The Real Lola Techie

Sure, the Bayantel ad on sixty something year old Lola Techie is brilliant. It is nothing new these days. I know a few grandparents who use the internet to send email, browse for websites, and talk on Skype. My 78 year old parents-in-law are just as tech-savvy. I am sure the actress behind Lola Techie is internet savvy up to a certain point but we all know that Bayantel and its ad agency just created that persona of funny grandma fooling around in plurk. She has a YouTube account and quite active in other social networking services like Twitter, Plurk, Multiply and Facebook. She also has her own website, http://www.lolatechie.com/ which is not even her site but redirects to Bayantel Communication.

It would really be cool to feature real lola techies because that’s how real life works. The Bayantel PR spin works best to TV viewers with little knowledge of the internet. Recently, Bayan Telecommunications and SM Cyberzone partnered in a special internet teaching session meant especially for grandparents coupled with a Meet and Greet with Lola Techie. The idea of teaching grandparents the use of the internet is noble indeed. My problem is this…For someone like me, yes a mommy techie, the Bayantel TV Ad especially the social media of the Lola Techie totally insults my intelligence. *rolls eyes* Did you not even do some research before picking your talent? Real lola techies usually know some of their plurk and twitter friends personally and the rest through network of online friends.

Let me introduce you to a real lola techie who is 60 something years old too like the Bayantel Lola Techie. She is no other than witty and charming Annamanila, a blogger for the past 2 years, creative writer, online Scrabble champion and active in Multiply and Facebook. Though she has a plurk account, she does not use it as much as Lola Techie.

The problem with the Bayantel Lola Techie is that the funny plurks are so unrealistic at times. A few loyal Lola Techies fans would say, we are just having fun even if we know she is not really the lola techie typing away in plurk. They can probably live with that fantasy er, marketing fiction but nuh-uh, not me.

It’s unfair to real lola techies with proven track records online and in my opinion a far cry from the Bayantel Lola Techie.

Annamanila in her entry says,

Two and a half years into blogging, I have yet to discover the secret to being old and happy. Nor am I that convinced that the best is truly to come. But I now know without doubt that when I learn to love myself, I wouldn’t care how old I got. I am getting there both in years and in self- esteem.

She is interviewed here together with me and my friend, Cathy

Another lola techie is fellow mom blogger and sexy mom (er lola), Dine Racoma. Though she is a young 50 something year old lola techie, she is quite active in twitter, plurk, facebook and teaches stay at home moms to earn extra income online.

I just want to give tribute to the real lola techies who have actually inspired readers and other bloggers with their stories of wisdom and techie knowledge.

Of course, I am biased because they are my friends but come on, let’s acknowledge and give tribute to other lola techies. Do you know of other lola techies? (They don’t have to be bloggers but active in facebook or other social media). Comment below if your 60 something year old parents or grandparents are internet savvy. How did you teach them to use the internet?

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