Experimental Biomaterial Art Exhibitions
Copenhagen Contemporary Opens the Reset Materials Show
Upcycled Plastic Construction Companies
'Kubik' Uses Plastic Waste as a Sustainable Material
Artful Illusory Ads
giffgaff's Large-Scale Illusion Artwork Challenges Inattentional Blindness
Upcycled Plastic Furniture Series
Kasper Kyster Presents the Crafting Plastic Series
Floating Marine Park Platforms
EFFEKT and MASK Design the Floating Sømærket Platform
Recycling Advocate Holograms
HypnoCat is Promoting the Great Cable Challenge in Waterloo Station
Data-Driven Exercise Boards
Feier's Smart Somatosensory Slide Board Simulates Real Skiing Training
Unconventional Fish Alternatives
WOOP4 Makes Inventive Plant-Based Products Like Vegan Piranha
Spray Can Fragrances
Step Aboard's Chicago Perfumes Pay Homage to Works of Art
Animal-Like Fibre-Spun Meats
Project Eaden Proclaims to Have the Most Animal-Like Alt. Meats
Bag-Inspired Large-Scale Installations
IKEA's Iconic FRAKTA Bag Takes the Spotlight in Chicago
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Cell-Cultured Sausage Investments
Clever Carnivore Raised $7 Million to Invest in Cultivated Pork
Real Hair-Packed Voodoo Dolls
Liquid Death now Sells the Steve-O Voodoo Dolls with Real Hair
Artificial Insemination Sexual Toys
Juliane Kühr Designs the Vruit Kit with Conception Assistance
Reality-Bending Car Ads
CarGurus Ad Features Melting Lego and Gourmet Chef Toddlers
Miniature Deadstock Denim-Dressed Models
Material Exchange Builds a Cheeky and Creative Display
Anti-Plastic Hynotherapy Sessions
Cano Hypnotherapy Encourages People to #BreakUpWithPlastic
Artful Climate-Themed Installations
Michael Pinsky & Studio Bark Unveil the Making a Stand Design
Faux AI Screenshots
Fake AI Generates Realistic Chat Screenshots to Fool Friends
Unknown Birthday Campaigns
Grey Bangladesh & Tasty Treat Address a Significant Issue in Bangladesh
Mesmerizing Fluid Art Installations
Dutch Invertuals Creates the Flow Fountain Installation
Artful Garden Inflatable Spheres
Nic Brundson Designs the (This is) Air Project in Melbourne
Blue Raspberry Farms
Funkin is Inviting Berry Fans to the Funkin Fruit Farm on April Fool's Day
Youth Movement Competitions
The PLEZi Absurdly Good Games Encourages Summer Activity
Work-Ditching Video Game Campaigns
Call of Duty's "Ghost Your Boss" Invites Players to Skip Work
Digital Audio-Visual Exhibitions
'Future Shock' by 180 Studios and FACT Magazine is Online
Racing-Inspired Bronze Sculptures
Paul Oz Celebrates Michael Schumacher with a New Sculpture
Slacking Support Tools
Office Slacker Helps Workers Pretend to Be Busy
AI Voice Replication Protections
'AntiFake' Uses AI to Prevent AI from Duplicating your Voice
Hummus Snack Bites
Soom Foods Announced a New Tahini Snack on April Fool's Day
Food Waste-Combatting Smart Stickers
Grey Colombia Unveils a Set of Progressive Produce Stickers
Futile Material Design Exhibitions
Objective Gallery Presents Please Sit for an Alternate Ending
Recycled Phonecase Art Installations
Casetify Creates Public Displays for Journey to Re/Birth
Plant-Based Cheese Campaigns
The Daiya Fromage Forgery Campaign is Dupe Culture-Inspired
Affordable Supermarket Self-Tanners
Aldi Launches a Budget-Friendly Fake Tan Line for the Summer
Theatrical Vegan Brunches
Bar Vegan's Bubbles Brunch Presents Champagne in a Photo-Worthy Way
Stress-Reducing Breathing Balls
This Ball Mimics Users' Breathing Patterns In Tangible Form
Broken Bike Lock Furniture
Design Students Showcase the People and Places Exhibition
Disaster Relief-Supporting Pr Initiatives
Publicity for Good Supports Hurricane Helene Relief
Job-Themed Obstacle Courses
Mike's Jobstacle Course Challenges People to Experience "Easy" Work
Cardboard Box-Transformed Furniture
Max Lamb Presents the Box Exhibition at Gallery Fumi
Artist-Designed Wool Blankets
Eike König Crafts a Series of Art-Inspired Blankets for Multi-Use
Bar Cart Mascots
Tito's New Ad Series Features an Anthropomorphic Bar Cart with Mixology Skills
Cheese-Themed Entertaining Guides
'That Cheese Plate Wants to Party' Inspires Tasty Creations
Billboard-Transformed Tent Shelters
Wunderman Thompson Morocco Creates the Life-Saving Outdoors
Debunking AI Apps
BSBot Helps Publicis Clients Tell the Truth About AI from Fiction at Cannes
Crowdsourced Fun Fact Databases
Straight Fax is an Online Space for Facts and References
Customizable Certificate Makers
SmashingDocs Has a Certificate Maker to Suit Any Occassion
Novelty Polling Websites
Funnypoll Gives Users a Quick Laugh in an Often Overwhelming Online Space
Zero-Proof Brunch Beverages
FAUXMOSA is a Bubbly Alcohol-Free Mimosa with Botanical Flavors
Efficient Fact Generators
Facts Generator Can Produce Interesting Facts About Any Subject
Slaugherhouse-Transformed Unique Museums
Cave Bureau Creates the Anthropocene Museum 9.0
Magical Mischief Games
Fairy Prank is a Family-Friendly Guessing Game
Failure-Celebrating Festivals
The Faal Festival Was a One-of-a-Kind Experience
Interview Preparation Simulators
Faltah Offers Scores, Ratings, and Reviews for Candidates
Artfully Balanced Chair Concepts
The Halfway Serious Chair Concept Balances Two Eggs