Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Brand Identity Unshelled

I struggled for a long time in search of a good logo and brand identity, and what I settled on is 180 degrees from the direction I was looking when I started this little venture, but I thought it would be important for me to explain why I settled on what I did, and what it means to me.


Let me start by quickly breaking down the logo elements....this is tough, so follow close....let’s see, we have an egg, a flame, and the words "Muscle Nog". Pretty simple right? Well, just like a double rainbow, ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI ) I am sure that some things are a little difficult to interpret and leave you asking "what does it mean?" So, let’s dissect -

The Egg - It seems obvious that we would use the image of an egg for an egg white protein powder, but the image actually represents a lot more. Have you ever been car shopping and wanted something unique but after your purchase realized that "everyone" drives "your" car? That has happened to me with egg protein. From the moment I started developing Muscle Nog I began noticing that EVERYONE was writing and talking about eggs. I started seeing more articles in fitness magazines regarding egg whites, I started seeing more medical studies done with egg protein, I began noticing tweets and Facebook posts with more people talking about the egg whites in their diets....eggs were popping up everywhere....they even popped up on Southwest Airline's in-flight magazine Spirit. Gracing the front cover on April's issue is the image of an egg with two words next to it - "Still Incredible". Inside the magazine are several articles on eggs, the origin, the history, the art, the design inspiration and the overall beauty of EGGS! One article in particular, "A Study in Perfection" illustrates the symbolism and deeper meanings behind eggs and so I want to borrow a few paragraphs from the article to help explain the beauty behind the image - "...Across borders and cultures, races and classes, few foods unite us like the egg. Since our early ancestors snatched them from pre-historic nests, eggs have been infused with divine symbolism. In many folkloric cultures, the egg is nothing less than creation itself, with our world hatching from its shell, fully intact. This is called the World Egg Theory in divinity studies, and its current flows through myths of Hinduism - those found in ancient Sanskrit texts - and Taoism, where the sky and earth began as two halves of a broken egg." "...In Judaism, eggs are a symbol of life's fertility and cyclical nature, and consumed both at ceremonies honoring births and during the mourning period that follows death. In Christianity, Easter is the holiest day of the year. But for many families, Easter wouldn’t be Easter without Easter eggs, which range from a simple dyed shell to the jewel-encrusted Faberge variety." The article goes on to talk about how eggs have invaded our culture from cartoons and fairy tales to movies and language, but the thing that i wanted to showcase most was the thought and idea of "edible evidence of a higher power" and the symbolism of LIFE in an EGG. More so than just a representation of the type of protein in Muscle Nog, I saw a perfect opportunity to show a symbol that represents A NEW BEGINNING...the seed of life.

The Flame - This one was a little harder for me to accept, but only because Muscle Nog is created without heat, which is one of its key benefits, and I didn't want there to be any confusion....in fact, originally we had the egg on fire and I was always unsettled with it, but one day I was reading an article on PASSION and realized that the flame needs to represent what’s "inside" not "outside", and thus the logo was born. ...Fire has always been a representation of passion and commitment...love and devotion, but fire is also unruly and consumes everything in its path (I suppose that’s HOW passionate it is...it’s hard to stop and control when it really gets going), so I wanted to reflect "THE PASSION WITHIN" but I also want the image to reflect the importance of control...keeping your passion "in bounds". If you bridle that energy and control it, without allowing it to control you, you'll be unstoppable. We are beings of energy and power and finding a way to understand and focus on that is key to conquering anything you set your mind to (easier said than done and I'd like to talk more about this in a future post).

The name Muscle Nog - When I first started this project I was having a terrible time finding a name that reflected my idea. My idea for Muscle Nog was always centered around a drinkable egg protein, which I'll admit isn't the most glorious and appetizing thing to think about, so I wanted to try my best to exclude the word "egg" from the name but offer some type of subtle hint. I was talking to my mom one day and she mentioned "egg nog" and the bulb immediately went off. My first thought was Body Nog, but it was immediately overruled, just seconds later, by Muscle Nog....and you can only imagine how thrilled I was when I rushed home, hopped onto the internet, and saw that musclenog.com and getnogged.com were available to register....and really that’s where this whole thing really caught fire. In the day and age that we live in and the information super highway and social networking that we bounce through, it is extremely frustrating to have what you think is a unique idea uncovered to be someone else’s brainchild (which has happened to me more than a few times), so I was extremely grateful that the pieces fell into place perfectly. I have since been able to trademark Muscle Nog and Get Nogged! and I have fallen in love with the name and the brand, and I am extremely proud to pioneer this product into sport nutrition.

So, there you have it. Muscle Nog is an egg with fire. Interpret it as you'd like, but to me it means finding passion in life and bearing life out of passion!

What’s your interpretation?

Charlie

 

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

A steak at 12

I am sitting at home at 12:00 after a late night training session getting ready to grill a steak in hopes of keeping all that I've worked for on this rickety frame, and hoping that maybe one more meal will keep the fat assassins slaying and the muscle masons building. Its times like these that my mind is rattled at the sheer dedication of those in this sport (bodybuilding, fitness, sports nutrition etc.) and the daily grind and routine that they stick to, without hesitation, for the purpose of creation. I think there is a certain sense of pride and arrogance that you'll find amongst some in this business, but I think for the most part, the elite level competitors are pushing themselves to see what their limits are and what they are capable of because they have realized that they have control of their bodies. Its theirs to shape and mold and it feels great to have and realize that power..not out of arrogance, but out of control and creation!

With that in mind, I was reading through some old emails that I have when I stumbled upon one from a friend of mine, that is involved in Muscle Nog, from when we were brainstorming marketing messages and ideas. I was moved by the message so I thought it would be prudent to share. Here's what he said - "We‘ve all heard it! Hell we say it unknowingly! “blood sweat and tears....”, “you gotta pay the price....”, “to get you gotta give...”, "Yin and Yang", “To be a champ you must train like a champ...”. The list of cliché’s go on and on but truth is truth. These statements portray difficulty, a burden of commitment, a self-driven conviction to walk beyond our comfort zone, and to crush average on its lazy neck. Burst your bubble of mediocrity dammit! Quit talking the tough talk, shut your mouth and get rockin’! Get living again! Feel your pulse pounding out of your veins! Never ever again take advantage of that breath you just took. Push that set to failure, and I mean dead ass failure! Run the race like it’s your last day of mortality! Fight your next fight and silent the masses in awe! You see, pain and glory go hand in hand. Feel alive again! There is holiness, a sacredness of individual sacrifice that comes from pushing the body and mind to greater growth and conquering your false limitations, believe it, the soul yearns for it! It’s divinely given, we weren’t meant for stagnation! The NOG life isn’t about ordinary, and it’s definitely not average! It’s not just a brand or a logo or a food, it’s our faith, a religion if you will, the burning passion, the inner flame that fuels our lives and makes good great and greatness better! It feeds us as we sleep, and consumes us as we wake! Nog is about self-confidence. It’s about being significant in life. Get Nogged! Stay Nogged!"

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not about "tooting my own horn", but I think we have something great, and I truly want to share it...for all that its worth....not just the product, but the lifestyle.

Be good, no, Be Great! Move Mountains!

Charlie

P.S. The steak was delicious as was the Nutty Butter Nog! Now I command my body to GROW!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

My story!

I genuinely have a love of the gym.


Half a dozen years ago I made a move in my life that I believe, had a huge impact on where I am today. It had been a series of poor decisions and a complete failure of identity that lead me on a path of successive failures, and it wasn’t a hard decision for me to pack my little family up Beverly Hillbilly style, in a 89 Toyota truck, with all of our belongings stacked so high that I could swear we clipped a few underpasses, and move half way across the nation to distance myself from it all….a fresh start……and believe me, I needed it!

It was a fabulous time. I got to know my wife on a different level. My second daughter was born. I saw and participated in a business that saw growth and an eventual buy-out for millions of dollars. I found a fondness for the Midwest. I discovered myself. I discovered the gym.

Now don’t get me wrong, I had spent time in the gym before…in fact there was a short stint while in college that I was almost serious about it, but this discovery was different. This time the gym became my friend, a trusty ally in a very uncertain time. It started with me just wanting to get back in shape, but something clicked. The pain became pleasure. I could feel my body responding to what I was doing. My mind became clear and I felt alive! Arnold has a quote in Pumping Iron that always flashes through my skull when I talk with people about this…He said “The greatest feeling you can get in a gym, or the most satisfying feeling you can get in the gym is... The Pump. Let's say you train your biceps. Blood is rushing into your muscles and that's what we call The Pump. You muscles get a really tight feeling, like your skin is going to explode any minute, and it's really tight - it's like somebody blowing air into it, into your muscle. It just blows up, and it feels really different. It feels fantastic.” I have always liked that quote because I too have felt The Pump and I know what Arnold is talking about, but even more than The Pump…in the way that Arnold describes it…there is this moment, after you have pushed your body to its limits, that your body starts clicking on all cylinders, your synapses are wide open and heating up from the massive data being transmitted, your body is communicating in a clear and concise way, endorphins are released, adrenaline flows and a transformation takes place. It is a sensational feeling and for someone like me, it’s what keeps me coming back for more. There has never been a time that I left the gym feeling worse than when I went in (with the exception of injury), but there has been plenty of times where I have felt worse for NOT going to the gym. Whatever pain or discomfort I experience during an intense workout has always paid off ten-fold. This payoff, this clarity, this feeling of creation became an addiction.

I researched and studied. I bought magazines and books, and went into supplement shops and asked questions. I trolled bodybuilding forums. I pulled guys aside in the gym to find out what they were doing. From witnessing my brother-in-law win a body transformation competition years earlier, I knew that diet, supplementation and rest were just as important (if not more so) than the time that I was spending in the gym, and I was looking to maximize my efforts. I experimented with different workouts. I tried dozens and dozens of different supplements. I played around with nutrient timing, tried to dial in my diet, and I focused extremely hard on quitting sugar (my absolute weakness) and my results didn’t go unnoticed. I was feeling great, looking better, and excited about life. My mind was clear when I left the gym and it was at that time that I did most of my brainstorming and goal setting. I felt like a warrior and had the expectations of a god. I could see that I was shaping my body. I was creating something not only physically, but mentally and spiritually, and I could hear the whispers from others that they too were seeing a transformation. I want to emphasize here that I don’t believe I am a narcissist. I have always struggled with confidence. I believed in myself, but I struggled to find my spot. I always felt very normal but I never felt special. I still wrestle with my weaknesses and am very aware of what they are, but it has been this reenergizing of my body, mind, and soul that has helped me to understand what I am capable of.

A turning point for me came one day when I was walking out of the gym after an intense arm workout. With my gym bag over my shoulder and sweat tumbling down my temples, an older gentleman walked by on his way in to the weight room and said “Damn son, where can I get some of those arms?” I remember smiling as I turned around and pointed in the way he was already walking. My response was “You’re heading in the right direction.” It was an extremely fulfilling moment for me. I became the person that people were pulling aside in the gym. I became the person answering the questions. In that moment I was special.

So here I sit, a changed person, with an overwhelming urge to share my story. Not because its miraculous or earthshattering, but because it means something to me and I hope that it will mean something to someone else. I remember hearing a life coach I once knew say “in order for things to change….you must change. If things are going to get better…you must get better!” We heal ourselves and then we can heal others. We find ourselves and then we can help others find themselves. I am a firm believer that we are all connected and that true fulfillment in life comes from creating. We can create better lives…better directions….help ourselves and others make better choices. The gym gave me that clarity, and I will be forever indebted to that proving ground, that classroom, that chapel.

Charlie

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Muscle Nog - The Next Evolution of Egg Protein Powders

So I have been promising this post for some time, but I have been buried with trying to get Muscle Nog off the ground. Now that we officially have product and are open for business, I can safely say that it is a commitment of mine to be a frequent blog poster. I sincerely hope I can meet that commitment.

First things first though. I want to introduce Muscle Nog in all of its fantastic glory! (This journey has been interesting in the way that it has panned out, but I know now that had it happened any other way, I would be highly disappointed). Muscle Nog is THE FIRST nutritionally complete, 100% bioavailable, egg white protein powder on the planet. The thing that sets Nog apart from any other egg white protein powder is the process in which it is derived. We use a proprietary process that uses low heat and time to gently caress the water from liquid pasteurized egg whites (can I make that sound sexier?). What we are left with at the end of this process is a nutritionally complete egg white crystal that is fully soluble, fully bioavailable, and shelf stable for 3+ years (it actually could be longer than that...more on this in future posts). It has the same nutritional content as it had in liquid form, which is a claim that NO OTHER egg white protein powder can make. Every other egg white protein powder is created through spray drying. The spray dry process exposes liquid egg to temperatures close to 400 degrees F. Those extreme temperatures kill nutritional and bioavailable components. Spray dry processors will admit that spray dried egg is only 80% bioavailable. So, in essence, you are wasting 20% of your money with any other egg protein powder. That is a FACT and indisputable. Muscle Nog stands alone at the top of egg protein powders and it flat out does its job.

The cool thing (in my opinion) about Muscle Nog is its convenience. Most individuals I know that are looking to lose weight or gain lean mass are consuming eggs in their diet. I have personally been through this routine. Egg white omelets, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, poached eggs, boiled eggs... crack, separate, cook, boil, peel, eat, clean......blah! The routine is a goal killer. The thing that is most difficult when training is to diet properly and eat consistently. The harder and more time consuming something is, the more likely someone is to NOT do it. WELL, Nog eliminates this problem. Every serving of Nog is the equivalent of 5 egg whites...and its freakin delicioso! To eat and clean up after a 5 egg white omelet takes me 15 minutes or so. To drink a Nog and rinse my cup it takes me less than 2 minutes. If that was my daily routine, I'd be saving 79 hours a year. Almost 3.5 days just by changing one simple thing in my regimen. Nog makes sense in both time and nutrition....seriously, how can that be bad?

I started this journey in an effort to make a healthy egg nog (for lack of a better expression), and ended up with something that exceeded my expectations. I was trying to put a new spin on liquid pasteurized egg whites, which I think are a great product in and of themselves, but I realized very quickly that there were some limitations. I realized that having to ship short shelf life liquids across the country and compete in cooler space with Muscle Milk (Pepsi), BSN's SYntha 6 RTD, Worldwide Nutrition, ABB, Gatorade, etc. was just going to be an uphill battle. I realized that asking people to buy 4 gallons of liquid egg whites and to store 3 of them in their freezer was asking a lot of MOST people. I realized that it’s a product that has to be constantly refrigerated or you run the risk of spoilage and bacteria. I also realized that liquid eggs change your body odor and increase gas, and I know it’s not a glorious topic, but drinking liquid egg whites will make you stink. Even despite those limitations I was determined to find a viable solution for improving egg white protein. I knew its value and knew it was the "gold standard" by which every other protein in sport nutrition was judged, but I saw that the "egg industry" was light years behind milk and whey. I pressed forward though and just before I threw in the towel I stumbled upon this process for crystalizing eggs. Its brilliant, its revolutionary, and without question it is the next evolution in egg protein powders. I am proud to pioneer this product into an industry I love. Nog has all the benefits of liquid eggs with none of the downsides. Its light and portable. It does Not need to be refrigerated in powder form. Competing for shelf space in retail locations is a realistic possibility. AND most importantly, Muscle Nog will not make you stink. Getting Nogged will make you a lean mean machine, ready to conquer the world! Drink it at night and your body will stay anabolic for 4-5 hours WHILE YOU SLEEP. It’s a slower digesting protein and extremely efficient. The USDA has labeled egg white protein as "nutritionally complete" and "a high quality protein for human consumption". Egg protein contains all 20 proteinogenic amino acids for protein synthesis. Bottom line is that MUSCLE NOG does a damn good job at aiding the body in fat loss and lean muscle gains. Muscle Nog IS the new standard for egg white protein. It has raised the bar and I personally invite anyone and everyone to Get Nogged. I love this product, I love the industry, I am ready to be a part of some life changes, and this adventure starts NOW!

And just FYI - I have Vanilla (Nilla Nog) and Chocolate (Choco Nog) that are the best tasting powders in the industry. I will soon have a traditional egg nog, nogberry creme, nutty butter nog, nana nog, nilla noglatte, and many other lip smaking flavors. If you have flavor suggestions...let your voice be heard!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

NPC 2011 UTAH OPEN

So it looks like I have nailed down a deadline for the launch of Muscle Nog. Now its up to my designer to wrap up some branding material and up to me in making sure I lock in all of my contracts with strategic partners, but none-the-less, the 19th of March is my deadline and I am pushing to be there. With that in mind, I'd like to start gearing this blog in the proper direction and really use it for the platform that I'd like it to be....a soapbox, a sounding board, a community, and a general insight into the mind of all that it is to be "Nogged".

Muscle Nog is more than a product. It's proven history in a jug. Its what science has referred to as "The Gold Standard" in nutritionally complete proteins.

To Get Nogged is more than consuming a product. It's about making history. Creating a mark. A Legacy. It's what our community sees as "The Gold Standard" in bodybuilding and fitness physiques.

Being Nogged isn't only about what you put in, but what you get out! Being Nogged means Strength and Nobility. Commitment. Consistency. Caring and Loving. Giving and Receiving. Teaching and Learning. Humility and Pride. Wanting. Fighting. Burning The Ships. Onward. Upward. Never Giving In, Letting Up, or Letting Go of who you are at the core. But most of all...Being Nogged is about being A Creator. Building. Growing. Never settling. Inspiring. Understanding that your limitations today are tomorrow's baseline.

Throughout this journey I want to share what inspires me. What makes me want to be a better man, a better dad, a better husband, a better business owner, and why I do what I do. I want to discuss the frailties and the strengths of being human. The laughter, the sorrow, the pains, the pleasures.....Life is freakin crazy good...most of the time and my goal is to Nog the World. In short, I want to leave a mark.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

It's been a little while since I have posted and for good reason, but we are close to releasing our new product so I thought it would be about time to start blazing the social networking circles.

Back in August and September I was unable to secure an agreement with my original supplier so I decided to part ways and find another solution. I was worried that Nog may die before it had a chance to get legs, but the stars aligned and things came together in a rather interesting way. An answer, a miracle, a stroke of luck......call it what you'd like, but Nog is coming and it will blow your mind!

There is no question that eggs are a part of any one's diet where weight loss and lean mass are concerned, and there is also no question that the best way to consume an egg is in liquid form. Not raw and not wholly cooked, but liquid. Ill get into the science of liquid eggs in future posts, but for now try Google and check out a couple of our soon to be competitors...there is a wealth of information out there. Now, the interesting thing about liquid eggs and all of it's benefits is that it has a couple of major flaws that affect it's sustainability and reach as a sport supplement. 1) It's shelf life is limited. 2) Cooler space is competitive. 3) The thought of drinking liquid eggs is a turnoff (for the majority of folks). 4) Having to buy multiple containers, dropping $140.00 or more, only to clog up space in your freezer and refrigerator is annoying, but for the hardcore athletes out there, none of these concerns should bother you. If you are consuming 3-5 dozen eggs a day, you will never need to be concerned with shelf life, you are probably drinking raw eggs out of the shell, and you are spending money on eggs anyway, so having large convenient tubs of liquid eggs on hand makes sense. But to the rest of the population, the flaws with liquid eggs are a concern.....UNTIL NOW! We have done something unique. Something groundbreaking. Something so simple that you'll wonder why this hasn't been done before, so hang tight because in 2011 it's time to Nog the world.

Keep checking back throughout December as I will be updating progress. Our beginning samples come in the first week of December and we will be running a 2 - 3 week pilot. If you are interested in being a tester and submitting feedback, drop me a line and Ill get you set up. If all goes as planned, we should have product ready to sell in January. We will be running a body transformation competition and have a handful of professional athletes already on board as official Nog representatives. The future is exciting. Our product is brilliant. We look forward to sharing this adventure with you.

I realize that what I have mentioned is somewhat vague, and it will have to be that way until I have all of the processes secured. If you want to learn more, drop me a line (email or phone). I will have all of the media outlets ready to roll within the next few weeks.

Charlie

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Coming SOON!

I am working frantically to get Nog in everyone's hands, but I'm not quite ready (logo, labels, website, flavors, branding....all being worked on). If you need some Nog in the meantime (I can only sell Naked Nog with my manufacturer's label), email me and we can work something out.

charlie@musclenog.com

I appreciate everyone's support and I am excited about the future of NOG!