The seafood industry really does have a sense of humor. For April Fool’s Day (1 April), 2016, consumers were told that Nestle Japan would sell seafood candy bars, Young’s Seafood would open a fine dining seafood restaurant catering to cats, and that Saucy Fish Co. was launching a new Trout Pout lipstick.
However, since April Fool’s Day 2017 fell on a Saturday, seafood suppliers and retailers were a bit quieter than usual. Still, a few major companies decided to pull pranks on their customers.
Icelandic Seachill-owned The Saucy Fish Co. released a faux promotional video promoting its first fish facemask line, under the sub-brand Saucy Face Co.
“Designed to fill the 30-minute gap between popping Saucy’s fish in the oven and plating up, Fish Face facemasks are the ideal solution for those looking for minimum fuss and maximum results,” the company deadpanned in a statement.
The company said the Fish Face range, would be sold exclusively in the freezer aisle and would include Eel a-Peel Rescue Mask, Perfect for Blacked Pores; Oh My Cod! oMega Mud Mask, Dreamy on Dry Skin; and The Salmon Slap Mask, Superb on Stubborn Spots.
“Made from real fish fillets, including salmon, cod and eel, the Fish Face range is rich in nutrients to keep skin supple and moisturized,” Saucy Fish said.
And Norwalk, Connecticut-based grocery chain Stew Leonard’s placed fake monkfish, which can “come alive,” behind the fresh seafood counters in all of its stores, according to Yonkers Daily Voice.
A chain attached to the monkfish was hidden under ice, and staff pulled the chain to make the “dead fish” look alive. The fake fish, 24 inches by 36 inches, was made out of silicone by Stew Leonard’s staff.
The retailer’s in-house graphic designer, Emizael Moura, first created the sculpture and then Stew Leonard’s animatronics specialist Scott Pokorak made the fish. Finally, Moura hand-painted the monkfish to create a realistic fish-like sheen.
To top it off, Stew Leonard’s captured some footage of customers freaking out during the prank.
Instead of pulling a prank, major U.S. frozen seafood supplier Gortons reminded consumers that it is a trustworthy brand.
“In a newsfeed full of jokes, pranks, and debauchery, remember that you can always trust us. #AprilFools #TrustGortons,” the company tweeted.
