Every year at this time, Don Frei, the co-owner of Howard Hughes Appliance, Television, and Sleep Shop in Moscow, Idaho, and I collaborate to create radio commercials that will run heavily on every radio station in town for just one day: April 1st.

Don’s goal is simply to give listeners a reason to smile, maybe even groan a little bit, all in good fun.

We created the first five of these spots for April Fools Day, 2010, not knowing what would happen. Within a few hours, we knew we’d done something special. Response from listeners was flabbergasting! Many called or stopped by the store, just to thank Don for the levity. A few—I’m not joking—came in hoping to see the “pet-drying attachment.” Even the morning man at our crosstown rival made it a point to express his admiration.

Every year since, we’ve added one or two new spots to the collection. Employees contribute ideas. Service manager Dana came up with a fun science project. Don’s daughter (and partner in the business), Melissa, agreed to do a daughter-dad spot featuring refrigerator jokes. And Don did a spot on washing golf balls with the laundry. (It’s actually a thing.)

Here, for your enjoyment, are examples of Howard Hughes’ special April 1st commercials. If you especially like one of them, we’d love to hear which one and why.

P.S. This idea can be adapted for any business with a little imagination and even less inhibition.

REFRIGERATOR RUNNING 

CLEANING YOUR GOLF BALLS

SCIENCE PROJECT

COOKING WITH YOUR DISHWASHER

FUN WITH A MICROWAVE OVEN

PET DRYING ATTACHMENT

REFRIGERATOR PLANTER

FREEZING SNOWBALLS

SLUMBERLAND SLEEP SYSTEM

SELF-CLEANING REFRIGERATOR

DIRTY TOOLS? THROW ‘EM IN THE DISHWASHER

REFRIGERATOR LIVE WELL

H T T V

PEDAL-POWERED APPLIANCES

SALAD SPINNER

LINE-FRESH DRYING YEAR-ROUND

ROCK-A-BABY WASHER

INDOOR BBQ

REMOTE-A-ROMA