4-4-2024 (MANILA) A food and beverage business owner in the Philippines has found himself embroiled in controversy after a prank involving cash for tattoos went awry.
Carlo Quion, owner of Taragis Takoyaki, sparked outrage when he offered 100,000 Philippine pesos (US$1,770) to anyone willing to tattoo the Taragis logo on their forehead. The offer, posted on Facebook on April 1, was accompanied by an image instructing users to click for more details. However, clicking on the image revealed the words “April Fools”.
Despite the prank, online seller Ramil Albano rushed to a nearby tattoo shop and got the logo inked on his forehead. He later sent a video of his tattoo to Taragis’ Facebook page, claiming he hadn’t seen the disclaimer before getting the tattoo.
Taragis distanced itself from the incident, stating it was not responsible for the actions taken by individuals. The company’s social media posts went viral and were eventually deleted due to public outrage.
In response to the backlash, Quion visited Albano with a duffel bag filled with 100,000 pesos and offered to pay for the removal of the tattoo. Albano, a marine engineer facing financial difficulties, explained he took up the challenge out of desperation to support his family.
The publicity generated by Quion’s stunt, along with his commitment to compensate Albano, garnered significant attention for Taragis, which boasts over 80 branches nationwide.
Meanwhile, offers of goods continued to pour in for Albano, with some individuals expressing sympathy for his situation. However, some questioned the authenticity of Albano’s tattoo, while others criticised Quion’s marketing tactics.
