Suntukan sa Ace Hardware

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