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TRENDING: IKEA, Shopee, netizens join in the ‘stolen’ MOA Globe fun online

By Brooke Villanueva Published Nov 14, 2021 6:45 pm

Screenshots from @katiemcgr4th, @pbbtrends_, @shopeeph, and @wwinelle on Twitter as well as IKEA Philippines on Facebook

The giant SM Mall of Asia globe was a top trending topic on the midnight of Nov. 14 after a news publication announced that the massive steel structure has been “stolen.” 

The SM MOA management posted the same “public notice” on Facebook to address the hot matter, saying that they were “working with authorities in investigating the MOA Globe incident.” 

In no time, various topics relating to the issue ensued on Twitter, including “MOA Globe” with over 154,000 tweets and even “MOA HAHAHAHA” with almost 4,000 hits as of this writing. 

Many netizens were quick to assume that it has been replaced by “Tito Ball” of IKEA Philippines, which is set to open on Nov. 25. This is because the Swedish brand’s recent post contained a glimpse of the MOA Globe that notably resembles the shape of “Tito Ball” or its iconic Swedish meatball. 

It didn’t take long for “Tito Ball” to release an “official statement” on the matter, where he jokingly stressed that he “is innocent until proven guilty.” The post quickly went viral on Facebook, with almost 30,000 likes as of this writing. 

Apart from IKEA PH, there was also a number of Internet users who jokingly accused e-commerce store Shopee Philippines of stealing the huge piece. “Not true!” the brand said in a tweet. 

The Beer Factory also joined in the fun as its management posted a photo of the “globe” placed outside its restaurant and captioned that they will give it back.

Quoting a netizen’s tweet that jokingly claimed it’s been moved to Valenzuela City, the local government’s official Twitter page drew laughs as it denied the “allegation,” tweeting: “Uy, hindi po kami ang kumuha ng #MOAglobe.” 

Meanwhile, Oxfam Philippines—a global movement of people who focus on bringing about lasting change in various communities—took the opportunity to raise awareness of climate change. “We can easily replace a missing globe. The same can’t be said for our planet,” the organization wrote in a poster. 

A netizen came up with a funny meme showing that it has been “shipped out in outer space.” 

Since it has allegedly been taken by plane, a Twitter user visualized what it could look like in the daytime. 

Another one said it has been “stolen” by Miley Cyrus, whose controversial music video for Wrecking Ball became a hot topic online back in 2013. 

In the afternoon of Nov. 14, it has been revealed to be a marketing stunt for new film Red Notice. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot, the heist movie was released on Netflix on Nov. 12. 

TAGS: ikea philippines Red Notice SM Mall of Asia moa globe shopee philippines

About the author

Brooke Villanueva

Deputy Editor

Brooke Villanueva is the deputy editor of PhilSTAR L!fe, covering everything lifestyle—with a focus on food and travel. Apart from her responsibilities as a lifestyle journalist, she is also taking her MBA at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. She has completed a certificate program on the fundamentals of business developed by top faculty at Harvard Business School. Follow her on Instagram at @itsbrookevillanueva.