Igniting Inspiration

by John Marshall Roberts

“I wrote this book because I felt that the topic of inspiration had never been properly understood from a practical, scientific viewpoint. I wanted to demystify this lofty topic by outlining the core principles that underlie this universal human experience,” says John Marshall Roberts author of Igniting Inspiration. And John does just that by giving us a roadmap and the tools to “access inspiration in other human beings through our branding, marketing and communications.”

The book is a profound look at how brands that truly care about the world can now grasp how to create branding and marketing that cuts through to the core of what their audiences truly care about most—giving us all the power to become transformational leaders and truly make a difference in the world. “The rub is that the person must actually care about their audiences for this to work—otherwise they will be stuck trying to force or persuade people over to their point of view—the very opposite of inspiration,” says Marshall Roberts.

So, what brands are already igniting inspiration? He sites several in the book including the VW Beetle’s historical “Think Small” promotion and the Obama campaign. “Obama’s campaign was so inspiring because it was designed—from branding to messaging strategies—from a different (more inspiring) set of assumptions than those used for traditional marketing campaigns,” says Marshall Roberts. “Every single element of his campaign fell in line with these three assumptions—unity, creativity and collaboration. These three assumptions, says Marshall Roberts, spell out a new communication paradigm that inspirational leaders can use…and Obama used it brilliantly. “To be frank, it takes a little effort to retrain one’s thinking from the old paradigm to the new one—but once a person does they can create breakthrough results too.”

Igniting Inspiration will leave you looking at the world in an entirely new way—which will undoubtedly lead you to create innovative new marketing strategies that will not only be good for business, but good for the world. “I’d like readers to consider that what we call ‘communication’ is actually much deeper and a more transformative process than most of us have ever even imagined—and that we each wield tremendous power to change the world when we use our communications in the service of things that truly matter.”

Just for fun, we asked John Marshall Roberts to tell us a few things about him that most people don't know:

1. My first big college job was selling encyclopedias to mostly illiterate trailer park residents in rural South Carolina.  I was good at it. Too good, perhaps.
2. I have a rare talent for impersonating Michael MacDonald from the Doobie Brothers singing "Taking it to the Streets"
3. To me, existential philosophy qualifies as good, light beach reading.
4. I am a drummer, pianist and singer. I've toured and released albums internationally. My alter ego is brawling, sensitive fellow named "Jack Marshall".
5. When I travel, I often find myself in the hotel room unconsciously watching the 'Lifetime' network for women.
6. I was voted 'most likely to start a cult' in high school. Not really -- but how cool would that have been?
7. I love movies and literature about salespeople (Glen Gary, Glen Ross, Death of a Salemen, The Big Kahuna, etc.)...and I LOVE the show 'Mad Men'.
8. I like to imagine that if Einstein and Martin Luther King, Jr. had a love child it would be something like me (only darker and with better hair)
9. I was recently hired by a client to talk to a horse. No kidding.
10. I believe that the battle between science and religion is  absurd. Both are just belief systems, ways of making sense of the world. Both have strengths and limitations.
11. As I've gotten older I have started to take on a slight southern accent, just like my father. It's weird.
12. I believe that Barack Obama is just the tip of the iceberg -- part of a new generation of inspiring and compassionate leaders who can balance ideology with pragmatism to create breakthrough results...over time.