About the Book
Ignition is a book of dispatches from the frontlines of communication strategy. Matthew L. Moseley draws on his eclectic life experiences to investigate the link between success and effective communication. Whether he’s choreographing a fine dining experience at the top restaurant in America, using rock stars to register voters, helping a national chain save its reputation after a gaffe goes viral, or serving as media liaison at the epic ash-blast send-off for author Hunter S. Thompson, Moseley identifies the principles that guide communication strategies toward their goals.
In extensive interviews with a wide variety of experts, including authors, fighter pilots, business leaders, politicians, and astrophysicists, Moseley tests these principles, teases out new, provocative ideas, and anticipates how forming stronger connections will help us address today’s greatest challenges. Though it tackles serious subjects, offers an illuminating perspective on the evolution of human discourse, and shares important insights on interpersonal relations, Ignition is also a good, fun read. A broad range of colorful anecdotes gives this book of philosophical wisdom and practical advice the zest of a juicy memoir.
Table of Contents:
Part One: Communication from the Beginning: History and Philosophy 1. Spark 2. Controlling Your Environment 3.Meaning Out of the Mire 4.Public Opinion: A Brief Primer on Public Affairs 5.Rule of Reaction 6.Friction 7.State of the World: Desperate as Usual 8.The Red Baron Meets the Buddha 9.Decision Making 10. Working the Room Part Two: Communications Planning and Implementation 11. Where Are You Going? 12. Reason and Emotion in Stories 13. Messaging and Movements 14. Hero's Journey: A formula for how to tell a good story 15. Anatomy of a Butterfly: Inside the Microsoft campaign 16. Good as Gold: Power of Metaphor 17. Date in the New Bacon: Targeting 18. Our Digital World 19. Holy Trinity: Time, Money and People 20. Rocking the Vote Part Three: Why 21. Days of Action 22. Participant, Not Spectator 23. Ash Blast 24. Your Rock, Your World
About the Author :
Matt Moseley has spent his career at the intersection of public policy, business and government and has managed many public affairs projects and campaigns for organizations and companies. He is also an author and world record adventure swimmer.
Since 2005, Moseley has been in private practice as a communications strategist and consultant for companies and organizations. He has had many high-profile clients including American Rivers, Aurora Economic Development Council, Xcel Energy, AFL-CIO, Colorado Association of Realtors, the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar and many others. Moseley was hired by Johnny Depp to be the family spokesperson and communications director for Hunter S. Thompson’s funeral and ash-blast. He also led the successful campaign to free Lisl Auman from a life sentence for felony murder. He wrote a book about the effort called, "Dear Dr. Thompson: Felony Murder, Hunter Thompson and the Last Gonzo Campaign."
Moseley served as the communications director for the Colorado Senate under President Joan Fitz-Gerald. He was a press officer for the United States Olympic Committee at the 2004 games in Athens, Greece, where he wrote numerous articles for national publications and was "Our man inside the Olympics" for The Denver Post. Other experiences include being the national field director for Rock the Vote in Los Angeles. In 1998, he served as the deputy press secretary under White House communications director Mike McCurry for the Denver Summit of the Eight (G7 Summit).
He has a master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He was appointed by the Boulder City Council to the Transportation Advisory Board and is a frequent writer and spokesperson on issues for the press.
Moseley has completed three world record adventure swims. On June 11, 2014, he completed the first-ever solo swim crossing of Lake Pontchartrain, for 25 miles in 14 hours and 56 minutes, which was made into a documentary by Emmy-winning filmmaker Wayne Ewing called "Dancing in the Water." On May 28, 2015, he made the first swim crossing from the island of Culebra to Fajardo, Puerto Rico, for 24 miles in 12 hours, 1 minute, 55 seconds. In late July 2015, he did the first-ever swim through Canyonlands National Park on the Colorado River for 47.5 miles in 13 hours 56 minutes, which was acknowledged by Outside Magazine.
All of Matt’s swims benefited organizations working to protect water: Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Scuba Dogs Society in Puerto Rico and American Rivers. The swims raised thousands of dollars and received millions of media impressions for the partnering organizations. In addition Moseley was the lead for the City of Boulder Transportation Advisory Board on a 2013 ballot measure to significantly increase long-term funding. He has been a long-time advocate for juvenile justice issues with the Pendulum Foundation and the Colorado Juvenile Defender Center on many successful reforms including most recently ending Juvenile Life Without Parole. He was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award and is the recipient of the Colorado Professional Firefighters Excellence in Service Award. The World Open Water Swimming Association nominated him for the Performance of the Year for 2015.
All of Matt’s swims benefited organizations working to protect water: Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, Scuba Dogs Society in Puerto Rico and American Rivers. The swims raised thousands of dollars and received millions of media impressions for the partnering organizations. In addition Moseley was the lead for the City of Boulder Transportation Advisory Board on a 2013 ballot measure to significantly increase long-term funding. He has been a long-time advocate for juvenile justice issues with the Pendulum Foundation and the Colorado Juvenile Defender Center on many successful reforms including most recently ending Juvenile Life Without Parole. He was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award and is the recipient of the Colorado Professional Firefighters Excellence in Service Award. The World Open Water Swimming Association nominated him for the Performance of the Year for 2015.
Review :
Moseley is no stranger to the discreet charms of the press corps.
-- The Washington Post
If I’m ever busted for something I never did, I want Matt Moseley’s number sewn into my underwear.
-- Sam Kashner, Author, Contributing Editor, Vanity Fair
Matthew L. Moseley's Ignition is a smart and witty manifesto that skillfully illuminates the art of winning over public sentiment. Every page crackles with hard-earned wisdom. Highly recommended!
-- Douglas Brinkley, Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities; Professor at Rice University; author of Cronkite.
Ignition is a must-read for anyone who wants to harness the power of communication and understand the strategic process to make words more powerful and persuasive. Moseley not only shares with you how he achieved successes in the communications field but even more importantly the wisdom he learned from the obstacles he experienced. Ignition is an essential field manual for communications strategy!”
-- Rosalind Wiseman, co-founder of Cultures of Dignity: New York Times' bestselling author of Queen Bees & Wannabes (adapted as the movie Mean Girls)
Moseley serves up an insightful, witty, and fast-paced guide to practical tactics and techniques for communicating better to the world around us. Told through a memorable cast of characters, his hard-earned wisdom will speak not only to communications professionals but also to organizational leaders and everyday people looking to make an impact with their words. Take a seat, grab a bowl of gumbo, and dig in!
-- Colleen Scanlan Lyons, Ph.D, Anthropologist, author, professor, University of Colorado, Boulder
Ignition is a fascinating journey with Matthew Moseley as our guide helping us understand the relationship among words, actions, and music and how it all relates to us in ways that we don't just understand, but also FEEL. Like Marshall McLuhan long ago, Mosely opens up doors and takes us to new vistas where we can study how we are influenced by our surroundings and how we, in turn, can influence others. Using his considerable gifts as a storyteller, he has created an enjoyable book that makes you THINK!!! In addition to being a fun read, IGNITION serves as a textbook for studying this world of communication and as a guide to making a better one.
-- David Amram, composer; author, Pull My Daisy
Moseley provides little nuggets of wisdom about how we can better communicate with each other and ultimately be more successful in all endeavors, both personal and professional. Required reading for anyone managing an organization.
-- Suzanne Stoller, Director of People Operations, Google
Matt Moseley is a true communications savant. In his newest book, Moseley pulls back the curtain on all things related to communications strategy — from the philosophical paradigms on which we make decisions to the granular details of execution. Ignition offers a masterful blend of story, cultural and historical examination, as well as the research behind how we communicate as individuals, companies, and societies. This book is a must-have tool for any organizational or community leader who is dedicated to truly influencing their audience.
-- Michael Diettrich-Chastain, Author, Changes: The Busy Professional’s Guide to Reducing Stress, Accomplishing Goals and Mastering Adaptability; Founder and CEO, Arc Integrated
Ignition is the perfect field guide for strategic communications. Stronger connections are what the world needs most right now!
-- Eric Roza, CEO, Crossfit
In a moment where it feels like the world is spinning off its axis, Moseley's energetic and readable romp through the world of high-stakes communications delivers the stabilizing clarity of basic, enduring truths. Yes, we tell ourselves stories in order to live -- but we only believe storytellers we trust. You can trust Moseley to craft compelling, credible narratives because he's genuine and has never lost sight of what really matters. I hope every communications flack finds and learns from this excellent book.
-- Eli Stokols, White House Correspondent, Los Angeles Times
I believe works such as this offer something deeply worthwhile to a society that speeds by one another entirely too fast nowadays. He’s done a superb job with Ignition: Superior Communications Strategies for Creating Stronger Connections and its influence will be felt for some time to come. Its sleek presentation, point of view, and wealth of information are quite a combination.
--Garth Thomas, The Hollywood Digest
