Clever Ogre’s Top 7 Toppy Things of 2011

Preamble

Here we are, at the end of 2011, another calendar year in the books. For some it was a year of accomplishments, for others…not so much. Dictatorial world leaders fell, the King of tech died, the prince of England, Duke of Cambridge, married a commoner, Charlie Sheen proved winning can be as bad as losing, and Kim Kardashian interpreted the definition of marriage. This is the time of year when everybody and his semi-aquatic mammal have a top 10 list of one kind or another. So, why not a Clever Ogre top 10?

Photo: thedailycute.com

‘Cause we’re not everybody, and we’re certainly not platypuses. Though, those little critters are cute, in a weird, freak of nature kind of way. What we’re gonna do is give you a top 7. Without further ado…

Clever Ogre’s Top 7 Toppy Things of 2011 

7: Invented 8 ogre-themed games designed to challenge us both physically and mentally. These super challenging, totally awesome games are clip board paddle ball, indoor golf HORSE, hacky throw (kicking is for donkeys), paper airplane flight control, balance something on some body part longer than everybody else (long name, fun game), point and laugh (ok, we didn’t invent this one, but we perfected it), 1-2-3 NOT IT: coffee edition, and the wildly popular, make the reader guess if we’re serious game.

6: Together with the U.S. Navy and the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, we celebrated flight (100 years of Naval Aviation)

5: We entered and got high score in three golf tournaments. As it turns out, we’re great at bashing things with sticks; just not golf sticks.

4: Won an award for every piece of advertising we submitted to the Addy Awards. We’re bad at golf, but we’re pretty doggone good at advertising. Insert Norma Rae reference here. The Addys are kind of like the Academy Awards for the advertising industry. 

3: In the summer, we had an intern from the University of West Florida; then, in the fall we had another student come in and shadow our work for a day. We loves us some free labor, er, students. We love the students. 

2: Moved our office from the corner of Chase and Coyle to 49 S. Jefferson St. We’re now right above Hopjacks, one of our favorite downtown Pensacola haunts. Speaking of haunts, our old office was haunted. Thought you should know.

1: Developed and launched a new, more ogrey (ogreier) website at cleverogre.com. If you were a fan of our old site, you can still find it at cleverogre.net.

And there you have it. Clever Ogre’s list of 2011’s Top 7 Toppy Things. Do you have a list somewhere? Tell us about it on Facebook or Twitter.

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year from the gang at Clever Ogre: Christopher, Chris, Dan, Shawn, and Nora.

City Ogre, Country Ogre, Focus Ogre

Not actual focus group participants

Recently, some of the ogres had the opportunity to conduct a few focus groups. If you're not familiar with what a focus group is, fear not. Basically, it is an arena where a small group of people who have something in common are presented with topics for discussion. From this discussion, a group or individual hopes to gather some insightful data. Sometimes, the person moderating the group has to redirect the conversation, or summarize what's been said for clarification. Apart from that, the participants are the focus of the group. When more than one focus group is held, there is a bonus data set. Neat, right? The bonus data are the observable differences in culture across sample sets. Bet your bottom, it's neat!

What was cool about the focus groups we conducted was the sense that we were in geographically varying locations, when in actuality, we were in the Pensacola metro area.

One of the events was done in a town near Pensacola. The area was wooded and buildings were tucked in and among the trees. The whole feeling was laid back, natural, and welcoming. The people with whom we spoke used the words “open” and “family” freely. It’s safe to say we were taken in, openly, and treated like family. Participants in the focus group were eager to share ideas and willing to hear one another’s views. Information flowed freely.

Another of the focus groups was held in a central part of Pensacola. The tone of the event was quite different from the previous. People we met could be compared to New Yorkers. They knew what they wanted, knew where it could be found, and they didn’t mince words or waste time. Their interaction during the focus group was boisterous and varied. Some participants were lively and animated, while others remained mostly quiet. There was definitely a big-city feeling; not that we were concerned with getting jacked or anything. We were in amazement at the contrast between this and the previous group.

A third focus group was held in what could be considered a borough of Pensacola. Neither in the country or the city, this location proved to be a combination of the two others. Interesting. People were in a hurry, but not so much that they didn’t have time or interest in sharing opinions or giving direction. Participants turned out in overwhelming numbers. Though they clearly had somewhere else to be, they stuck around as long as their voices were being heard.

We’re always fascinated by different cultures, even if they’re subsections of the larger. We would like to hear from you. Have you had similar experiences when working with groups? Let us know here or on social media. We do the Facebookand the Twitters.

Clever Tech Review: OtterBox Defender for iPad 2

Ok, we told you guys to be on the lookout for product reviews from us every now and again. Well, now’s the time for another review. Last time, we told you about the ZAGGfolio Bluetooth keyboard and folio case for the iPad 2. This time, we’re still talking about the iPad 2, but we’ll be reviewing the OtterBox Defender case. Ready? Here we go.

Since 1998, OtterBox has been making hard-core cases for tech devices. Well, they’ve been making hard-core cases for the tech devices of the clumsy and klutzy. They cover just about every device with several levels of protection available. The Defender series is the most rugged in most lines of tech protection offered by OtterBox.

Being the most rugged, the Defender is also the bulkiest offering. A four-piece design consisting of two hard plastic pieces that interlock to cover the device, a silicone skin that covers most of the hard plastic and provides shock absorption, and a hard plastic cover for the touch screen which also doubles as a stand for typing or movie watching.

There are cutouts for all of the device’s ports, including the camera. Silicone flaps cover the headphone jack, volume/orientation toggle, and dock connector port, while the volume rocker, sleep/wake button and home button are completely covered by silicone. Responsiveness beneath the silicone is adequate; however the protection for the home button can make double clicking a bit cumbersome as it’s difficult to tell if a full press has been completed.

The outer skin provides a nice feel and is easy to keep a grip on. With the screen cover snapped onto the back, yes, it works on the front and the back, the tabs provide a nice place for fingers to rest while holding the iPad. Also in any configuration, the camera is always open and available for fast photography.

We’ve used OtterBox products before. Among the ogres, we’ve had experience with the Defender and Commuter case for every version of the iPhone and Defender cases for both iPads. The Defender for the iPad 2 is certainly an improvement over the previous generation’s protection. It’s lighter, easier to install, and easier to use. It does add a substantial amount of bulk to the device, but in return it makes the delicate iPad 2 feel like a tank wrapped in Kevlar. The added size and texture make the device stable in small hands so, if you’re a parent, feel free to let the little ones hold your iPad to watch ‘toons. Short of stepping on the touch screen or hitting it with a solid object, they’re probably not going to hurt your $600 - $900 investment. Not too bad for around 90 bucks.

Overall, if you need or would be comforted by the kind of protection the OtterBox Defender series provides; go get one. The same security is available for other devices too. Though we’ve focused on Apple products, you can get top-notch protection for your device, whatever brand it is.

If you have anything to add, or if you have any additional questions about the OtterBox Defender for iPad 2 get in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter. We’re there all the time and we’ll get back with you pretty doggone quickly. Thanks for reading.

Just Another Day at the Office

Sometime around 7:45 am the key enters the lock and another day begins at Clever Ogre. Chris Dadant, coffee in hand, steps into the cave. Over the next 15 minutes, his coworkers, who all require lots and lots of caffeine to be productive members of society, will arrive. His early morning energy is both envied and hated.

The groggy ogres, and the one peppy one, settle into their desk chairs. Coffee is consumed by all as music plays. After the overnight emails have been checked and coffee from home has been consumed, a bit of 1-2-3 not it! determines who will make the first pot of ogre coffee.

Someone asks “What’s on the agenda this week?” – clearly it’s time for a meeting. The group gathers around a table in the great room. A close look reveals pens and paper, a sure sign the ogres are ready to take notes…or at least doodle. After all of the upcoming projects have been discussed, each team member returns to his/her desk. The sound of mouse clicks and keystrokes mixes with the music. Work is happening here.

Dadant is stroking his beard as he’s scouring the internet looking for bits of design inspiration. The reason for this is two-fold; he wants to see what kind of design elements are being used by others to suit a particular client or market, he also needs to be sure Clever Ogre doesn’t produce anything that could be confused for anyone else’s work. “We don’t use stock clip art.” he says as he modifies layers, removes strokes, and ogres up an image.

In the same room, Dan is typing away…and singing. It doesn’t matter if he’s writing website copy, a commercial script, a blog, some pithy social media post, or a storyline for a web video, his stoic demeanor is an odd counterpart to the frequent outbursts of overreaction, laughter, and singing. Inspiration comes from everywhere, except other people’s writing. Not reading is a great way to avoid plagiarism.

Over in the corner, Shawn sips on a Java Monster as he stares at code. Sometimes it’s hard to make websites do cool stuff without using Flash, but he finds a way. “Why no Flash?” you ask…a lot of portable devices don’t display Flash content. More than 90% of tablet based web browsing in the U.S. is done on Apple’s iPad, which doesn’t support Flash. The voodoo magic he’s creating over there looks like a bunch of punctuation to the average Internet user. Fortunately, we never have to see that stuff; just the cool things he can do with JavaScript.

Out in the great room, Nora is plucking away at her computer, scheduling meetings and keeping all of the ogre children on track. She spends almost as much time out of the office as she does at her desk. She’s a member of this group, that chamber, and just about any network where humans are welcome. The lady ogre is responsible for being the main point of contact for clients, both current and potential.

Telecommuting is Davis. Everything gets run by him before going out. He’s an emailing and phone calling ogre, for sure. Whatever the other ogres are doing, he’s having a peek and providing his opinion and expertise.

Two or three pots of coffee (and 20 or 30 potty breaks) later, someone blurts out “I’m hungry”, gets up, and makes lunch. One by one, stomachs get the better of bodies and food is consumed by all…at a desk, in front of a computer.

It’s not long before Dan decides it’s time for another pot of coffee. “Anyone want some? Cool. Who’s making it? 1-2-3 Not it!” Sounds of “Not it!” come from the remainder of the team. “Nora, you’re it.”

Soon, afternoon fatigue begins to settle in. Dadant leans back from his monitor, eyes red, and proclaims “This isn’t working!” Writer’s block doesn’t only strike writers. Really, it should just be called creative’s block. Like zombies, the other ogres look up from their work. Dazed, they decide to break the tension with a little teambuilding.

Putting contest!

Stress free and clear headed, the ogres get back to work. The last hour of the workday breezes by. Around 4:00, computers are set to “sleep” and the see you tomorrows begin as each ogre packs up lunch containers and coffee cups.

The same key that began the day turns the same lock to end it.

“See you tomorrow, Clever Ogre.”

In the Box and On the Fence

"It's easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission" 

– Grace Hopper

We’ve all heard, and are likely tired of hearing about, “thinking outside the box” and “pushing the envelope”. These one-time buzz words are now the standard. Folks just think outside the box now. Very few people are still inside the box or folded neatly and tucked in the envelope. To be innovative now, it’s best to get back inside the box and see what can be done in there that hasn’t been done before. Outside the box and pushing the envelope used to mean something. Now, they’re just cliché.

Enter forgiveness and permission. Once we’ve made our way back into the box we find there are things to be done…but these things haven’t been done before because they seemed edgy and questionable. Now is the time to take that edge and slice up what’s questionable. In the box, the quest for new is on and we are all able. The problem is, everything that’s still in the box is in there because we were afraid to take it out. It could be an ugly monster with biting words and design, or it can be a frog-prince. What was once considered risqué is now tame. This means there’s even more in the boxes than we can bring out today. Maybe later.

So, where does this leave us? Well, sometimes it leaves us asking forgiveness. Several companies have launched ad campaigns, only to be on the receiving end of negative publicity. Below are two examples.

Sony, in anticipation of the launch of the new white PSP, launched a campaign pitting a white model versus a black model. Whether or not the campaign had intended racial overtones can be debated. At their simplest, the ads predictably use black and white. Will the newer, white PSP overtake the black one in sales? Fortunately, Sony was able to save face by pulling the ads and apologizing. Black versus white should probably stay in the box for a while longer.

Another advertising faux pas was committed by Spirit Airlines. In June of 2010 they launched a campaign promoting travel to Ft. Lauderdale, Cancun, and Puerto Rico touting the slogan “Check out the oil on our beaches”. The ads featured a bikini clad woman, drenched in spf50. Seeking to take advantage of the 2010 BP oil spill’s devastation of the north Florida coast, Spirit missed the mark. What could have been an interesting campaign, pitting beach against beach in a battle for tourism dollars, ended with the removal of the ads and a small base of angry potential customers.

There are plenty of cases where a great campaign came from what could have been a bad idea. Many of your favorite ads could have been sink or swim. A wrong first impression and even the most well thought work can be cast aside.

Are there any hits or misses that come to your mind? Let us know about them here, on our website, or on Facebook, or Twitter. We’d love to hear from you.

The Eye in Your Team

Every business owner has heard or read something about the importance of team and unity. When everyone knows his role, but also knows his voice is as important as anyone else's within the organization, there is a powerful yet humble force. Success seems inevitable. Who doesn't appreciate humble acts?

The truth is, most folks don't. Yes, we all are moved by anonymous gestures of kindness and sharing the glory, but more often than not, we don't even know these things happen. But that's okay. The whole point of doing good is to make something better, not to better one's reputation. Besides, who likes a boaster? Exactly.

That’s why you need an advertising agency. Hear us out.

Good business leaders know there’s no “I” in team. We’ve already established no one likes to hear others talk about themselves. Save that stuff for interviews and confession. You’re passionate about what you do, as you should be. Someone else needs to be in charge of spreading the word of the organization’s good deeds.

Enter Clever Ogre. Our passion is advertising. The root of advertising is cleverly and memorably telling folks what’s good about something, and why they should buy or use that particular something.

You don’t want to spend time talking yourself up, so let us. We can be “the eye in your team”. We’ll find out what you do, what you’re about, and who you are…truly. Then, we’ll create whatever kind of advertising thingamabob you want. Video, web, print, PR – we do it, well. <- See, we’re talking ourselves up. It just comes naturally to us.

Can you think of times when it’s appropriate to be boastful? Let us know about them here, on Facebook, or on Twitter. We wanna hear from you.

Share the glory, hog the blame.

Which One is the Last Word?

Social media can never truly replace in-person conversation, but it’s trying. In fact, many people refer to social media as a conversation. It is, really. The short form and quick, easy access allow people to exchange thoughts on myriad subjects in real-time; just like in an actual conversation, but without all of the annoying inflection and intonation. Wait, that’s what’s keeping social media from being an actual conversation. Being able to hear how people are saying things and seeing facial expressions during a conversation are what adds intimacy to the exchange. When actually talking with someone, it’s easy to tell when it’s time to move on to a different subject. What about online, though – when is the conversation over?

Some online venues, most often forums, have a way to close a thread to comments. This usually can be done by either the original poster, or a moderator of some sort. If you can’t comment, it’s a pretty safe bet the conversation’s over.

Barring the obvious, some other ways to tell a conversation’s over may be:

·        That’s it, I’m out – The person who started the conversation says it’s over. It doesn’t happen that often, but sometimes whoever initiated a thread will curate the posts and, when satisfied with (or frightened by) the outcome of the discussion simply say “next topic” or something similar.

·        OP absconditus – The hidden originator. If someone starts a conversation online, either via an interesting or inflammatory statement or fact and then abandons the thread, the topic could be dead before it gets going. The community can move the topic forward without the originator, but where’s the fun in that?

·        Time will tell – There may be a zombie apocalypse coming, but there’s no reason to create zombie threads in social media. If people stopped commenting two days ago, it’s safe to assume anyone who’s already involved in the dialogue has moved on and may not be interested in resurrecting an old topic. Some issues won’t die though. If there have been comments within the last 12 hours or so, keep it going if you’ve got something to add.

·        Closure happens – Similar to an interview, open ended questions and statements lead to more digging and information exchange, but a closed statement doesn’t require your two cents. Look at the last few posts in a thread. If they seem to bring the conversation to a close, listen to Paul McCartney and let it be.

There are definitely other ways to tell it’s time to move on, but these should help you navigate the social media discussion. What do you think – what are some of the ways to tell a topic is dead? Tell us via social media. You can leave a comment here, on Facebook, Twitter, or send an email through our website. 

Velvet Ropes & Red Carpet:

Google+ brings virtual exclusivity to life 

There’s a lot of invitation-only social networking going on these days. Look around the web, you’ll find the members only clubs. On June 28th, Google launched the invite-only “field testing” phase of Google+ development. Based on social media activity and presence, invitations were sent out to selected requestors. The next day, those people were allowed to invite their friends and networks to join. This was soon suspended due to extremely high demand for accounts.

This reminds us of the old battle between penetration and prestige pricing. If you’re not familiar with these two strategies, you’re about to be:

Penetration pricing is a technique used when a business introduces a product into the market at a relatively low price in order to attract a large customer base. The hope is that new users or customers will try the product, find they like it, and continue to use the product when the introductory pricing time frame has ended. This is common with cable and satellite providers, credit cards, and myriad other products and services.

Prestige pricing (sometimes called Premium or Image pricing) is a method where the business will introduce a product or service at a high, or prestigious, price. The intention is to set an expectation that the product is high-end and exclusive. This method is most often seen with jewelry, clothing, and automobiles. This generates buzz – no pun, honest.

So, are invitation only web services a new, online version of prestige pricing? The exclusivity provided to early adopters is closely akin to prestige pricing.

A few ogres have had a go with “the Plus”. Here are some initial thoughts.

Google+, or Google Plus, is the online giant’s latest attempt at social media. After failing with Google Buzz, Google+ is a refreshing attempt from the company of a hundred zeroes. Of course, it has its shortcomings. Come on, it’s just a kid. But, it’ll probably be around for a good long while.

Why? Google’s already got their mitts on a large chunk of your digital life. You may or may not realize it, but Google is everywhere. The map app on your iOS device is Google powered, Google Earth is a great way to see pretty much anything anywhere in the world, Picasa – the online photo sharing application – is a Google product, and YouTube – the broadcast yourself behemoth – is a Google service as well. Google’s got its own browser, Google Chrome, and pretty much anything else you could want to do online, well, there’s a Google app for that. Big whoop, right?

Mudhole? Slimy? My home, this is.

This is where Google+ comes in. The service is closely related in form and function to Facebook. Just in case you’re from Dagobah, and have never heard of Facebook, it’s the 750+ million user strong, social media giant dictating the direction of the digital world. Ok, maybe it’s not dictating the direction of the digital world, but you’d be hard pressed to find a modern company or group of friends without a presence on the network.

The trouble is, nearly everything inside the Facebook environment comes from outside. Google+, on the other hand, incorporates all of Google’s services, seamlessly. Add to that Google+’s “Circles”, “Hangouts”, and “Sparks” and there’s definitely something worth checking out…all the time. Sure, Facebook has similar services, but they’ve been cobbled together from bits and pieces. Facebook is like Frankenstein’s monster. Eventually, it’s gonna go crazy and end up at the North Pole in ashes. G+ has all of these features integrated in the core of its being. Plus, no pun intended, it’s closely tied into Google’s own web rankings; more +1s equals more Google go-go juice.

As long as the farms, vampires, and mobsters stay out, Google+ might have a real chance at taking down, or at least paralleling, Facebook. Sure, Facebook has 750 million users, but in its first two weeks, Google+ had over 10 million. Not a bad start.

What do you think? Are you using Google+? Leave a comment below, or hook up with us on facebook, twitter, or over at our website, www.cleverogre.com

AAdvertising Dollars Well Spent

Have you gotten this phone call?

“Hello, may I speak with the business owner or whoever is in charge of advertising and marketing decisions?”

It’s the Yellow Pages or one of the other phone book companies, and they want your business to advertise in their publication. What to do? What to do? Well, you have two obvious options: buy an ad or don’t. It’s that simple. The decision, however, might make you want to commit hari-kari.

There are pros and cons with each. So what’s new? Everything has a dark side, even duct tape. A lot of businesses still advertise in these directories, and they’re one way to get your name out there. People will see your business name, and maybe a little blurb about what you do, but that’s it.

In the not-so-distant past, this ad space was priceless. If your business wasn’t listed in the yellow pages, then your potential customers couldn’t “let their fingers do the walking” and find you. Of course, if you operated Wilson’s Whitewash, your listing would be well below AAble Whitewashing Company. As a result, you probably got a lot fewer calls. So, even though it was incredibly important to be listed in the telephone directory, there were still drawbacks.

Fast forward to today. When was the last time you pulled out a phone book to look up a number? It’s more likely that you use the book as a booster seat at the Thanksgiving dinner table. It’s going away, and replacing it are Google rankings and search engine optimization. A well programmed website will go a long way to increase your chances of landing a job when a potential customer searches for a whitewashing company. The old trick of adding a couple of “A”s to your business’ name to beat out the competition are over. Good riddance to bad practices.

Even if you and your audience are not computer savvy, there are still better ways to spend those advertising dollars. Instead of buying a phone book ad, consider a billboard or vinyl lettering on your company cars. Remember, not everyone is going to see the van driving down the street with Wilson’s Whitewash emblazoned on the side, but a lot more will see that than the phone number buried under little Timmy’s tush.

If you want to explore your options, find the best place to put your money, contact an ogre for a free consultation. We have a phone. The number is 850.912.4203. We’re on Facebook, Twitter, and at cleverogre.com. You can even email us.

A Bite of Inspiration

It’s been sunny and beautiful in Pensacola the last, well, the last several weeks. Summertime is here and we’re enjoying it. The writing ogre (that’s me) was sitting at his computer trying to figure out what he would write. Sometimes inspiration is hard to find, so he went for a walk. Lo and behold, right there, beside the sidewalk was inspiration.

For those of you not familiar with fire ants, they’re a kind of ant found in the southeastern United States. They build big dirt mounds, or anthills, some of which are so big one might think they could be seen from space; oceans, the Great Wall of China, and anthills… yep. The thing about fire ants is that they’re extremely territorial and aggressive. The slightest disturbance to the hill and thousands of them emerge, looking for a fight. Their main goal is to defend the queen, so that she can produce more fire ants and grow the colony. The fire ant’s bite packs a painful and venomous punch. They’re not deadly, unless the victim weighs about a gram, or there are thousands of them biting a larger creature or person at once. The bite swells up, develops a red, itchy rash, and is dang near impossible not to meddle with. Their tenacity, however annoying, is admirable.

Here’s a short video of fire ants emerging from the hill, ready to attack.

Much like the fire ants, a good team - whether family, friends, or coworkers – will defend one another against intruders and unwanted outsiders. They work together, each one doing his or her job, and helping out as much as possible wherever needed, to perform each task to the best of the group’s abilities. These are the kind of groups we all seek out in life; others with a common interest and goal, who will fight for and defend one another and their collective task. Find these people, and you’ve found something special… something different.

At Clever Ogre, this is artistically illustrated. Ogres do what’s required, and then some, to produce the best possible product. Whether it’s a logo, a website, a blog or a full-on branding campaign; rest assured, they’re on it. Each one knows what is expected of the other and what the end result should be. When they’re working for you, you’re part of the group. You and your product or image will be defended just as vehemently as the fire ants defend their queen and hill.

Do you have questions for the ogres? You can find us all over the web. We’re at www.cleverogre.com, on facebook, and on Twitter. Say hi, let us know if you need anything, and we’ll be there for you. Don’t worry, we don’t bite.

A Few Words on Words

So, you’ve got an amazing idea for a blog post for your business, and you’re ready to get it out there for the whole world. You want everyone to have a look at the great things that have crossed your mind. That’s fantastic! Something big is happening at your business or in your personal life, and you want to share it. You sit down in your favorite comfy chair with your coffee (or other beverage) and start typing. There are a couple of things that you should keep in mind while creating your masterpiece.


Spelling and grammar are very important:
While this is a blog post and not a doctoral dissertation, the need for proper spelling and grammar is still present. If someone is scanning your content, they may be quite put off by misspelled words or the improper use of “their” when it should be “they’re” or something else similar. Now, you’re probably thinking something like “I’ve got it under control” or “What’s the big deal?” Well, here’s the deal; people who don’t know any better will not notice the effort that was put into providing quality, properly constructed content, and people who do will notice that you’ve got all of your ducks in a row. This will lend valuable credibility to you and your product/organization.


Big words are for educated small minds:
Throwing a lot of $25 words at your posts will not necessarily help you seem more knowledgeable. It is great to know the words and even better to understand them and use them properly in speech and writing. It’s completely different to understand the words well enough to use common words in their place. We have all met people who speak in jargon and technical terms. They think that they’re proving how much they know but, in actuality, they are demonstrating how little they actually know. Bottom line, if you can’t convey your message in terms that everyone can understand, you can’t convey your message.


Be sure to use keywords to build SEO:
When writing your blog, be sure to include everything that encompasses your message. This means keywords. Think of what you’re writing about and then think of how people discuss the topic. What are some of the common words that are part of that conversation? Got some of them in mind now? Good. Include them in your post; in a natural way. Don’t make it look like you’ve added a string of nonsensical words together just because they are related to the topic and search inquiries. Bad, bad, bad.


Proofread:
This should go without saying, but it’s now been said (or typed anyway). It’s a good idea to get your piece exactly where you want it… great words, great arrangement, and a smooth, easy read. Then leave it alone for a few hours. When you come back to it, look at it with a critical eye and you’ll make changes. We guarantee it.
Now, get out there and get to writing.

Branding and Your Best Bud

Do you understand branding as well as your dog?

The other day I was tossing around the old tennis ball with Clever Dog. Every time I threw the ball, he’d gallop off to fetch it. POUNCE! Then he’d bring it right back and drop it at my feet. “More Ogre Daddy!” he seemed to say. This went on for several minutes. Then I gave the ball to a different but equally capable ball thrower. THROW! Clever Dog looked at New Ogre and then at me. He then went to a shady spot next to the building to lie down.

Even though New Ogre and I threw the ball in basically the same way, Clever Dog preferred to fetch it only when I threw it. He picked Brand Daddy over Brand New. This is an example of brand loyalty. Clever Dog and I have a history. He knows that I’ll throw the ball, he can bring it back, and I’ll throw it again. I provide a product that he likes and, even though New Ogre could provide the same basic product, Clever Dog comes back to me. As long as I do what he expects, and I don’t let him down, then he’ll buy my ball throwing every time I’m selling.

A brand is much more than just a name and a logo. It is delivering a quality product or service, the same way, every time. Your brand is everything about your company. Everything about your company is your brand. Consider any company that has had negative publicity for whatever reason. The product that they were selling didn’t change, but due to the negative publicity that they received, their brand was tarnished. Once a brand image has been built it requires constant attention. The deliverable provided by the company must consistently be what the customer or client is looking for. If not, the brand is soiled and no one likes a dirty brand.

Mommy, What are Ogres Made of?

Somebody asked us one time “What makes Clever Ogre a good ad agency?” Well, not being an ad agency is a good start for us… and we’re not a pr agency either. We are a lot more than either of those. Throw away your preconceptions of what ad or PR agencies are. Consider a new label that can’t be nailed down to two letters. That’s Clever Ogre.

We do what is necessary to create and promote brand you. We don’t stop with a logo, a tag line and a website design. You need more than that because public perception of your business doesn’t stop on your website. It stops……………………………………………………………………… way over here (here… -ere… -ere).

We can’t control what people say about your business or product, that’s up to you and the quality of your deliverables. Sorry, that’s just the way it is. What we can do is influence their opinion of what is said. Ogres are strong. We can hold you above our head when the water gets too deep. We can bend the bars on the gate just enough to let you get through.

We’re ogres because we do things differently. We do what needs to be done; not what everyone else is doing.