Messi fiasco: Roundup of trendjacking posts from brands in HK

Brands in Hong Kong have trendjacked the recent Lionel Messi debacle as thousands of fans voiced their anger and asked for refund after they paid a huge sum to watch Messi stay rooted at the bench throughout the entire exhibition match. 

Tatler Asia, the organiser of the friendly match between Inter Miaimi and Hong Kong team has decided to withdraw its application for a HK$16m grant from the government regarding the event.

The incident has triggered public outcry. A check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE saw Tatler's recent post regarding the incident garner over 3,500 likes and over 1,000 comments, with some saying that it's better for the organisers to outline the next step and propose a plan for compensating the fans, while some said they felt "deceived" by this huge "fraud". 

Don't miss: What led to the PR debacle around Messi no-show for Inter Miami friendly?

Here are some trendjacking posts created by brands in Hong Kong MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has rounded up from the PR storm surrounding it.

1. HKTVmall

HKTVmall has put up a trendjacking post on its Facebook and Instagram pages to promote fresh fish available on its platform. The post plays along with the Cantonese slang "softshell turtles" (水魚), which is used to describe someone who appears easily deceived or as a victim of deception.

“Fellow football fans, do you feel sad when you see softshell turtles (水魚)?” the post reads.

HKTVmall said in the post that customers would not want to request refund for their purchases because all the fish available on its platform are fresh. Additionally, it has provided a discount code for customers who place orders on their website.

HKTVmall’s Facebook post has generated over 7.3k likes, 310 comments and 550 shares. Its Instagram post has also garnered over 1,600 likes.  

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to HKTVmall for more information.

2. IKEA Hong Kong

Meanwhile, IKEA Hong Kong, known for its trendjacking posts on various hot topics, has also capitalised on Messi's no-show by creating a trendjacking post related to the event.

In its Instagram post, IKEA Hong Kong featured its signature orangutan doll sitting on a pink children's desk chair, drawing a parallel to Messi sitting on the bench during the entire friendly match. 

“Shall we invite the football legend to check out his favorite items?” the post reads

Indeed, this creative visual representation captures the essence of Messi's absence and adds a touch of humor to the situation.

Furthermore, IKEA has leveraged the situation to promote its Chinese New Year promotion. They have incorporated the theme of retaining the superstar by suggesting that their promotion may entice Messi to stay at the store.

IKEA’s trendjacking post has received over 14k likes and 50 comments, with some asking if there was a high entrance fee to participate in the promotion, while others praised it as a great marketing tactic.

3. Premier League 

Last night, a match between football clubs Arsenal and Liverpool took place in the English Premier League (英格蘭超級足球聯賽). The official Facebook page of the Premier League has also engaged in trendjacking the Messi fiasco by creating a post to promote the match. 

"No need to call multiple times, no need to call for a refund, tonight we have Arsenal versus Liverpool!" (唔洗千呼萬喚，唔洗叫回水，今晚就有阿仙奴對利物浦！) the Facebook post reads. The post has received over 3.2k likes, 140 comments and 100 shares. Some netizens have expressed amazement and admiration for the post.

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