Many of us may have seen on television 30-second ads showing numerous public figures with their one-liners about how they can contribute to positive change…replete with the distinctive red, black and white dog tag. This is a call for action from AkoMismo.org. Below is a preamble on AkoMismo culled from its YouTube account.
AKO mismo is about YOU making a stand and taking real action for the causes you believe in. Causes that you yourself can truly pursue to make a real, positive difference to your fellow countryman, to your country.
It is for you who still dare to hope that life for millions doesnt have to be a hopeless battle against problems like poverty, illiteracy, unemployment.
It is for you who believe that not enough is being done about our countrys problems. And that to do right things, youll do them yourself.
It is a movement where you can show your patriotism and compassion, and make these traits infectious.
Its about action that eradicates hopelessness in every Filipino.
Earlier tonight I received a text message from a friend (who remains unnamed) claiming that the organization is a scam. The SMS may be making its rounds on the Philippines’ mobile network.
Full text reads:
AKO MISMO! Campaign is a scam. It’s spearheaded by Manny Pangilinan’s SMART com. They invyt u to regiser in der database to make a pool 4 ther busines in d future. Do not register.
At this point, the veracity of this report remains unverified. Regardless of its accuracy (or lack thereof), we hope to hear from the ultimate source of this text message and the people behind AkoMismo to shed light on this issue.
Questions stand: Is it a scam? A bonafide CRM strategy? And/or a legitimate social endeavor?
For more discussion on the topic, visit Yugatech’s post “Who owns AkoMismo.org?”
Hi! An anonymous user commented on my post regarding this campaign. He/She gave this post along with the comment. I just joined AkoMismo.org and I’m not really sure about its mission. All I know is that you have to add a pledge and keep it as a promise.
I didn’t get any text like what you received. Am I scammed already?
Posted by my discovery blog at May 6, 2009, 11:21 pm@ my discovery blog, I would not go so far as saying that you have already been scammed…I mean you didn’t shell out anything except that you spent time to register and suggest a pledge, right?
We’ll know in the weeks or months to come of the legitimacy of this initiative.
Posted by greatergood at May 7, 2009, 9:39 amthere are a lot of movements and advocacies coming out right now. before one joins any of these, one must be very careful. even with the volunteers/recruits’ best intentions, we can never really tell the true motives of the organizers. let’s be careful and vigilant with these things.
Posted by prettylatebloomer at May 7, 2009, 10:32 am@ greatergood. I don’t see the commercial anymore. Yes, I spent half an hour for this cause. Nevertheless, let’s just give them a benefit of the doubt.
@ prettylatebloomer. I think you’re right. We really have to be careful. But how can an ad like AKOMISMO.org be a scam if it’s promoted by well known individuals.
urgh.. this is very tricky.
Posted by my discovery blog at May 7, 2009, 3:58 pmDDB is Smart and PLDT’s media agency. it’s quite probable that such campaign is just part of their PR strategy or something.
however, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with their campaign. whether or not they filling up their database is their primary concern, it’s up to them.
but whether you guys admit it or not, their campaign awakened the slumbering nationalism within the hopeless youth.
both parties are benefitting anyway, so why bother?!
Posted by akomissmo at June 10, 2009, 11:23 amAll comments are moderated. Your comments will not appear here unless approved by the blog owner. Thank you.
Your friend was right. SMART Communications are gathering personal information (particularly mobile numbers and addresses) for their upcoming marketing program — SMS Advertising.
Apparently, a small local company that I know became a threat to SMART and Globe (although Globe hasn’t taken this new marketing path yet) when this small company started introducing a new innovation in Philippine marketing, and that is through SMS.
Are we going to let SMART Communications makes a BIG fool out of us? And how pathetic it is that these BIG players got threatened by a small and newly established company! It’s time that we STOP the BIG companies from monopolizing their industries. Our country, the Philippines, is the living proof of the saying: The rich becomes richer and the poor, well, becomes poorer.
Posted by Unnamed at May 6, 2009, 7:02 pm