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| Name | Tom Fishburne |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | – |
| Birth Place | – |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Cartoonist, Marketing expert |
Tom Fishburne is an American cartoonist, marketing expert, and keynote speaker. He is the founder of Marketoonist, a creative agency that combines marketing with humor through cartoons. His work has been featured in major publications like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Fast Company. These cartoons reach hundreds of thousands of business readers each week. With more than 20 years of experience in marketing, Tom helps companies use cartoons for content marketing and cultural change. His clients include big names like Google, Adobe, and LinkedIn.
Early life and education
Tom grew up in San Anselmo, California. He always had an interest in creativity and storytelling, which led him to pursue a degree in English at the University of Virginia. He graduated in 1995. Later, he decided to continue his education at Harvard Business School, where he earned his MBA in 2002. During his time at Harvard, Tom began drawing cartoons on the backs of business cases. What started as a hobby quickly became popular among his classmates and eventually evolved into a Marketoonist. While at Harvard, he also served as Vice President of the Marketing Club and was the cartoonist for the student newspaper.
Career
Tom’s marketing career began in the late 1990s. He held various marketing roles at companies like Nestle and General Mills. He also worked at iXL, one of the first digital agencies, where he helped develop websites for major clients such as Disney and Mayo Clinic. In 2010, Tom founded Marketoonist, a creative agency that uses humor to create engaging marketing campaigns. Over the years, the agency has worked with more than 200 companies, from small startups to large corporations like Google and SAP.
Besides running his agency, Tom is a popular keynote speaker. He travels the world to talk about marketing, innovation, and leadership. His TED Talk, “The Power of Laughing at Ourselves at Work,” focused on how humor can improve workplace culture and leadership. In 2013, Tom took on the role of interim Chief Marketing Officer at HotelTonight. During this time, he led the company’s marketing efforts, including launching its first major consumer research and social media campaigns.
Personal life
Tom lives near San Francisco, California, with his family. In addition to running Marketoonist, he enjoys spending time with his family and drawing cartoons. He often draws inspiration from his life experiences, and his humor reflects his view that creativity and balance are important in both work and personal life.
Awards and achievements
Tom’s work has been widely recognized in the business and marketing world. His cartoons have been featured in leading publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and The New York Times. His book, Your Ad Ignored Here: Cartoons from 15 Years of Marketing, Business, and Doodling in Meetings, collects some of his best work. He has also illustrated three business books for Deloitte: Provoke (a Wall Street Journal Bestseller), Detonate (a National Bestseller), and Work Disrupted. Today, his cartoons continue to entertain and inform half a million readers weekly.
External links
Tom Fishburne on LinkedIn