Lesson 7 – Know Your Team
As our agency grew, taking on new clients, looking at new opportunities, and selling new projects, finding new people to join us became paramount to our success. When you’re a small business, every employee has to be an A player, and we had them, and we added more of them as we needed them. We’re…
Read MoreOur Favorite Super Bowl Commercials of 2022
The Super Bowl is always one of the biggest nights in advertising, and this past Sunday was no different. It was a great game that kept us watching until the very end. Along the way, we enjoyed the show and made note of some of our favorite commercials. As always, it’s hard to pick favorites…
Read MoreSpeaking to Your Audience
OUTdrive Episode 89 with Ben Frederickson Sports columnist Ben Frederickson returns to OUTdrive to chat about all things sports and writing. Ben shares his hot takes on Mizzou Basketball, the possible outcomes of the MLB lockout, and the Blue’s chances at another playoff run. We also dive a little deeper into storytelling, such as creating…
Read MoreLesson 6 – Carve Out a Niche
Throughout our agency’s history, we have ebbed and flowed in and out of certain markets and industries, based on our clients, always looking for the opportunity to identify and expand on a niche. One of those niches was economic development, working with cities and chambers of commerce around Missouri to help them tell their stories.…
Read MoreMarketing the Lake of the Ozarks
OUTdrive Episode 88 with Eric Homan The Lake of the Ozarks flew under the radar for many years, and was considered a hidden gem for those that knew about it. That was until May 2020, when viral videos during the pandemic made headlines and popularity of the Netflix series “Ozark” brought attention from around the…
Read MoreLesson 5 – When Opportunity Knocks
When opportunity knocks, answer the door. The year was 1991. We were feeling the pinch of suffering growth pains. Things were going pretty well but we were struggling in some ways and we lacked the resources and expertise to continue to grow. We started looking around at ways we could strategically move forward. We had…
Read MoreThe Benefit of Community Programs
OUTdrive Episode 87 with Gary Beckman It’s often said “it takes a village” to raise a child, and our guest in this episode of OUTdrive believes that to be true. Gary Beckman is the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of West Central Missouri. He outlines the importance of programs and activities available…
Read MoreLesson 4 – Stay Connected
Over the years, our founder and leader has preached the importance of relationships, whether that be with associates, clients, vendors, media, community or industry partners. Our business is really all about people and frankly, you just can’t have too many friends. Through time however, people move. They relocate. They change jobs and move to different…
Read MoreProducing a Podcast
OUTdrive Episode 86 | SOLOCAST Have you ever wondered what goes into producing a podcast? In this episode of OUTdrive, I break down the production cycle of our podcast from week to week. And, I answer the most frequently asked questions about our podcast, such as cost, technology and equipment needs, and ROI. After producing…
Read MoreLesson 3 – Accept Help
Back when we were just getting started, in the late 1980’s, there were people who wanted to help. Some came to work with us and gave us all they had. Some gave us business doing new and exciting projects when they didn’t have to. Some helped us learn things that we never would have even…
Read MoreCreating Content | Podcasts, Social Media and More
OUTdrive Episode 85 with Ivy Reynolds When it comes to creating content, the sports world is blazing the trail. High-quality videos and graphics on social media are a huge part of a program’s communication and marketing strategy, and other industries should be taking note. In this episode of OUTdrive, I chat with Callis account executive…
Read MoreLesson 2 – Trust Me
Back in 1988, there were some folks who thought Cliff was crazy and that he would never make it in the advertising agency biz in such a small, rural market. There were people he had to convince so he would ask them to trust him. He used the word so frequently that our employees at…
Read MoreSoybeans are an Economic Driver
OUTdrive Episode 84 with Casey Wasser The Missouri Department of Agriculture announced the results of an economic contribution study that showed a contribution of nearly $94 billion to the economy and more than one in every 10 jobs is supported by agriculture. Crop production, which includes grains and oil seeds, ranked first in value of…
Read MoreLesson 1 – Listen
As we reflect on our first year in business, way back in 1987, we are reminded of how important it is to listen…to your head, your heart and your gut. When Cliff founded the agency, his mind told him there was nobody else doing what he set out to do. His heart confirmed that he…
Read MoreMeeting the Demand for Pet Care in America
OUTdrive Episode 83 with Collin Funkhouser An ASPCA survey revealed that nearly 23 million Americans welcomed a pet during the height of the pandemic in 2020 – aptly referred to as “pandemic puppies.” And, according to a study by the American Veterinary Medical Association, a majority (75%-85%) of pet owners think of their pets as…
Read MoreCallis Turns 35
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the founding of Callis & Associates. To celebrate this milestone, we are launching the #CallisTurns35 campaign across our digital and social platforms. Every week for the next 35 weeks, we will post a lesson from each year Callis has been in business and spotlight a client or project…
Read MoreYear In Review
OUTdrive Episode 82 | Solocast We are just a few short days away from turning the page to 2022. We’ve had another great year here at Callis in large part because our clients saw success and growth. In this episode of OUTdrive, I’m taking a drive down the 2021 memory lane. We had a number…
Read MoreAutomotive Insights | From Motown to Rural America
OUTdrive Episode 81 with Karl Kramer Often referred to as The Automotive Capital of the World and Motor City (Motown), Detroit, Michigan is home to General Motors (GM) headquarters. GM led global annual vehicle sales for 77 consecutive years from 1931 through 2007, and is still among the world’s largest automakers by vehicle unit sales.…
Read MoreChanges in Social Shopping
Individuals use social media for a variety of reasons, but its influence extends beyond the screen into everyday life. It is a source of information and it influences people’s opinions, behaviors and purchases.1 One of the fastest-growing uses of social media is social shopping. Platforms continue to expand into e-commerce and introduce new features for…
Read MoreThe Impact and Sustainability of Missouri Pork
OUTdrive Episode 80 with Don Nikodim Missouri’s pig farmers really know how to bring home the bacon – literally. According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, in 2016, agriculture, forestry and related industries contributed $88.4 billion of the state’s economy. Pork production alone had about a $1 billion impact on Missouri’s bottom line. For this…
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