Ramadan bazaar vendor smashes customer's phone in publicity stunt to boost sales

A video circulating online showing a vendor at the Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar smashing a customer's phone was later revealed to be a publicity stunt.

The incident, which took place on March 4 at 7.30pm at a Ramly Burger stall, has sparked a heated debate online, with netizens accusing the vendor of setting a bad example for children.

The 30-second video shared on the TikTok page Sgmustwatchla, the vendor is seen aggressively taking an iPhone from a customer filming nearby and smashing the phone onto the ground while yelling: "Brother, don't stand so close!"

The dramatic scene left bystanders in shock.

The video has since garnered over 1.5 million views.

Some netizens exposed it as a deliberate marketing stunt, claiming the vendor "always uses the same tricks to attract attention".

Others suspected the video was staged, doubting that a real customer would walk away without protest after having their phone destroyed.

Many criticised the vendor's approach.

One netizen commented: "Whether it's staged or not, why resort to such thug-like behaviour? Is this the kind of example we want to set for young people?"

Some even accused the vendor of promoting bad values.

It was later revealed that the vendor had previously used a staged "fight" video as a marketing gimmick.

The vendor, Mr Hussein, told Shin Min Daily News that the phone-smashing video was a publicity stunt to boost his burger stall's visibility.

"I contacted an influencer a week ago to collaborate on a promotional video. We decided to shoot it during peak hours to grab attention," the 39-year-old said.

He further disclosed that the phone used in the video was a second-hand device, which he purchased for $300.

"Some people think my methods are problematic, but this stunt has increased my burger stall's sales by 30 per cent.

"Whether the reactions online are positive or negative, they all bring attention to my business."

Mr Hussein, who operates 14 stalls at the bazaar - eight of which serve food - revealed that he spent $30,000 to collaborate with 20 influencers for promotional campaigns.

"Only one of them used a controversial stunt to generate attention, while the rest focused on food reviews to promote my stalls," he explained.

Despite the backlash, Mr Hussein remains unfazed, believing that any publicity is good publicity.