This is the final day of Brand Autopsy’s Authors as Hawkers blog posting series. Today we feature Henry Caroselli, former creative department head at Disneyland, advertising executive refugee, and author of ... CULT OF THE MOUSE.
Author: Henry M. Caroselli
Book Title: CULT OF THE MOUSE: Can We Stop Corporate Greed From Killing Innovation in America? (Ten Speed Press)
Purchase Links: Ten Speed Press | Amazon
Website: www.cultofthemouse.com
Sample Reading: from Google Print
THE GIST [concept/purpose of the book]
HENRY CAROSELLI (HC): In CULT OF THE MOUSE, an ex-Disney creative guy takes a provocative look into what we as a country must do to reinvigorate idea generation and reestablish it, not quarterly-profit imperatives, as the top priority in American business.
The book is a homage to the innate optimism and creativity of Americans, a statement that producing fresh ideas is what we do best. It’s an investigation by an in-the-trenches creative person into the importance of ideas. More pro-business than one might expect, Caroselli argues that in any successful business model, product/service enhancement through innovation must remain paramount over profit enhancement on the next quarterly report. He exposes how easily innovation can be compromised by insular thinking and excessive greed. Sure, some greed is necessary to further the human condition––but just like too much stress, too much greed is counter-productive. As we have all learned from looking back at our best decisions in life (regarding friends, jobs, where to live, etc.), the primary driver should never be money, money, money.
Also, as a nice plus to the reader: “…the book shines with wit and insight.” (The Boston Globe, Feb. 2005)
THE AUDIENCE [marketers who’ll benefit from the book]
HC: America’s middle class. “The middling class” (as Ben Franklin liked to call them) has produced the majority of our most prolific innovators, but now those in the middle struggle to advance their ideas due to the pressures of short-term profiteering. The author brings attention to the dilemma that as America’s manufacturing base erodes, innovative thinking is now more important than ever on the global stage. Caroselli implores his readers to recognize that each of us has an important role to play in reawakening Yankee ingenuity in our businesses and supporting it in our daily lives.
THE AUTHOR [author’s qualifications]
HC: While working at Disney, Henry M. Caroselli saw a great American icon of innovation begin to lose its creative soul.
For 6 years the author headed-up a 33 cast-member Creative Division at Disneyland, during a pivotal time as the culture began to change from supporting the most vaunted creative organization on the planet to a “cult”-ure becoming enslaved to the profit god and almost antagonistic to new ideas and fresh thinking. As someone whose accountability is “to be creative,” Caroselli has enjoyed a long and successful career inside and outside of corporate America. Prior to Disney, as Senior VP, Creative Director he worked on global accounts at one of America’s largest advertising agencies and he currently runs his own entrepreneurial enterprise. In CULT OF THE MOUSE he combines this rare perspective while using Disney Enterprises, Inc. as a framework to initiate a discussion about the pitfalls of putting profit above all else.
THE KNOWLEDGE [takeaway value of the book]
HC: What really is the biggest casualty of all this greed? Idea generation and innovation.
Through insightful historical references, CULT OF THE MOUSE illustrates how America’s greatest “product” has been ideas. The argument is made that, of late, ideas have been forced to take a back seat to greed, all driven by the insatiable demands of Wall Street, leading to cost cutting, “safe-risk,” copy-cat initiatives, and quick-buck schemes. Look to any company today whose growth is merely limping along, and you’ll typically find a general lack of innovation caused by the subjugation of R&D in order to maximize short-term returns. Caroselli offers expert advice on how to reinvigorate idea generation in businesses large or small. CULT OF THE MOUSE e can act as a beacon in helping negotiate the paradigm shifts brought on by globalization.
DOWATCHALIKE [author’s free space to riff]
HC: The author loves Disney, as does most of the world––and has photos on the wall of his kids with Mickey.
Caroselli is one concerned humanoid Americanus who is worried that the world the Boomer Generation (of which he a member) is handing their kids isn’t as wonderful as the world their WWII-Generation parents plunked in their lap. CULT OF THE MOUSE discusses what most of us know, but don’t want to deal with. It’s scary to think that our Federal government is broke, our States are broke, our cities are broke, and even many of our school systems are flat broke. Leaders in America seem to be short-sightedly grabbing for the proverbial “last shrimp on the platter.” Corporate America is looking less and less at 5-year plans, instead paying star-CEOs ridiculous amounts to achieve quarterly profit imperatives––with apparent disregard for the long-term impact of such practices. Sadly, a situation exists today very similar to what was happening before the Great Depression: uneven distribution of wealth, speculation on stocks and real estate, runaway national debt, a stream of business greed scandals, and an international trade imbalance (all firmly in place on Black Tuesday, Oct. 29, 1929).
But the central point of CULT OF THE MOUSE is that if an esteemed organization like Disney has begun to compromise its creativity, shouldn’t that be a wake up call for all of American business? And shouldn’t each of us consider what we can and must do as individuals to help jump-start innovation and rekindle Yankee ingenuity? If we want our future generations to enjoy the amazing prosperity that we Americans smugly feel we’re entitled to, it’s time to wake up and smell the cappuccino!
Oh, by the way, this deserves repeating: “…the book shines with wit and insight.” (The Boston Globe, Feb. 2005)
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Thanks Henry for participating in Authors as Hawkers on Brand Autopsy!
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