Consumer Awareness

Mead Johnson’s Enfakid A+ Milk Formula Does Not Nourish Your Kids’ Brain

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Thursday, October 23, 2008Saturday, December 27, 2008
57 Comments

Oh the irony of Enfakid A+ Milk Formula with Nourishing the Brain and the Pursuit of Excellence!

Milk Formula Manufacturers are quite aggressive in their marketing campaign that they are not checking their “trying to be smart” ads. Blooey first pointed out the Enfakid Milk Ad as shown in the Inquirer (Page D3, October 22) and I want to re-post the photos and explanation below.

Flipping through PDI today, an ad reads… (page D3)

Flap opens to…

And then the milk formula in the corner.

Their ad further shows that

Your child can learn, discover and imagine far richer with Enfakid A+. Now with enhanced DHA levels that help brain cells communicate well to support your kid’s rapid mental development. Nourish the brain. Pursue Excellence”.

Breastfeeding in the Philippines: Hoffman Study Promoted by Doctors on +7IQ points is Misleading & Inaccurate

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Friday, July 11, 2008Monday, January 06, 2014
18 Comments

This entry is a continuation of PR Companies and the Milk Formula Manufacturers (Part 2)

I still remember my son tugging at my sleeve “Mom, did you do that to me?”

He led me to the room where Maan, his former caregiver was breastfeeding her son.

“Of course, I breastfed you.” I hugged my boy.

“Are you sure mom? Breastfeeding is good for babies.”

My son didn’t seem to believe me. Too bad I didn’t have photos of our breastfeeding moments. I pointed out the cross stitching projects in the kitchen .

I explained “When I breastfed you, I did cross stitch projects because it took you an hour to feed.” He seemed satisfied with my answer but the next day, he nagged me with the same question. Memories like these often make me nostalgic. I will never forget his words.

Breastfeeding Lauren at 5 months old

PR Companies and the Milk Formula Manufacturers (Part 2)

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Tuesday, July 08, 2008Saturday, July 12, 2008
27 Comments

This entry is a continuation of PR and New Media Publishing.

A few months ago, I got invited to watch the presentation of a scientific study that correlated DHA and ARA (components found in Breast Milk which Milk companies now add to their formula) to the increase of the IQ of a child to 7 points. I was quite puzzled by the presentation of Dennis Hoffman’s Recent Evidence that Dietary Supply of DHA and ARA in Early Infancy Leads to Possible Trends in IQ of 4-Year Olds. Though no milk company was mentioned or direct promotion of the infant formula, I noticed that a popular celebrity was around to host the event. An idiot can easily put two and two together and correlate it to that milk company. I felt sick to the stomach because I thought I was attending a parenting seminar.

No problem there because like I told you, if I don’t believe in the product or event, I am not compelled to blog about it. So I left it at that.

Three months later, I got a call from the PR company. I could have said NO from the start of the conversation. But I listened out of sheer curiosity. She admitted that she was being candid and was exploring the possibility for mom-bloggers to be an advocate.

Hm, an advocate? How?

Danvil Plans, Crown Regency Hotel, NuSkin, Cellphone Raffle Fraud, Scams

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Tuesday, June 17, 2008Friday, August 29, 2008
114 Comments

For those searching about Danvil Plans, my post on this is in the middle. Read also the comments section to know more about Danvil Plans Scam or How to Cancel your Danvil Plans Policy.

What is it with freebies or raffle prizes? Sure, a freebie or raffle prize is exciting to receive if there are no strings attached or pressure to buy another product or service. Scammers or near-scammers use this time tested innovative marketing strategy to get what they want: MONEY.

This morning, I received the following text message from +639266957989

Globe 3g congrats for winning a Nokia N95 in our network to claim ur prize pls call toll free #09266957989 per dti ncr permit, #2838 series of 2008. God Bless.

I am sure a lot of you receive this type of text message but what caught my attention was no prize money was mentioned. Just a Nokia N95. It piqued my curiosity so much that I wanted to know their modus operandi. I called the number:

Man: Hello, Globe 3g.

(Hmm, the con man is trying to sound official and important)

Me: Hello, I called because I received a text message that I won a Nokia N95. Is this true?

Man: (who sounded defensive) If you see in the text message, there is a (Department of Trade Inc) DTI permit. You won 200,000 pesos and a free Nokia N95. Didn’t you see your cellphone number flashed in ABS-CBN show last night? (All this time, I just listened to his defensive explanation because I was raring to get information on their scam strategy).

Me: Talaga? I didn’t watch TV last night. Paano ko makuha yung nanalo kong Nokia N95? (How will I get my free Nokia N95?)

Man: To get your prize, you need to submit requirements before 10:30 AM

Me: So what are the requirements?

His response shocked my virgin ears.

On Wire theft, Globelines Contractor and MERALCO Woes

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Wednesday, June 11, 2008Tuesday, June 17, 2008
16 Comments

It started at 12:30 Sunday morning when Butch and I woke up to darkness with the airconditioner turned off. Oh no a brownout! Peering down our bay window, I discovered that the rest of our neighborhood had lights in their homes. Maybe our circuit breaker tripped. No worries. I turned the main switch off then on. Nothing. No lights. Time to call MERALCO call center (16211) to rule out a problem with their power supply to our house. They arrived within an hour.

The MERALCO service guy removed our electric meter and showed us the smoking main line leading to our house. I didn’t need to see it. I could smell burnt rubber. They said they could do nothing about it since the problem is inside the house. To prove his point, he showed us the electric current coming from their line which was running fine. Great. Something is short-circuiting our main line. Luckily, we were able to sleep despite having no whirring electric fan to cool us.

Fortunately, our electrician arrived early the next day. He found the source of the short-circuit problem which was the main line leading from the electric meter to the wires just before the circuit breaker. That shouldn’t be a problem. We can replace it easily. Still puzzled, I could not figure out what would cause our main line to burn. Just then, a neighbor passed by “You have an electricity problem too?”

Review of Globelines, Smart Bro, Smart 3g and PLDT MyDSL Internet Services

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Saturday, May 24, 2008Friday, December 16, 2016
95 Comments

It’s been a year and 2 months since I subscribed to three (3) Philippine Internet Service Provider (ISP) namely, Globelines Broadband Budget Bundles, Smart Bro and PLDT MyDSL. At the time of installation, I believed it was not yet time to make a review. Give it a year, I said to myself. What do you know? I survived to tell you about these 3 ISP’s. As a netrepreneur, my business relies on fast and reliable internet connection. I am sure other parents out there will be interested to know my experiences with these ISPs.

Let me add a fourth ISP, the Smart 3g which I use specifically for my macbook.

Take note, I am a paying subscriber located in Pasig City near the Quezon City area. I added speed test results (using speedtest.net) to show how most of our ISPs never deliver the promised speeds. I start being a “reklamador’ and then call support if speed falls below 50% after all it is my right to get the services I paid for.

Total Ban on Billboards

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado
Sunday, October 01, 2006Tuesday, June 17, 2008
20 Comments

In the past two days after Typhoon Milenyo ravaged Metro Manila, I was able to drive around the city and take a few photos of the devastation including Fallen billboards (Milenyo” toppled at least 30 billboards in the metropolis)

When the influx of billboards invaded Metro Manila highways , the sight suffocated me. What an eyesore! I don’t know with you but I don’t enjoy watching these ads. I guess it was the visual pollution that got to me. Too much visual clutter or clutter surrounding my confines disorient me. I need to see a blue skies of the horizon and the landspace as far as my eyesight can see. But no, the billboards loom in front of me taunting me to purchase or be loyal to their products or service.The use of provocative images like Bench Ads, the old Bayantel Satisfaction guarantee ad, and many others infuriated me. Not only are these billboards an eyesore, it’s a motorist distraction which could lead to accidents and injuries. Three months ago, the work towards the ban on billboard gained media coverage. When I blogged about the ban on billboards , Bayani Fernando initiated the dismantling of these billboards. But some local mayor arrested the MMDA workers and Bayani got smacked with a restraining order to cease and desist the dismantling. Why? Because these ad agencies have the right to recoup their investments on their gigantic billboards. Or are they protecting the pockets of the local government conspirators? Never in their wildest imagination did the judges consider that these billboards can cause possible deaths and inconvenience to the public. True, business need to be protected but not to the detriment of the public good.

Before typhoon Milenyo struck Metro Manila, a few accidents already occured such as a house crushed under the weight of the towering giant and that time the Metro Rail Transit came to a halt when the billboard landed on its tracks and caused an electrical short. Still there was no action taken by the local government. Afraid of losing revenue ? or money in their pockets?

Did it take Typhoon Milenyo to finally make them realize the dangers of these gigantic billboards?