Happy April Fool's Day! If you thought your favorite brands were too serious and focused on great products and innovation to have a laugh or two, think again. Here's a roundup of some social media jokes from YouTube, Honda, Twitter and even the little town of Ely, Minn. 

Be honest: did you fall for any of them?Continue reading...

AB InBev fiercely denies allegations that it waters down Budweiser, as its earnings are boosted by U.S.

Twitter sees potential valuation soar as it mulls IPO.

Cablevision sues Viacom for making it run second-tier channels.

AMC is propelled by "The Walking Dead."

Apple is expected to address cash horde at annual meeting as it tries to crack India market with iPhone.

Asus plans aggressive push in U.S. PC market.

Boeing encounters lack of battery expertise as probe of Dreamliner drags on.

Facebook opens up its ad exchange to sell everything but Google.

GM CEO Dan Akerson requests no pay raise for second year in a row.

Huawei kicks off branding campaign at Mobile World Congress.

In-N-Out Burger is kept on track by heiress.

Kraft debuts theme of Velveeta as "liquid gold."

Macy's plans to intensify digital efforts and issues upbeat outlook.

Milwaukee Brewers renew deal with long-time sponsor Miller Lite. Continue reading...

Delta buys 49% of Virgin Atlantic, as Virgin's Aer Lingus hookup mocked by Ryanair and Branson bets on future of the brand. American Airlines, meanwhile, says decision on pursuing US Airways merger is coming soon.

HSBC to pay record U.S. penalty on money laundering.

Diageo terminates talks on "future" of Jose Cuervo.

AIG shares yield $7.6 billion to U.S. government, boosting taxpayers' overall profit to nearly $23 billion.

AOL postpones premiere of hip-hop-inspired TV ad.

Boeing faces revived concerns about 787.

Burberry launches Christmas events and global review.

Burger King expands digital marketing.Continue reading...

McDonald's UK will introduce Mad Men-inspired uniforms at London 2012 Olympics venue.

Kia Soul scores in J.D. Power auto quality study while Lexus repeats as #1 overall and Ford and Chrysler slip in key automotive rankings.

Starbucks to open first tea-only store under Tazo brand.

Facebook Credits system is being phased out for new payment platform, while IPO attracts Capitol Hill inquiry, "like" button migrates to third-party mobile apps, and unique visitors drop.

Apple fined in Australia for misleading iPad advertising.

BlackBerry-maker RIM downsizes workforce.

Cabot to buy Norit for $1.1 billion.

Cannes Lions announces winners for creative effectiveness, media, mobile and outdoor.Continue reading...

Barnes & Noble losses continue on Nook as e-reader competition intensifies.

Bridgestone surrenders Super Bowl halftime show.

Coca-Cola creates global TV series for Summer Olympics.

Facebook gains support for advertising from Ford and Coca-Cola.

FedEx CEO predicts industry shifts as airport-to-airport business stalls.

Ford uses big data to inform marketing and design decisions at Silicon Valley lab.

GM unifies global design strategy.

Kimberly-Clark enlists Mexican TV star for Huggies campaign.

J.C. Penney to tweak message but not strategy in wake of president's ouster this week.Continue reading...

The relationship between Ireland's Aer Lingus and private carrier Ryanair is sounding more like a rocky marriage mired in a pre-nup that prohibits divorce. Or to continue with our Lady Gaga theme today, they're caught in a bad romance.

The European Union's General Court ruled today that Ryanair must retain its 30% stake in Aer Lingus, but that it cannot proceed with a takeover of the troubled airline.

Think of Ryanair, which undercuts its competition (and its brand?) with moves such as proposed "standing seats" and a loo tax, as the Southwest Airlines of Europe.Continue reading...