Taragis, a local food brand known for its takoyaki in the Philippines, revealed that the viral April Fools’ “tattoo disaster” was a carefully scripted marketing strategy. Owner Carl Quion came forward in a video titled “Taragis The Revelation,” admitting the plot was conceived on April Fools’ Day of the previous year to generate buzz for his brand. “We needed to involve a lot of people for it to spread throughout the Philippines,” Quion shared, emphasizing the extent they planned to capture public attention.
In August, a search began for a willing participant to tattoo the Taragis logo on their forehead, with Quion explaining, “The plan was to find someone who was willing to make this sacrifice.” They quickly found 47-year-old Ramil Albano, who agreed to the tattoo for his son with special needs. “Okay lang—para sa anak ko,” Albano stated, showcasing his willingness to go to great lengths for his family.
The revelation came after the brand shared a poster on April 1, hinting at a challenge related to getting a tattoo, which later turned out to be an April Fools’ joke. The stunt received widespread attention, leading to various messages claiming that Albano took the challenge seriously. The company then stressed, “Taragis Takoyaki is not accountable for the events that occurred,” further fueling the intrigue and debate among the public and influencers alike.
The outcome was not all negative, as Carl Quion pointed out. The stunt, while deceptive, resulted in a significant outpouring of support for Albano, with donations amounting to over P200,000. Quion stressed, “I want to clarify that I did not take any cut from the donations received by Tatay Ramil. Everything that went to him was for him and him alone.”
However, the Taragis owner also acknowledged the stunt’s drawbacks, including negative perceptions and the unintended impact on other brands that stepped forward to help. “First, we appeared deceptive because this was planned. Second, many brands were affected and showed kindness for what was merely a marketing stunt,” Quion reflected, underscoring the complex outcomes of their strategy.
Quion concluded with a message of gratitude and apology, acknowledging that while the end might not have been perfect, it was an attempt worth making.