Humor

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April Fools’ TV Ads: Whole Foods and Injury Lawyer Advertising

To celebrate April Fools’ Day, we honor some real TV commercials that might make you do a double take.

Whole Foods Low Prices

In a series of TV commercials, Whole Foods Market, whose nickname is “whole paycheck” because of its outrageously high prices, claims just the opposite here.


“With low prices storewide, eat well for less at Whole Foods Market.”

This claim brings to mind the title of one of Judge Judy’s books:

Don't Pee on my leg and tell me it is raining

Allied Injury Group – Gold Watch Offer

When MrConsumer saw the following TV commercial for a lawyer referral service, he couldn’t believe it.

When I was in law school we learned about the code of professional responsibility that required lawyers to advertise in a dignified and professional manner. Since this ad is for a lawyer referral service, perhaps they don’t have to follow these rules, but what does it say about the lawyers on whose behalf they are advertising?

Incidentally, the guy hawking the gold watch, is comic Shaun Jones.

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Thanks for Nothing – Spring 2026

Every few months we spotlight offers from companies that are real head-scratchers, are actually less generous than they appear, are just plain outrageous, or may simply elicit a chuckle. Here’s the latest crop.

CapitalOne Shopping Rebates

We recently wrote about CapitalOne Shopping rebates (see story) that left out a whole bunch of important information. But, we saved the best for last.

Capital One Shopping Stop & Shop offer

If this were your regular supermarket, getting two-percent back up to $1,000 in rebates might be a somewhat attractive offer on first blush. But think about it for a minute.

*MOUSE PRINT:

This offer is for a one-time purchase only. So to get back the maximum advertised rebate of $1,000, one would have to spend $50,000 at Stop & Shop, and gift cards are excluded. How disingenuous can this company be? Thanks for nothing, CapitalOne Shopping.

Degree Deodorant

Over the years, deodorant brands have made various dryness and long-lasting claims. It was quite a milestone when some claimed 24-hour protection. Then it morphed into 48 hours. And 48 hours of protection soon became 72 hours. And now, the latest — 96 hours of protection.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Degree 96 hours of protection

This suggests if you put on this deodorant/antiperspirant on Monday, you don’t have to apply it again until Friday. So no showers for you Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Come on, how disingenuous.

And one more thing. Their old claim was “5 in 1” referring to five benefits it conferred like wetness protection, odor control, fast absorption, etc. They have now changed the claim to “5X” which most people would interpret as providing five times the strength or protection. What they really mean is that it (still) provides five types of protection. Thanks for nothing, Unilever.

Crazy High Prices

For many products and brands, prices have just gotten completely out of control. Here are three examples where the sellers must think high prices don’t matter.

Gillette Labs

Almost $28 for four razor blades? Thanks for nothing, Gillette, I don’t care how good those blades are.

$6.99 per pound turkey

They are charging $6.99 a pound for turkey and it is frozen? I don’t care where it was raised and even if it was spoon-fed all-natural grain every day. Who in their right mind is going to pay over $100 for a frozen turkey, when most supermarkets sell conventionally raised birds for 69 cents a pound at Thanksgiving time? Thanks for nothing.

Lastly, will anyone buying a $130,000 Rolex watch really be interested in using a coupon code to save money? Thanks for nothing, Rolex.

Rolex coupon code

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Thanks for Nothing – Fall 2025

Every few months we spotlight offers from companies that are real head-scratchers, are actually less generous than they appear, are just plain outrageous, or may simply elicit a chuckle. Here’s the latest crop.

T-Mobile Free iPhone 17 Offer

Those of us of a certain age remember the FEDEX commercials where John Moshitta rapid-talked his way to stardom. It seems that T-Mobile found their own new rapid-talker to disclose all the catches involved in their offer for a free iPhone Pro 17.

Listen to the last 17 seconds of this commercial — mostly unintelligible for the average person.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Thanks for nothing, T-Mobile.

High Beef Prices

MrConsumer did a double-take a few weeks ago when he saw this $38 price tag on a three-pound chuck steak at his local supermarket.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Chuck Steak $11.99 /lb

When I was a kid, chuck steak was 39-cents a pound on sale! Now it’s $11.99. High demand and shrinking supplies they say is to blame. With prices like that for the cheapest type of steak, demand is sure to fall.

But perhaps we should be thankful for the relative bargain that chuck steak is compared to three pounds of Wagyu steak at Costco at ten times the price:

Wagyu steak

Thanks for nothing, Stop & Shop, Costco, and all the other grocery stories charging outrageous prices for beef.

Home Depot Free Tool Offer

An email from Home Depot made a tempting offer right in the subject line promising a free Milwaukee expansion tool (whatever that is). When you open the email, the recipient is probably surprised to learn there is a $3,000 minimum purchase necessary!

*MOUSE PRINT:

Free tool

Thanks to David B. for this submission, but thanks for nothing, Home Depot.

Gizmodo Charger Offer

On Gizmodo’s deal page recently they promoted a three-port phone charger as “almost free.”

Almost free charger

However, when you scroll down, you learn the charger isn’t anywhere near “almost free.”

*MOUSE PRINT:

Not almost free

Thanks for nothing, Gizmodo.

Walmart Mayonnaise Price Rollback

Everyone knows when you see a rollback sign at Walmart, that signals a price drop.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Walmart rollback

This must be the new math. Thanks for nothing, Walmart.

Groupon Deal at AMC Theatres

It looked like quite a deal at AMC to get a movie ticket and a snack for only $5.03 with a Groupon discount.

Groupon AMC deal

*MOUSE PRINT:

It turns out that only the drink was $5.03. The movie was an additional $12.

Groupon discounted drink

Groupon discounted movie ticket

Thanks for nothing, Groupon.

If you find an offer suitable to be called out here, please send a copy of it to Edgar(at symbol)MousePrint.org . Thanks.