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Mopdog’s Top 5 of 2011 & Holiday Hours

Susanna — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:20:16 +0000

Please note that the Mopdog office will be closed Monday, December 26th and Monday, January 2nd!We wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday and new year!

A legacy to remember

Katelyn — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:47:12 +0000

I found out the news on my iPhone. Just like millions of other people worldwide. If you haven’t heard yet, Steve Jobs died yesterday leaving behind a unique and powerful legacy, one that could only be his.

It’s strange to think how one man, who most of us have never met, has changed all of our lives forever.

Jobs changed the way we listen to and buy music, the way we talk on the phone, or rather, the way we surf the Internet on our phones, he changed the way we watch movies and the way we use computers.

Here at Mopdog we spend hours every day working on products that Jobs himself had the creative genius to design and sell.

One of Job’s greatest strengths can be summed up by Larry Page, co-founder and CEO of Google: “He was a great man with incredible achievements and amazing brilliance. He always seemed to be able to say in very few words what you actually should have been thinking before you thought it.”

So here’s to you Steve, and thanks for having a hand in making Mopdog and millions of other businesses, what they are today.

Be “Marketing-Smart” with QR codes

Katelyn — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:43:32 +0000

You may have noticed a small square black and white graphic, the QR (Quick Response) code popping up in advertisements, magazines, and other communications more and more lately. This unique graphic functions like a two-dimensional barcode and can be read by dedicated QR code readers and smartphones that have the QR code reader application. When the QR code is scanned, the smartphone QR code scan is directed to display some text, graphic or contact information, or connect to a web or video link.

Scan to view the case study

Mopdog just completed a project for one of our clients, EPI-USE America, Inc. using this latest technology to launch a new application during a client event. Over the course of two days, our team developed a fun promotion and created 31 websites to showcase the unique features of their new application, Skillscanner.

To learn more, click here to read our case study, or scan the QR code!

By using the latest smart technology with a creative twist, you can provide your customers with targeted product and services information that has measurable results! Now that’s being a marketing genius!

Mopdog Featured in The Marietta Daily Journal

Susanna — Wed, 18 May 2011 13:59:40 +0000

Bark for your buck: Mopdog Creative + Strategy finds inspiration in man’s best friend

by Katy Ruth Camp

KENNESAW — Ten years ago, Bill and Cheryl Musial’s two yapping Shih Tzus went from being an annoyance during the husband and wife team’s business calls to creating a marketing strategy that helped them become a global creative group.

“In the mid-90s, when websites were just starting to pop out — which it’s hard to believe there was a time without them — we were going by William Musial Advertising. That’s not sexy or fun,” said Cheryl Musial, co-owner and director of marketing strategy. “We were working out of the basement of our home in Acworth and had two Shih Tzus who were always barking, and they looked like you could put a handle on them and they’d be mops, so they started being called the mop dogs. So for kicks, Bill thought about changing the name and saw that no one had the domain, so we grabbed it and went from there. Our story is all about how re-branding can totally change a company.”

Once the name Mopdog Creative + Strategy stuck for the Kennesaw-based company, the duo came up with ways to play on the new branding and saw business begin to bloom.

“We had to come up with a marketing spin, and my background is in marketing and sales, so I did some research on Shih Tzu’s and found out they were the guard dogs for the Chinese emperors’ palaces, and would bark if they saw something on the horizon,” Cheryl Musial said. “We keep a low profile, keep our overhead low and are able to give a lot of bark to our customers’ budgets. Now we decorate everything with the Mopdog theme and it’s become memorable — people have heard of it. You want people to remember your name, and it has to be memorable so they automatically know you and come to you.”

The company was first formed in 1990, when Bill Musial graduated from the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit with degrees focused on art direction and graphic design. In the two years immediately following his graduation, Bill Musial created a creative business with a friend and quickly gained clients and traction, Cheryl Musial said. But when Bill Musial’s business partner left the business, the Musials moved their business to the East Coast then moved to Atlanta in December 1994. They purchased their current space off Cobb Parkway, about eight miles north of the Big Chicken, six years ago.

Some of their largest clients include Healthcare Solutions out of Duluth, the Corridor Group of San Francisco and Kansas City, and the international natural byproducts company CP Kelco. Before the housing market crash, the agency served several large builders, such as Beazer, the former KB Homes and Forest Homes. But when the company began to be considered a real estate-only firm, they decided to stop taking on development clients to avoid the label and diversify, Cheryl Musial said, attributing that decision to helping them survive the crash.

The company has also been named to the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Top 25 Small Businesses for six years in a row.

The couple are raising their two boys, age 11 and 13, in Acworth. Cheryl Musial said the company of nine staff members and a handful of freelancers stays in Cobb because the county has been good to them. The company therefore gives back to the community and has a vested interest in the success of Kennesaw and the county, Cheryl Musial said.

“Cobb County is a wonderful place to run a business because people really, truly believe in working together and it is such a diverse group of population to pull from,” Cheryl Musial said. “We’re involved in a number of boards and nonprofits. We may not always have a lot of cash to give, so we try to give our time when we can. I don’t see us moving outside of Cobb County, because it’s been a wonderful place to raise our children and is accessible to the airport for our global clients. About 70 percent of our business is outside of Cobb County, so that’s been an important factor.”

But the key to longevity, Cheryl Musial said, is having a strong team of employees and staying smart about which clients they decide to serve.

“We try to make sure we have the right people on the bus and clients that we like dealing with. But personally, it’s been a challenge over the last two years, as I was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in 2009 and was hospitalized this past summer with a severe infection, and Bill has challenges with his back, so it’s been hard knowing we have a team we’re responsible for and want to serve them. But having a strong team has been really important and they’ve helped to keep us going,” Cheryl Musial said.

As for the future, the company would like to continue growing and giving back to the community, Cheryl Musial said.

“We would like to continue to be strong, do creative work and give back to the community. … we just want to know that we are making an impact on our community and continuing with that steady cash flow — because as any business owner would tell you, cash is king and the past two years have not been easy on anyone. But we are working on all of those areas and hope to continue to make an impact,” Cheryl Musial said.

Read the article at www.mdjonline.com here.

A Video Goes Viral

Rick — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:51:09 +0000

You have probably seen this video and heard about it from multiple sources. A homeless man in Columbus, Ohio named Ted Williams is recorded using “his God-given gift of voice”. The video is posted on Youtube on January 3rd, then begins the viral spread.

January 3: Original video is first posted on Youtube. It begins to spread initially through Facebook according to the Youtube video stats.

January 4: Less than a full day in and already over 2 million views on Youtube. Everyone and their mom is on Facebook so naturally news organizations pick up on it. Then the bloggers and the internet echo chamber is in effect.

January 5: Williams appears on a local radio morning show where he is offered a voice over job with the Cleveland Cavaliers as well as a house.

AOL News detailed his job offers:

The Cleveland Cavaliers: A representative of the Cavs called into “The Morning Zoo” on WNCI, a local Ohio station, this morning to offer Williams a full-time voice-over job and a house.

The NFL: No offer has been made yet, but a director of post-production from the NFL told The Columbus Dispatch, “My boss said to me: ‘If you don’t get him hired, you’re fired.’ … I can’t make any guarantees, but I’d love to get him some work.”

The Ohio Credit Union League: Also on WNCI this morning, Williams was offered a $10,000 opportunity to do voice-over work for the Ohio Credit Union League, pending a background check.

MTV: Someone claiming to be from MTV called into “The Morning Zoo” to say that they’d love to work with Williams.

ESPN: According to WNCI, ESPN has expressed interest in Williams, too.

Radio: A Pennsylvania radio station is apparently interested in Williams.

Giving back: The television station WBNS-TV wants to use Williams as a narrator for One Day To End Homelessness, a telethon planned for Jan. 31.

January 6 – As of this posting the video has nearly 12 million views but has been taken down claiming “This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Zeiger, Tigges”. There goes lawyers to ruin all the fun.

Quote on Youtube from the guy who took the video:

“Well everyone. You can give yourselves and Ted a high-five. He’s being given offers hand-over-fist over the air. He’ll be set for life.”

Behold the power of the Internet. Homeless on the street corner Tuesday. Flown to New York to appear on TV shows Thursday. Not bad.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Welcome Our Newest Pack Members!

Bill — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:00:57 +0000

Welcome Adam Stephenson, Web Designer and Newest Pack Member

It is our pleasure to announce that Adam Stephenson officially joined the Mopdog pack October 18, 2010 in the position of Web Designer.

All-About-Adam Quickies: Decatur, AL native, live music enthusiast, illustrator extraordinaire, self-proclaimed nerd, guitar groover, insatiable thirst for knowledge and technology trends.

Adam attended the Art Institute of Atlanta where he studied Graphic and Web Design. From there, he took his design knowledge and put it to use freelancing for clients in the hospitality and nightlife industries. He then accepted a position at a software applications company where he honed his HTML and CSS skills. Adam’s last position was Web Guru and Go-To Tech Guy for a company specializing in green technology.

We’re excited to have his skills and wit join our team! You can welcome Adam at adam@mopdog.com or by calling 770.874.2990 ext 28.

Meet Lauren Kappers, Mopdog’s Organizational Wizard

Lauren joined the Mopdog pack in July 2010 in the position of Office Coordinator.

All-About-Lauren Quickies: from the beaches of Virgina but proud to be a Georgia girl, travel fanatic, passionate “foodie,” margarita-making master, film enthusiast.

Lauren is a senior at Kennesaw State University, studying Organizational Communications. After she graduates in 2011, she first and foremost plans to celebrate with all of the friends who have shared in the journey! From there, she’ll see where the wind takes her. When she’s not keeping things in their place at Mopdog, Lauren tries her best to balance family, friends, studies and takes every opportunity to visit with family in Disney World, their “home away from home.”

It’s been great having Lauren as part of our team. You can welcome her at lauren@mopdog.com or by calling 770.874.2990 ext 21.

Longer Hours Working Thanks to Earthquake in Chile

Bill — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:04:22 +0000

Notice to Employees and Clients of Mopdog:

Based on the new information just released by Space.com the Mopdog offices will be adjusting it business hours accordingly. With the Earth’s axis being affected by the recent earthquakes in Chile our days have been shorten. As owner I feel it only fair to our clients and employees that we make these necessary adjustment to our schedule to keep current with our surroundings, after all these things add up over time.

So for now, or until the next earthquake makes additional changes we will be staying a little later each day.

Social Media Tools

Bill — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:50:24 +0000

I wanted to thank everyone who made it to our Social Media presentation for the Cobb Community Collaborative meeting at the Mansour Center. The more we listen, the more we hear how people just need a simple, personalized Social Media action plan. Something tailored to their specific needs with clearly defined tasks and goals. As Cheryl and I mentioned we offering you the tools we have on this topic. Please click on the links below to download each document:

1. Presentation

2. Quick Tips

3. Getting Started

Please let us know if we can help you with your Social Media and Branding need for your organization. We put together a straightforward menu of personalized services designed to get your business in the Social Media game. TAKE LOOK AT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA SERVICES

Safety Village Gala a Rockin’ Success

Susanna — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:57:26 +0000

The Cobb County Safety Village Foundation Gala was held Saturday, November 7th to raise money for a wonderful cause – creating a safer community through public safety education.

The event was held at The Cobb County Safety Village. The Safety Village, built on an eight-acre site, is the most comprehensive safety training environment in the region where our residents and business community gain knowledge through hands-on experiences. It is a place where the walls come alive with knowledge while instructors share the most advanced techniques and ideas for making our community safer. These life-like streets include sidewalks, traffic signals and a variety of structures that represent our community. These structures will become an integral part of the learning experience.

The “Stop, Drop, Rock & Roll” gala event was a huge success with over 300 attendees who enjoyed live music, toured interactive venues and bid on one-of-a-kind experiences. The proceeds will help the continued growth and awareness of the Safety Village.

Mopdog worked closely with the Safety Village Foundation to plan this event. With Cheryl serving as Co-chair for the Gala, Mopdog was an integral part of the planning and promotion. We provided support – designing and producing save-the-date postcards, invites and other signage, as well as assisting with the event logistics. We are proud to be able to lend our time and talents to such an important cause.

See some of our work below. To learn more about the Cobb County Safety Village, click here.

safety village gala collateral

Social Media Seminar Featured in the Marietta Daily Journal

Cheryl — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:41:16 +0000

Tweeting for dollars
About 56 companies signed up to participate in a seminar hosted by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce on the topic of using social media Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter to enhance their businesses.

It’s a sign of the times that so many businesses have taken an interest in online networking sites, which were once primarily viewed as communication vehicles for children and teens. The social media industry has now blossomed into a powerful marketing tool for small businesses and corporations. Continue Reading at MDJonline.com