The Iconist: The Art and Science of Standing Out

Description

Winner of the 2019 O.W.L. Outstanding Works of Literature Award Why do we immediately recognize art by Van Gogh and Warhol? What does Beethoven share with Rage Against the Machine and Madonna? What makes us remember the words of Churchill and King (and Domino's Pizza, for that matter)? With the rise of digital media and advertising, a constant barrage of information makes it nearly impossible to be seen and heard. In The Iconist, branding and design strategist Jamie Mustard shows you how individuals, organizations, and brands can break through the noise. The secret to standing out lies in creating content that the desired audience will "lock" onto and remember with little effort-simple, bold ideas that can be immediately understood. The Iconist reveals a set of primal laws in human society that explain why some things stand out and endure in the mind, while others are rejected. Blending relevant examples from history and pop culture with cutting-edge psychology, Mustard explores why certain things stick and others fade from memory-and gives you an owner's manual to make any idea, product, or service stand out and be remembered. Forget relying on luck or trial-and-error: Mastering this process will enable you, no matter your field or endeavor, to confidently craft messages that resonate with your target audience through simple, fool-proof methods. For businesses, marketers, teachers, advertisers, artists-from thought leaders to anyone trying to write a resume-The Iconist shows how to grab and hold attention. Fair warning, though: This book will change the way you view your audience . . . and the entire world around you.

Jamie Mustard is a strategic multi-media consultant and Iconist. His passion is to teach the science and "art of obviousness," helping professionals, change agents, artists, and businesses confidently and at will make their messages, brands and ideas stand out to their desired audiences. A graduate of the London School of Economics, Jamie's work is an explanation of the "economics of attention," based on the primal laws of human perception called Blocks. He has spoken, educated, and inspired others with his work prolifically, including TED at the creative giant, Wieden and Kennedy. Jamie's Iconist work has spanned some of the world's leading companies, artists, and the globe. Growing up in severe poverty in inner city Los Angeles, Jamie overcame obstacles to eventually codify a system of primal laws that can now help us all.

"Human attention span is today and forever's scarcity. Jamie Mustard saw the trend early. He studied and lived it deeply. He cracked the code. The Iconist is a must-read for all entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, CEOs and shapers of opinion." -Rich Karlgaard, publisher for Forbes "The Iconist is a standout." -William C. Taylor, cofounder, FAST COMPANY "A roadmap for each of us to be heard in the noise of our new digital lives." -Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of Drive "A powerful book filled with profound and pragmatic insights. Mustard single-handedly shatters the mystique surrounding successful branding and disruption. A must-read for those who aspire to be on the vanguard of change." -Rebecca D. Costa, author, The Watchman's Rattle "The tricky thing about simplicity is it's hard. Making anything seem easy takes a lot of careful work. Connecting dots across music, cultures, genres, disciplines, decades and centuries, Jamie Mustard shows off the strength of simplicity-how it inspires, endures and can be applied every day." -Ryan White, author, Springsteen: Album by Album and Jimmy Buffett: A Good Life All the Way "There is no one better at getting the world to understand what you have to offer." -Holt McCallany, star of Mind Hunters on Netflix "Jamie can make anyone STAND OUT in a transparent and iconic way." -Bibi McGill, lead guitarist and musical director for Beyonce "Jamie is a revolutionary thinker and a rare human being." -Dr. Donna Schuurman, executive director emeritus, The Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families "My work needed power and clarity that would get noticed - Jamie's understanding of Icons and Blocks changed everything." -Jeanie Coyle, former SVP of HR at Bank of America and American Express, founder of Worktelligence, and author of Make Talent Your Business "Jamie is truly an Iconist. He can teach anyone to stand out and grab attention no matter what they do." -Kevin Carroll, bestselling author, speaker, and social Change Agent "Jamie's codification of Icons explain why all art works and generates interest, or fails to hit the mark." -Melanie Pullen, globally influential artist and photographer for The Getty Museum "The Iconist, compels questions of great urgency and relevance to the health of the social matrix that gives our lives meaning and purpose. It is excellent." -Dr. Shauna H Springer, PhD, world's leading authority on PTSD and Moral Injuries "In a marketplace that's more crowded, noisy, and confusing than ever, it's harder than ever to stand out and be noticed-whether you're designing a product, selling a service, or marketing yourself. Jamie Mustard offers a remarkable set of provocative ideas and a collection of engaging case studies to meet the defining business challenge of our time. The Iconist is itself a standout, as useful as it is original." -William C. Taylor, cofounder and founding editor of Fast Company and author of Simply Brilliant