Taragis admits April Fools’ “tattoo disaster” was a scripted marketing stunt
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by Balikbayan Store
1 min reading time
Taragis, a local food brand in the Philippines, has come clean about the widely circulated April Fools’ “tattoo disaster,” revealing it was a meticulously planned marketing stunt.
In a video titled “Taragis The Revelation,” owner Carl Quion disclosed that the idea was conceived as early as April Fools’ Day in 2023 to generate buzz for his takoyaki brand. Quion emphasized, “We needed many people to be involved for it to spread across the Philippines.”
Quion explained that in August 2023, he enlisted a tattoo artist to find a willing participant to get the brand logo inked on their forehead, offering a reward of a hundred thousand pesos. "Why the forehead? Because a brand logo tattooed there is more attention-grabbing," Quion elaborated.
The search quickly yielded Ramil Albano, a 47-year-old Facebook user who agreed to the tattoo for his son with special needs, stating, “It's okay—for my child.”
Ramil received the tattoo in March as planned, with Taragis ensuring he remained indoors to prevent the plan from being exposed.
On April 1, Taragis shared a challenge poster on Facebook, revealing the prank with an “April Fools” graphic beneath it. The stunt gained traction when rumors spread that Ramil had taken the challenge seriously, leading to widespread outrage.
Despite the negative fallout, the post garnered significant attention, prompting personalities and brands to offer financial and in-kind support to Ramil, totaling over P200,000.
In a subsequent video, Taragis visited Ramil and presented him with P100,000. Quion acknowledged the mixed outcomes of their stunt, admitting, “We lied to you and I want to ask for forgiveness.”
Quion pointed out the negative repercussions of their actions, acknowledging the deception and the unintended impact on other brands.
However, he highlighted the positive aspect, noting the unity and support extended to Ramil. He emphasized that all donations went directly to Ramil, with attempts made to return them to donors, who declined, insisting they were intended for Ramil's benefit.
Quion concluded by expressing gratitude and seeking forgiveness, acknowledging that while the outcome may not have been perfect, they had made an attempt.
