Yesterday we saw Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department announce that their beloved, blue mascot “Anyone” would be embarking on a tour, only to find that it was all a cruel April Fool’s Day prank.
But they weren’t the only Hong Kong fixtures to get in on the fun of pulling everyone’s leg.
So, for those of you who may have missed it, here’s a round-up of some of our favorite April Fool’s Day gags.
KMB’s special “airbus”
Who among us hasn’t sat stuck in traffic, wishing they could soar above the smog-choked masses to arrive at their destination in a timely fashion? Callously playing to that most human of desires, bus operator Kowloon Motorbus announced yesterday that they would be dispatching a special fleet of “Airbus KMB852s” to all 18 districts in Hong Kong. “No need to worry about traffic jams in future!” the Facebook post read, practically rubbing weary commuters’ faces in it. “We are also cooperating with companies of different sizes and public parks to turn their rooftops and parks into drop-off points as a convenient way for passengers to get to their destinations!” Very funny, Kowloon Motorbus. Verrrry funny.
https://www.facebook.com/kmbhongkong/photos/pb.439397589451683.-2207520000.1554174214./2226879160703508/?type=3&theater
Thai Chiu’s special cold drinks
Thai Chiu is a Sham Shui Po-based restaurant best known for its no-frills Thai food and its inclusion in the Michelin Guide as one of the best places to grab a cheap bite to eat in Hong Kong. Yesterday the eatery announced it would be serving up two beverages that aren’t likely to earn it any Michelin stars anytime soon: cold drinks flavored like seafood tom yum and coconut chicken soup. Call us crazy, but despite the puking emoji included in the Facebook post, we’d kinda like to try that tom yum one — could have kind of a spicy Bloody Mary vibe. Just sayin’…
https://www.facebook.com/thaichiu.hk/posts/1957997824326430?__xts__[0]=68.ARA77A66AM25T7przGYLbTGv0kh9VFXwXnyTkV8DXUN6iDkT90Xnib8MWaU_P_7lyCg41OQUppE4JJkvoKeoOGVZj-0PmNTzG5t_RORoWT0yNguIL6Ill_mWJK-RKFaekz_AEIpYxktLOTzvdlN1UtLdqKom7NI5rycFpHNlxnu-k5AANpmQdl8cTwuiJIKn_-lR5EUquhqwXN1n-P09BU2Bqk55qH8mEyRtJvDSfUc5CIgdAW-1nXiwgeb37b22Cnk1M8oroLjrPLM6Z3XAe0QKTKf3LT16ALDOiNZeUhoZSNCg5cWMnO1qD3BFB-0UsG0MPwYvFmDDrhc71J559l5mOg&__tn__=-R
Jack ‘n Jill’s dim sum-flavored potato chips
Potato chip company Jack ‘n Jill announced a few weeks ago that a special edition potato chip flavored like the dim sum staple turnip cake with XO sauce would hit supermarket shelves soon. It may not have seemed like a stretch, then, when the company took things a step further yesterday, announcing that they would be selling — for one day only — potato chips in three classic dim sum flavors: roast pork bun, prawn dumpling, and chicken claw. Sadly, as it turned out, the announcement was merely a thoughtless jape preying on right-minded people’s twin loves of dim sum and potato chips. (The faux announcement had echoes of a similarly thoughtless Hong Kong Airlines’ April Fool’s missive last year that the airline would be selling dim sum on their flights.) As one commenter, seemingly speaking for everyone, pointed out: “Even though it’s April Fool’s Day, a lot of Hongkongers would really want these.” From your lips to Jack ‘n Jill’s ears, commenter.
https://www.facebook.com/jacknjill.hk/photos/pb.158301761004687.-2207520000.1554174331./1173422262825960/?type=3&theater
Chili face masks from Tam’s Noodles
Chili peppers can cause a lot of pain, but there’s also a growing list of studies showing that they also have health benefits, from releasing endorphins to improving blood flow. So when popular spicy noodle purveyor Tam Chai Yunnan Noodles announced yesterday that they would be moving into the skincare market with the release of chili pepper face masks, some people thought, “Yeah, that makes sense.” In a social media post yesterday, the chain said that their chili pepper face masks would come in varying levels of heat, from “no spice” to “especially spicy.” While the post was a prank, at least that means there’s still a hole in market for flesh-searing facials.
https://www.facebook.com/tamsnoodle/posts/2245734065482852?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARD-zeqg5i95geXaR-kusD1VZp6EFBcxVOAaPxJDYOvlaYRcPRsslGE3eZZxDn5ohN6bUWW3zyLfgtChE2HjoXbWMZLD-WSLDUEUjvr0ozmM50Srmoi9LEk4iYcyrmz54MjrP6VqAQiXat9t3HCvy6pthYiBnzpuoz6X0zpuLRkiSJmwCE9khjNeS9QBwGJdgqI41aY51xuSTddeuwkl_lD78Y7p4NH1luL5Bz8HU1Tz2mS-_qB1Ip1f8T9RvEkR3Gs2f2SvHwDZITjWxNplW9tj4KSY56jdoK5GzG981z-MGiS4EPNrWuoNY9YkGneSTQfkOrNUmDvYSbsz8OEG5GSA2A&__tn__=-R
Tiger Beer’s bubble tea
Bubble tea is all the rage these days, and one of the most popular bubble tea joints to hit the SAR in recent years is Tiger Sugar, a Taiwanese chain known for its distinctive brown sugar syrup. Perhaps capitalizing on that zeitgeist, Singaporean beer company Tiger joined in the April Fool’s fun by announcing on their Hong Kong Facebook page yesterday that for one day only they would be selling a special edition beer-flavored bubble tea, complete with beer-flavored tapioca pearls with a “unique taste and aroma.” All of a sudden, Thai Chiu’s iced tom yum drink is sounding better and better.
https://www.facebook.com/hk.tigerbeer/photos/a.1558098424456547/2246226945643688/?type=3&theater
Sony’s AI toothpaste
Finally, in a gag equal parts intriguing and discomfiting, Sony Hong Kong announced they would be “revolutionizing the field of oral hygiene” with AI-enabled toothbrushes and toothpaste. The AI technology would help consumers clean their teeth in a mind-boggling one second, while the electric toothbrush was billed as “vibration-free,” allowing the user to enjoy a quiet teeth-cleaning experience. The kit also comes with “Amazing Fluoride Toothpaste,” which contains particles that automatically track tartar and repel plaque. The cost? a very affordable HK$2019.41. (Get it? Get it?)
https://www.facebook.com/sonyhongkong/posts/10157660193972871?__xts__[0]=68.ARB2ELR-ofEwFISwsHNyGHmFUyZ4iGgmFcj3SIKZ2PuS6s8J5Kve4zl4DTic9hR7-Kotg9iZFxgn8wJ6qJiMFAiaDzYgoBg80q4jWT0y5ikJBZJFCKZkUcdQ0tljTyGumLqcFAQ08oOHgjnXx0EHpR1Y8G25AoxBPQEeyDHHyyJh6_7qGTCw9vF8dpOSVSYuxTEh5l_uWs1kaqQg5z86ZfxOVaTtn6fpj_bCSqdxmWF3EAjXyKYim5ePzB78N7HgjJfyW8Asu1Xbj63DPC-2GtuBcx10muAf29v-FPBevZYl8fRIHOCIVCkn7YlEQ8BMTwPXDsqX-U427HhYKt7_&__tn__=-R
