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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 now go ask around about a certain dessert launch where bloggers are given lomo cam)… or if the post or comment of BBB was retracted..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.