(Will you accept this tattoo challenge for 1788USD?) An April Fools' Joke Gone Wrong with a Twist

I know most of you heard or knew about "April Fools Day" which is traditionally an occasion for making pranks, playing tricks or general silliness and celebrated on the first day of April, annually. You might also like to know a theory about April Fool's Day where jokes are customarily meant to end at precisely noon (12 noon sharp on April 1st), anyone pulling a practical joke after midday is deemed the "April Fool."

Some of you may have been one of the victims of April Fools' Day, or you may be someone who likes to play practical jokes and tricks on your loved ones for fun. But what if your APRIL FOOL'S JOKE GOES TERRIBLY WRONG?

I would like to share with you guys one of the biggest April Fools' prank circulating recently around on social media, especially in the Philippines where a Filipino vlogger/businessman posted a photo challenge on his Facebook page, offering the chance to win Php 100,000 (or the equivalent of 1788.795 US dollars) by getting their business logo "Taragis Takoyaki" tattooed on your forehead. The first person to submit a proof of their tattoo will win. The text "CLICK THE PHOTO FOR OFFICIAL RULES" is located in the lower portion of the posted photo. When you click the photo, a capitalized statement stating that it is an April Fools' joke will show up. Unfortunately, one male Filipino citizen executed the challenge and took it seriously, which prompted business page to post protests, stating that "Taragis Takoyaki" is not responsible for the events that transpired and highlighting the importance of reading comprehension for everyone.

This April fool's prank tattoo issue triggered almost all Filipino citizen where people are holding "Taragis" accountable for their actions and emphatize Mang Ramil, a man desperate to have a good life and willingly participated in the challenge in order to finance his kid's tuition and to support his youngest child, who has Down Syndrome.

According to concern citizens, Taragis are definitely liable since there are still people unaware of April Fools Day and April 1 is a normal calendar day in Philippine Law. But because Mang Ramil was surrounded by kindhearted Filipinos, blessings began to flood in when these business owners extended financial assistance. Takoyaki shop "Taragis" faced online backlash but they quickly erased the negative judgement of netizens by releasing a video in which they visited Mang Ramil and his family and gave them the necessary Php 100,000 on April 2, 2024.

To sum up, the most shocking discovery that caused confusion to the netizens is their revelation that the April Fools' "tattoo disaster" that went viral on social media was scripted and elaborately planned. The owner of the business stated on the video of revelation that they thought of the idea as early as April Fools' Day in 2023 with the hope of creating some noise and buzz for his Takoyaki Brand.

Meaning, the tattoo was completed last 2023 and Mang Ramil was the first person who voluntarily took the challenge in exchange of Php 100,000 prior to April Fools Day. In other words, April Fool's Tattoo Prank, which had gone viral was a planned "marketing stunt" of the said Takoyaki Shop.

CONCLUSION:

The main intention of Taragis was to make a script to fool all of us for the purpose of making their business name popular online and to gain millions of likes and followers. It was a business deal between Mang Ramil and the businessman/vlogger, it was not a charity, he wasn't begging, he did it and got his effort's worth.

The heart touching part of this story whether it is planned or unplanned prank, there is an unselfish father who can sacrificed his dignity and fearlessly faced and endured the pain to help his family financially for a small amount of money. I believe that poverty was the main reason of Mang Ramil to pursue this challenge.

Sad to think that there are entrepreneurs, vloggers, and influencers today consider this state of poverty as a chance or an opportunity to market their brands, garner millions of views and followers, make large sums of money, and boost their popularity in the hopes of making noises online and sadly by fooling people.

I hope this will serve a lesson for us not to quickly trust on what we see in social media. Some are bait for their own interest. Be wise before you type.

"What is your comments/opinion about this April Fool's Prank gone wrong with a twist? "Are you willing to accept the challenge?"