Mommy Pehpot, Author at Mommy Pehpot

Who Gives Blogging A Bad Name?

Every time the Big Bad Blogger article of Margaux Salcedo crossed my mind, I cannot help but sing.. who give ~~love~~ blog a bad name?

The article is about Georgia. She opened a restaurant and was well received by people. She was even featured, her resto, in the same newspaper where the Big Bad Blogger was published. After a time a PR company approached her. Telling her that her sales would increase if she hires them. The PR talk about social media (blog events, facebook and blog reviews). Georgia declined the offer.

Enter Big Bad Blogger.. he came, he ate (or as Margaux puts it “ate like a regular blogger, took pictures with his ginormous SLR”) and he blog (does it mean he is MALE?). The review he did was good.. then the PR firm called Georgia claiming that BBB (as it was nicknamed) works for them and that if G would hire them, more bloggers will write the same good review for her resto.

The price? 120,000 Php a month for a year then lowered to 80,000 PhP (1800+ in USD)* G declined.

A year after, G opened another restaurant, BBB visits again and did the same as he did before (by the way BBB paid for his meal). But this time his review was a scathing one (the description used in the article). The PR firm called once again and claimed that BBB works for the firm and for the same price as the last year’s offer, the firm will make sure BBB retracts his comment about the newly opened resto.

It was not clear if G accepted the offer (but it seems yes as the article mentioned about a dessert launch where bloggers are given lomo cam as freebies.. now go ask around about a certain dessert launch where bloggers are given lomo cam)… or if the post or comment of BBB was retracted.. so it is safe to assume that we are NOT SURE if BBB was really working for the FIRM..

So why all of a sudden this is all about BBB? And was it confirmed by Margaux herself that the blogger is really associated with the firm? Why name the blogger BIG BAD BLOGGER? why not about the firm? wouldn’t you think that the article is a subtle attack to “new media” as Margaux puts it: “But PR firms have caught on. Marketing is no longer limited to tri-media or traditional media, i.e., TV, radio and print. It now also extends to social or new media: a website, a Facebook page, mentions on Twitter, online directories and blogs.” Is this a plot to discredit the new media because it is becoming a threat to traditional media?

It’s just one blogger.. he maybe be Big but there are hundreds of bloggers.. can he be that powerful? but still we are not 100% sure that BBB is working for the firm? But it is clear that the media form where Margaux Salcedo’s article was published was that influential (even my non blogging friends asked about BBB). And clearly, this article made the blogging community look bad.. so who give blogging a bad name?

And oh, for me, it is OK to pay bloggers to attend a certain event. Isn’t it the same as accepting freebies? Afterall, the blogger got his share of expenses too (think about transpo and the worst part, cocktails! gastos na nga, gutom ka pa). And blogging for money is not bad at all.. just make sure that when you write about apples, it is an apple you are talking about and not orange.

pero surely you still want to know Who is Big Bad Blogger? we got clues!

he IS a male
he owns DSLR
he publish his reviews fast

Margaux, please give us clues on who the PR firm is.

Note to restaurants owners and the likes: Blogging or social media maybe powerful but it is not like trad media. You can do something without wasting too much money. You know *given that amount, the owner can actually buy 30+ blog post that can give her restaurant in appear in major search engine for a certain keyword (say best Pinoy resto). She can even hire her own SEO to put you on Google.. on the first page.. I hope the social media here in our country will learn how this thing really works. And that it is not just about events and creating buzz.

It Happened Too Soon

Only few people knows this.. one of my husband’s nephew died after New Year. I wouldn’t be much affected if I hadn’t met and interacted with the kid last New Year. The boy even tinkered my camera. He was only 13, for sure, his parents didn’t even thought about Burial Insurance for him. It was a sudden lost. They say that he collapsed during their Physical Education jogging routine. It was so sad that the school did not brought him to the hospital as soon as it happened. They waited and it must be the cause of his death.

What made my heart heavier is the fact that last year, I have learned that a friend’s relative also died at a very young age. He was also a teenager. As a mother, I couldn’t help but be paranoid. If this is happening to people we knew, it might happen to us and that is something I cannot take. Why is it that death rises on teenagers? Is it their active life less nutritious food that is becoming the culprit? Me and husband agreed that when our kids reached 12, we would be very cautious on their health. I mean extra, super extra cautious.

Life and death is the most avoided topic. To me, it is as simple as it will happen. One of the reason why we are always looking for affordable life insurance rate. At least we can have something for the kids when we left. But, I know most of you will agree that the worst thing can happen to any parent is when they outlive their kids. That is the saddest thing, specially of course if it will happen too soon (like what happened to my sister in law).

But for people who treats death like me, you might want to read Insurance Information Exchange and be prepared on what might come.

New Zodiac Signs 2011: Ophiuchus Zodiac Sign

New Zodiac Signs 2011 gives birth to Ophiuchus Zodiac Sign.

From the original 12 zodiac signs, we now have 13 zodiac signs, the sign Ophiuchus being the 13th. A lot of people are reacting to this and some astronomers agree that this constellation have been existing just as the same as the others. The thing is although zodiac signs are associated with constellation, it doesn’t necessarily means that there would be another zodiac sign. Reports says that due to Earth’s movement and moon’s gravitational pull, the date and time that the Earth is under a certain constellation changed.

Many people are asking, what is my new zodiac? although it wouldn’t affect your personality or decision making like choosing between cheap car insurance or expensive one. Some people wants to know their new signs for the sake of reading their horoscopes. But when you look at some horoscope sites or sites that devotes to Zodiac Signs, Ophiuchus or the 13th Zodiac sign is not included yet. I think the 12 zodiac signs will be honored and used until all astrology persons agreed that Ophiuchus should be included too.

No worries guys, I am still my old self… old or new signs.. I know I am creative (ahaha) but hey it feels good to know that I am still Aquarius after all.