The Land of Big Ideas: A TBWA Reading List for Disruption & Beyond

Introducing: The Land of Big Ideas.

Below is more than just an animation, it's a potent allegory for navigating the creative seas. It's a celebration of the unexpected, a testament to the power of believing, and a rallying cry for those who dare to dream big.

TBWA Story Time is a wonderful reflection of the spirit of TBWA, made by those at TBWA.

While our animated heroes embark on their adventure, we invite you to embark on your own. 

To kick off the year and help sharpen your creative compasses, we've curated a special reading list brimming with tales of disruption, innovation, and the unyielding pursuit of big ideas.

So, read through our recommendations and let your imagination set sail. Prepare to be inspired, encouraged, and maybe even a little bit braver.

Ready to dive in?

1. 50 Years 50 Lessons - Jean-Marie Dru

A potent brew of wisdom from Jean-Marie Dru, the father of Disruption® and TBWA's Global Chairman. Distilled from 50 years of navigating the advertising landscape, these lessons are an invaluable manifesto for anyone charting their own creative course.

Dru’s latest book neatly presents an insightful collection of unconventional reflections, from the man who contributed to the success of iconic brands such as Apple, Adidas, Nissan, Mars, McDonalds, Sony, and many others.

2. The Creative Act: A Way of Being - Rick Rubin

Master producer Rick Rubin deconstructs the creative process, revealing its messy, intuitive essence. Learn to embrace vulnerability, silence the inner critic, and cultivate the conditions for groundbreaking ideas to flourish.

This book will illuminate the path of the artist as a road we all can follow.

3. Go Luck Yourself: 40 ways to stack the odds in your brand's favour - Andy Nairn, CCO Lucky Generals

From Andy Nairn, the Founding Partner of Lucky Generals, comes a refreshingly irreverent guide to building brands that cut through the noise and thrive. Prepare to have your assumptions challenged and your creative fire ignited.

He’ll show you how to uncover your organization’s hidden treasures, how to spot opportunities in unexpected places, and how to practice being lucky, every day.

4. Don't Quit Your Day Job: The 6 Mindshifts You Need to Rise and Thrive at Work - Aliza Knox and Wendy Paris

Learn how to survive and thrive within organizations with Don’t Quit Your Day Job’s hands-on, practical steps on how to excel in today’s hybrid, often dispersed world of work.

From Wendy Paris and Aliza Knox - a recent TBWA\U guest teacher - this book is an essential guide to integrating your professional and personal goals to create a fulfilling, complete life - and build stamina for the long haul. 

5. Disruption: Overturning Conventions and Shaking Up the Marketplace (1996) - Jean-Marie Dru 

A cornerstone of modern marketing thought, Jean-Marie Dru's pioneering work on "Disruption" remains as relevant today as ever.

Understand its core principles and learn how to apply them to any industry, redefining the rules of the game.

Bonus book

Winnie the Pooh: Deforested Edition – Who Gives a Crap? 

This reimagining of the A.A. Milne classic is created by toilet paper company Who Gives A Crap, in partnership with our friends at TBWA\Melbourne. There is just one, stark difference: There are no trees. The Hundred Acre Wood? It’s gone.

The company's co-founder, Danny Alexander, said the goal is to raise awareness about deforestation.

Let's make 2024 a year of epic voyages and groundbreaking discoveries. Together, we can chart uncharted waters and rewrite the map of what's possible. Come and disrupt with us.