Suntukan sa Ace Hardware

Suntukan sa Ace Hardware
Native name Suntukan sa Ace Hardware
English name Brawl at Ace Hardware
Time 15:00 PST (UTC+08:00)
Date 15 April 2016
Venue Ace Hardware, SM City Lucena, Lucena, Quezon, Philippines
Organised by Bulbulito Balagbag: tuberong kulay green (NSFW)
Participants more that 54,000 online participants

Suntukan sa Ace Hardware (English: Brawl at Ace Hardware) is a fictitious Facebook fistfighting event that was scheduled to happen on April 15, 2016 at an Ace Hardware branch in SM City Lucena. The event was identified as a meme by other news sources.[1][2][3]

Background

The event was created by Bulbulito Balagbag: tuberong kulay green, who has an NSFW name, sometime in March 2016.[4] As of March 31, 2016, more than 54,000 Facebook users have said they are going to the event while around 36,000 have expressed interest.[5] The original event page has since been taken down for unknown reasons, prompting others to post copycat and/or spinoff events on Facebook in response.

Response by Ace Hardware

"Please be informed that no such event created nor organized by Ace Hardware. Ace Hardware does not condone nor tolerate violence of any kind. Please be guided accordingly."
Ace Hardware Philippines through a Facebook message, gmanetwork.com
"We appreciate the excitement created by the April 15 ‘Suntukan sa Ace Hardware’ event that went viral on Facebook. However, we do not encourage this type of digital publicity. No such event was organized by Ace Hardware in SM City Lucena or any of our branches. Thank you."
Ace Hardware Philippines in an official statement, inquirer.com

On March 31, Ace Hardware Corporation denied any involvement in the event.[6] Netizens were quick to express their “disappointment” over the advisory, saying that they cancelled prior commitments, such as wedding and even a childbirth, to attend the event.[7]

Event as marketing strategy

Leigh Reyes, president and chief content officer of MullenLowe Philippines, an advertising agency,[8] criticized Ace Hardware's stern reaction to the tongue-in-cheek event, saying that disavowing any involvement and condemning those who organized the stunt is not an effective business strategy, but fame is. Reyes suggested using the ensuing publicity to their strategic advantage by offering discounts to actual attendees for example.[9][10]

"Suntukan" event

On April 4 and 11, 2016, Ace Hardware posted a countdown[11] and released a poster[12] for the fictitious event on their official Facebook page after earlier distancing themselves from the event.[13] On April 15, the day of scheduled brawl, Ace Hardware prepared a small boxing ring where customers can take photos. The date also coincidentally fell within a 3-day mallwide sale at SM City Lucena.[14][15]

References

  1. "Fictitious events like "Suntukan sa Ace Hardware" are the new memes | Coconut Manila". Coconut Manila. 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  2. "'Suntukan sa Ace Hardware' goes viral on Facebook | Hashtag | GMA News Online". Gmanetwork.com. 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  3. "What's This 'Suntukan Sa Ace Hardware'? | Be A Better Man | FHM.com.ph". FHM Philippines. 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  4. "Look: Stage is set for 'Suntukan sa Ace Hardware'". Coconuts Manila. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  5. "VIRAL: ACE Hardware disowns 'Suntukan' event | ABS-CBN News". News.abs-cbn.com. 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  6. "Ace Hardware denies involvement in 'Suntukan sa Ace Hardware' meme | Money | GMA News Online". Gmanetwork.com. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  7. "Ace Hardware disowns viral fistfight event, netizens disappointed | Inquirer News". Newsinfo.inquirer.net. 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  8. "About Us - MullenLowe Philippines". Mullenlowe.com. 2016-04-01. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  9. Reyes, Leigh (2016-04-01). "Suntukan Sa Ace Hardware - Medium". Medium.com/@leighpod. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  10. "Suntukan sa Ace Hardware: Marketing Lessons from a Social Slugfest by Leigh Reyes". Adobo Magazine. 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  11. "Ace Hardware Philippines added a new photo. - Ace Hardware Philippines". Facebook. 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  12. "Ace Hardware Philippines added a new photo. - Ace Hardware Philippines". Facebook. 2016-04-11. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  13. Tantiangco, Aya (13 April 2016). "Fans hype up Ace Hardware 'Suntukan' on April 15, Carrot Man drafted by netizens to fight". GMA News. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  14. "INQUIRER.net - Happening now: Ace Hardware Sm City Lucena...". Facebook. 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  15. "Ace Hardware gets ready for 'Suntukan'". GMAnetwork.com. 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
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