It's time for another exciting giveaway from Element 74!

This time, we're asking you to reach deep inside your creative brains and come up with a way to effectively use the Utili-Key.

"What in the world is a Utili-Key," you ask? Well, let me tell you!

•Self-locking to any key ring
•Snaps at 90 degrees or fully extended for choice of functions
•Semi-serrated knife blade
•Micro Flat or Phillips screwdriver
•Eyeglass screwdriver
•Bottle opener
•Lifetime warranty
•Size: 2 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/8"
•Weight: .5 oz.
•420 solid stainless steel

This unassuming little gem of stainless steel is a 6 in 1 tool that can help you conquer many a task with ease. I can think of a ton of uses, but I won't tell you any. Why? Because that's the root of the contest, friends!

We want you to come up with a way to use the Utili-Key in a practical application, and post that as a comment on our Facebook post. We'll take everyone who posts and enter their names in a drawing, and one will win their very own Utili-Key!

And we're no strangers to it's many uses. Our very own Tim Bleichroth carries one on his keys. And he's a paramedic, folks. Take note.

So hit the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/element74web) and post your comment on our picture. It's that easy!

Thanks for visiting; keep that Great Thinking going!

Face fungus. Soup strainer. Cookie duster. Misplaced eyebrow.

Call it what you will, but the moustache has been a popular facial accessory for men for millenia. The countenance caterpillar has graced the faces of royalty and common man, and knows no prejudice. With that in mind, we celebrate the upper lip plumage this week with a fantastic giveaway!

Many Great Thinkers throughout time have sported excellent fluffy facial flair. The celebrated and eclectic artist Salvador Dali sported a well-oiled "vanilla bean" moustache. Albert Einstein's moustache was complemented by his shaggy mop and his brilliance. Magnum P.I. used his moustache and quick wit to solve crimes and win the girl. Would Sam Elliot be the iconic cowboy-personified without his walrus-esque wall of fuzz? The great academic Friedrich Nietzsche has the kind of moustache about which the amateur grower can only dream. Great Thinkers all, and so we take inspiration from them for this giveaway.

"What is my role in this moment in moustache memoir," you ask? It's easy. Now through this Thursday, April 12th at 6pm CDT, we want you to visit our Facebook page. Like the page, if you already haven't, and then post your best ORIGINAL moustache picture. Like the moustache, we won't discriminate; ladies are welcome to post pictures of creative moustaches as well. The idea is to get your wheels turning and pay photographic tribute to the timeless lip tickler.

Rules are that you may only post one contest entry on our page during the giveaway period, and the photo you post must be your own original shot. There are far too many awesome moustaches floating around the internet to let you simply grab someone else's revolutionary 'stache.

Here's an example from our own Toni Eftink (credit to Arevalo Photography):

"How can you possibly judge the best photo, when we all know that every moustache pic will be awesome," you query? We've got that covered, too. In fact, we've brought in independent counsel to take on that difficult task, but he is not without experience. 

Meet Dr. Moustachio*. Animal control officer, pizza delivery guy, World of Warcraft priest, adult furry fiction writer... A true man of the people. As a padowan to a Jedi, so was Dr. Moustachio to the Most Interesting Man in the World, and his training is never-ending. We're just fortunate that he could take time away from his global pursuits to judge our exciting competition. Once the contest has closed, he will study each of your entries and we will post our winner on Friday, April 13.

The winner will receive this excellent print, framed and ready to hang in your den, bar, study or wherever you feel you can appropriately show your love for the greatest of all points of physiognomy.

Great thinking begins with your creativity, so get the wheels spinning and the cameras snapping. We are looking forward to seeing what wonderful lip wigglers you come up with!

*Name changed to protect privacy and to keep fan clubs from popping up on Facebook

Holly Rehder is an independent small business owner from Sikeston, MO who is running on the Republican ticket for State Representative in the 148th district. As she began her campaign, she already knew that the internet was a key campaigning tool, and wanted to make the most of her presence.

When we were first approached by Holly Rehder to create her online campaign presence, we knew right away that this site would have to be something special. Why? Because Holly wanted it to represent more than just a political campaign: She wanted it to be an extension of herself, personally.

“As someone who is running for a public office, it is extremely important to me that my website not only detail my positions, but actually reflect my personality and beliefs,” Holly told us. “I felt very confident in Element 74 after our first meeting.  Chris asked me many questions to make certain he understood my goals and desires and then assigned the project manager, Darren Burgfeld, who he thought would work best with me in accomplishing these goals.”

Holly’s strong beliefs and personality had to shine, and so we designed a website that provides visitors with a clear picture of Holly’s stand on several political issues, as written in her own words. The “Issues” page on the website gives an easy-to-use light box interface to read Holly’s words on subjects like education, energy and healthcare. A photo gallery allows Holly to share her continuing adventures in the campaign process. And, of course, social media links to Facebook and Twitter help her constituents keep in touch with the latest news.

“I wanted to be a part of the website building process and Darren allowed me to do just that.  Revisions, tweaks and changes were never frowned upon; in fact he would add to my suggestions and/or ideas!” said Holly.

Holly said that after the dust settled, the “final product is certainly all that I envisioned and more. We launched the website and the response from the public has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I didn’t want a canned political site; I wanted it to be real and down to earth,” she said. “Some of my family and close friends have made comments about the site being very ‘me’ and that is exactly what I had hoped for.  One of my colleagues has even mentioned that after seeing my website, he contacted his web designer and has asked for a little more ‘pizzazz!’”

Working with Holly was easy from the get go, as she made herself very accessible and quickly responded to emails and phone calls as they came. We’re glad she felt the same way about us.

“It has been such a refreshing experience working with Element74, a company that doesn't overlook any minor details,” Holly said. “Whenever I have questions it’s as easy as shooting an email or making a phone call.  I always get a rapid and thorough response.  Element 74 is top notch!”
You can visit Holly Rehder on the web at www.hollyrehder.com.

Hello! My name is Darren Burgfeld, and I’m the latest member of the team at Element 74. I jumped on board at the beginning of August, taking on the role of project manager.

What I’ve discovered quickly is that at Element 74, project managers wear a lot of hats. From designer to customer service agent to interpreter and beyond, we must learn a lot of dance steps, and I’m doing my best to shuffle accordingly.

My professional background is as diverse as Element 74’s client list. After receiving my bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State University, I took on a few jobs around Cape. I did sales for a while, and also desktop publishing and marketing. I even took on cable TV installation and maintenance for a bit.

When an opportunity came up for me to completely change pace, I moved from Cape Girardeau to Dallas, TX to take on a career in the music industry. I was the US tour manager for Emergenza US Entertainment, which works with musicians all over the world. My duties included booking the bands and venues, promoting and marketing the concerts through various media, emceeing the concerts and organizing travel and expenses – Basically, running things from start to finish. I got to see a lot of the US, as well as Mexico, Canada and Germany, working with outstanding bands and with some major sponsors in the industry as well.

Of course, the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle does not make a family man, and so I transitioned into a desk and keyboard at SHOEBACCA.com, which is based in Irving, TX. During my time there, I wrote thousands of pieces of copy, from product descriptions to press releases to SEO-rich website content.  I started with the company while living in Dallas, and after my daughter was born, began working at home, eventually moving back to Cape Girardeau in 2008.

Although I was working on a contract basis for SHOEBACCA, I still had the feeling of family that one gets with the right group of co-workers. Not being in the office, I missed that connection with my crew, and as time passed here in Cape, I yearned to find a local position that would offer me a professional career path that would work symbiotically with my creativity; all while remaining sharp and cutting edge. I’ve found that and much more with Element 74.

I couldn’t ask for a better core team than those I work with. We’ve got all the bases covered, from off-the-cuff creatives to disciplined business professionals, all working in harmony. It really is a beautiful machine, though I use the term “machine” to define the efficiency, not the environment. With the level of camaraderie here, it’s about as organic as you can get.

I still get my dose of rock ‘n’ roll, singing and playing trombone with local bands Mid Life Crisis and the Tone Def All-Stars, though these days, much more time is spent with my family. My wife, Carrie, is a Cape Girardeau native, and we have a three year-old daughter, Layla and a 2 month-old son, Lawson.

To my clients, present and future: If you’ve got a question,  hit me with it. I appreciate honesty more than anything else, and I have confidence in my team that we can tackle any project efficiently and effectively. I look forward to meeting and exceeding your needs. Call on me at Element 74 today!