Publisher's Synopsis
Are you intrigued by imagination and yearn to overcome the reasons you think you can't do something more playful, fun or meaningful? Are you a millennial, boomer, octogenarian or anywhere in between who would like to realize and express themselves in a whole new way or be more imaginative with what to do with the life that lies ahead? As children, most of us lived and thrived in a world of imagination. We were not afraid to be artists, musicians, dancers, actors and writers. How did all of that natural creativity fall away as we aged? When and why did imagination take a back seat to harsher realities and more mundane considerations?
The Imagination Playbook is for all of us looking for that spark or lightning bolt; whether we are entrepreneurs, artisans, social activists, brand managers, corporate execs, communicators, magicians or jelly bean counters.
Imagination is the fusion between art and science that we can tap into with every breath. It feeds our soul, makes our spirit soar and gives us hope. It moves us forward and guides us to both discovery and escape. Author, consultant and Idea Whisperer Mitch Markson wrote The Imagination Playbook to remind us that there is an idea laboratory in everyone's mind--unlimited and waiting, ready to be activated. In this visually explosive and interactive book, he shares the lessons and secrets from a lifetime of experience; one that recognizes that a healthy mix of strategic process, gut instinct, trial and error, experimentation, and mixing it up with strange bedfellows, can lead us to a new outer space of imaginative possibilities.
This Playbook is a guide to help you be more imaginative, playful and purposeful with your "brand" (whether that brand is you, your product/service, your organization, or an identifying issue you are passionate about). Inside, you'll learn how to feel more comfortable with the designations of Imagination and Creativity and find and flex your imagination and creativity muscles with "playtime" activities, imagination-stirring tools (not rules), a personal branding guide, a social issue-to-brand primer with plenty of examples, and a few of Mitch's experimental brands ripe for collaboration and harvesting.
Let the imagination therapy session begin!
About the Author
Mitch Markson is Creator and Ground Control of Markson IdeaCraft, a consultancy dedicated to brand positioning and idea development. He works with a variety of agencies, brands, and non-profit organizations on bespoke projects.
Mitch was Ogilvy PR's President of Brand Marketing and Chief Creative Officer of Purpose Branding. Prior to that Mitch spent twenty-two years at Edelman (one of the world's largest Communications Agencies), where he became the firm's first Global Chief Creative Officer.
Mitch has helped clients identify and explore their purpose territory; developing unique and differentiating propositions as well as activating programs for maximum economic and societal gain. Some of the brands he has helped include, Microsoft, American Express, Unilever, Bariila, Ford, Gore-Tex, Hershey, GE, Starbucks, HP, P&G, Johnson & Johnson, Puerto Rico Tourism, Zagat and Amenity Analytics.
For the last seven years, Mitch has been teaching a graduate course in Global Communications and Branding at the American University of Paris. He also serves on the board of the Alliance for Positive Change (an HIV/AIDS service organization in NYC) and is on the international advisory board of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
