“MONUMENTAL IDEAS EMPOWERS BUSINESS LEADERS AND THEIR TEAMS TO BREAK THROUGH STAGNATION, UNCOVER HIDDEN TALENT, AND BUILD A CULTURE OF INNOVATION USING PROVEN METHODS THE WORLD’S TOP CREATIVE AGENCIES PERFECTED ON LEADING BRANDS.”
THE SECRETs TO MONUMENTAL IDEAS
In today’s world, doing “more of the same” won’t move the needle. Your teams need to come up with bigger, bolder, better ideas—faster—to out-maneuver competitors, tackle tough problems, and drive growth.
We offer 16 playshops, as well as customized options, that equip your team with practical tools to ignite creativity, break through blocks, and confidently overcome challenges.
Nobody comes up with their best ideas at work.
so we created playshops.
MONUMENTAL PLAYSHOPS
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Popcorn brain
“Popcorn Brain” is a fast-paced, improvisational thinking workshop designed to follow mental chaos into clarity. Instead of silencing distractions or suppressing tangents, this session embraces cognitive noise as a source of unexpected breakthroughs. Participants are encouraged to follow stray thoughts—like kernels popping unpredictably—and trace their connection back to a central business challenge. What appears random may hold the key to a new angle, overlooked stakeholder, or buried assumption.
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NOT MY PROBLEM
“Not My Problem” is a role-play-based creativity workshop that unlocks fresh solutions by removing participants from the center of the problem. Instead of forcing the team to keep grinding at the same challenge from the same angle, it enables them to cast someone else—someone who wouldn’t just solve the problem, but might not even see it as one at all–as the solution provider.
This exercise asks: Who would be the best candidate to crack this, and how would they approach it?
By mentally outsourcing the issue to an imagined character, the team sheds limiting assumptions and adopts new values, goals, and tactics—ultimately uncovering approaches that would never emerge from their usual perspective.
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ZIG ZAG LAB
“Zig Zag” is a contrarian thinking workshop designed to help teams create truly differentiated products, messages, and experiences by identifying dominant norms—and subverting them. The name comes from a fundamental creative principle: if you want to stand out, you have to break out. When they zig, you zag. Hard.
This session pushes teams to intentionally veer off the well-worn path. Whether in branding, product strategy, customer experience, or tone of voice, the workshop challenges you to go against the grain—and keep going until the result is unmistakably unique.
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THE LUCKY WINNER
“The Lucky Winner” is a workshop that channels the power of empathy and storytelling to breathe life into innovation. Rather than designing for an abstract “target audience,” this session challenges participants to design for one specific person—a single, fictional-yet-believable “winner” whose life is about to be changed for the better by the team’s idea.
This approach drops vague user personas and mass-market thinking. Instead, it asks:
“If just one person got to experience our idea—who would we choose, and how would it change their life?”
By rooting creativity in personal stakes and emotional detail, teams arrive at richer, more compassionate, and more actionable solutions.
Faster solutions to complex business challenges
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reverse polarity
“Reverse Polarity” is a structured creative thinking workshop that challenges participants to invert their assumptions and reframe problems as potential assets. Inspired by the counterintuitive wisdom that every weakness contains the seed of strength, this session trains teams to exploit what they usually try to fix, hide, or avoid.
Think of it as mental jiu jitsu: instead of fighting the problem, you use its energy to find unexpected leverage. Whether you’re a scrappy underdog, a late entrant to the market, or attempting to simplify the over-complicated, this workshop asks: What if that’s your edge?
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embrace & extend
“Embrace & Extend” is a workshop about remixing—the kind that results in something new. Participants are encouraged to identify existing solutions to their problem, deconstruct them, and use them as a springboard for improvement. The goal is to re-see, remix, and reform the familiar into the completely unexpected.
Inspired by artists, designers, and entrepreneurs who “build on the shoulders of giants,” this session encourages strategic borrowing to accelerate problem-solving. As Picasso said, “Good artists copy, great artists steal.”
Unlike simply copying, this isn’t appropriation, it’s transformation.
How did they arrive at their solution?
What constraints shaped it?
What’s missing?
What would we do differently?The result: a fast-tracked pathway to original, high-leverage ideas built on proven scaffolds.
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terminal velocity training
“Terminal Velocity Training” is a workshop about blowing past limits, whether imposed internally or externally. It’s based on a simple premise: your competitors didn’t solve the problem—they stopped when the friction became too great, when things got too hard or too weird. As good as it may have been, their product, campaign, or service didn’t fully succeed. It was abandoned before it reached its fullest potential. This session challenges you to establish new limits.
What’s the missing piece? What boundary didn’t they cross? What would happen if you picked up where they left off—and kept going?
This is not about incremental improvement. It’s about reactivating ideas that stalled out at “good enough” and delivering the solution that actually moves the needle.
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THE world according to you
“The World According to You” is a radical imagination workshop that begins where most ideation sessions end: beyond constraints. Participants are invited to temporarily abandon the real world—its deadlines, budgets, politics, and technical barriers—and step into a parallel universe where they get to write their own rules.
This is the world as it should be, not as it is. How would it be to inhabit this reality? What does the ideal product, feature, benefit, or service look like? In what ways would they contribute to making a perfect world? Here, the right answer already exists. Your job is to spend enough time in this space that you can describe it—and then figure out how to bring some part of it back to the "real"world.
It’s not just an exercise in fantasy. It’s envisioning a better reality.
Accelerated onboarding & activation of new talent
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stfu (silence the fun-hating umpire)
“STFU” is a high-velocity, no-apologies creativity sprint designed to shut down the inner critic and unlock breakthrough ideas by moving too fast for doubt to catch up. When overthinking, second-guessing, or perfectionism gets in the way of innovation, this workshop silences the Fun-hating Umpire—the voice in your head that says, “That’s dumb,” “That’ll never work,” or “You’re not ready.”
How? By crossing home plate before your inner critic has a chance to play ball.
This is about speed over polish, flow over fear, and quantity that begets quality. The more options, possibilities, and solutions, the greater the likelihood that something extraordinary will be revealed.
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don't chop veggies with a hammer
“Don’t Chop Vegetables With a Hammer” is a creativity workshop built around one core idea: sometimes the sticking point is simply not having the right tool for the job.
When we try to solve new problems using the same old methods, we often end up perpetuating the same limitations. This workshop helps teams drop their default tools and borrow the thinking tools from other disciplines—artists, scientists, choreographers, engineers—to unlock surprising new approaches.
It encourages thinking past the problem by putting the focus on how we’re approaching it. Because while it’s possible to chop vegetables with a hammer, the outcome won’t be easy to swallow.
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try on a straightjacket
“Try on a Straitjacket” is a paradoxical creativity workshop built around this insight: limitations in one area can create freedom in another. Think of the way a pressure nozzle works.
When anything is possible, ideas can become vague, unfocused, and weak as the mind considers a seemingly infinite set of options. This workshop flips the script by inviting participants to willingly restrict themselves—to invent artificial constraints that narrow the field and ignite creative urgency. Whether it’s budget, materials, timeline, team size—or something ridiculous, like “the solution must smell nice”—these limitations act as creativity accelerators.
By strategically restricting the set of possibilities, thinking can be concentrated, increasing both the speed at which ideas form and their power when they arrive.
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call the bomb squad
“Call the Bomb Squad “ is a workshop designed for those moments when you’re completely stuck: when ideas won’t land, plans won’t move forward, or nothing feels quite right. The solution? Blow it up.
This session gives participants a metaphorical set of six sticks of dynamite—Why, Who, How, What, When, and Where—to detonate the problem, reduce it to its foundational elements, and rebuild something more compelling from the rubble.
Instead of chipping away at a stuck idea, this workshop encourages full-scale obliteration. Sometimes the only way out is through.
Increased collaboration & engagement across teams
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dancing with robots
“Dancing With Robots” is a hands-on, mindset-shifting workshop that teaches participants how to co-create with AI, not just delegate to it. Most people treat AI like a vending machine—put in a prompt, get out a result. But real innovation comes when you treat AI like a dance partner: responsive, rhythmic, and open to improvisation.
This session helps teams understand the nuances of human-AI collaboration, from crafting iterative prompts to knowing when to lead, when to follow, and when to pause. The result: learning to stay on the beat and off each other’s feet will lead to smarter, faster, more imaginative work.
Let’s boogie. -
how to evaluate ideas
“How to Evaluate Ideas” is a workshop designed for senior leaders, strategists, and decision-makers who need to assess creative, operational, or strategic ideas with clarity and confidence. It focuses on building custom evaluation frameworks that balance rigor and imagination—ensuring that your team doesn’t just generate ideas, but makes smart, aligned choices about which ones to pursue.
We draw inspiration from fields where judgment is both subjective and systematic—like gymnastics, wine tasting, or figure skating—where success is measured by both technical execution and artistic impact. Similarly, this session helps leaders design dual-layered criteria that consider feasibility, innovation, brand alignment, risk, elegance, and more.
Because good judgment isn’t just about instinct—it’s about having a good scorecard.
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how to champion ideas
“How to Champion Good Ideas” is a workshop for senior leaders who understand that a good idea alone isn’t enough. No matter how insightful, original, or practical an idea may be, it can die in committee if it doesn’t have an advocate—someone who knows how to tell the story, win allies, and guide it across the finish line.
This session equips participants with the tools to do exactly that. You’ll learn how to shape a compelling narrative, adapt it to different audiences, navigate organizational friction, and become a high-credibility sponsor for innovation. Whether you’re supporting your own idea or someone else’s, this workshop helps you move it up, down, and across the organization with skill.
Because ideas don’t scale unless someone steps up to carry them.
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roll your own
Need something tailored specifically to your needs? Just ask.
“the antidote to group think.”
— Monumental Ideas
More innovative, competitive ideas to drive growth
what we do
discover
We get curious: about your industry, your competitors, your customers, and your company. We learn what’s in the way, what’s at stake, and what needs to change. We dig into your goals, pain points, and possibilities to thoroughly understand your needs.
design
Together, we choose the right workshops, make any modifications, or invent new ones to fit your unique requirements. We’ll meet your team where they are and equip them to begin moving forward with speed and confidence.
deploy
On-site or at an offsite location—whichever will work best—we’ll hold the Playshops, Your team will leave aligned, energized, and equipped to tools and techniques they can put to use immediately. And we’ll follow up to monitor progress and act as a resource.
Greater employee job satisfaction and higher retention
monumental case studies
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![Black background with white text reading 'Starwood Hotels' in a distressed font, with a crescent moon and star graphic.]()
starwood hotels cinema premiere
CASE STUDY: Ready For Your Close-Up?
Client: Starwood Hotels, Hawaii
Project: Room Renovation Sales Videos
Scope: 8 Properties, 1 Tiny Budget, 0 Room for BoringThe Ask:
Starwood Hawaii needed a set of renovation videos for its eight very different properties. Unlike their cookie-cutter business-travel-focused siblings on the mainland, each Hawaii resort is unique. The typical approach? Nap-inducing walkthroughs with no story, no actors, and no audio. Just a visual yawn of renovated rooms, lobbies, spas, gyms, and restaurants that left sales teams clamoring for something
The Idea:
Treat each property like a character and make it the star of its own short film that couldn't take place anywhere else. In exchange for working with extremely modest budgets, local production companies got creative freedom, and Starwood Hawaii got high-concept, high-impact films.
The Results:
Starwood Hawaii’s sales teams had their best year ever, exceeding occupancy goals far ahead of schedule. Word of the campaign traveled to Disney CEO Bob Iger, who personally called Starwood’s CEO to compliment a blockbuster performance.
Fun Fact:
We premiered the films at a nightclub in Honolulu’s Chinatown, with red carpet, cast, crew, and mai tais. It was fabulous.
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![Black background with white cloud shape and black handwritten text reading 'Hilo Hatties' in the center.]()
Hilo Hattie Mobile Fashion Show
CASE STUDY: The Catwalk Meets the Boardwalk. On Segways.
Client: Hilo Hattie
Project: Drive Store Traffic (Literally)
Scope: 1 Warehouse, 1 Trolley, 1 Big Turn AroundThe Ask:
Hilo Hattie—Hawaii’s legendary general store—needed to boost foot traffic and drive sales. But the store sat outside Waikiki, off the typical tourist trail. Fewer visitors were renting cars, trolley costs were climbing, and the advertising budget was shrinking. A once-iconic brand was at risk of fading from view.
The Idea:
If visitors wouldn’t come to see Hilo Hattie’s island fashions, we’d take the fashions to them—on Segways. Models suited up in aloha wear and glided down Waikiki Beach like a rolling runway. The mobile fashion show turned heads, sparked conversations, and converted beachgoers into shoppers.
The Results:
The Segway fashion parade stopped people in their tracks—and then sent them straight to Hilo Hattie. Local media jumped on the story. Tourists shared the spectacle across social platforms. Store traffic soared, and online visits spiked globally. Sales? They doubled.
Fun Fact:
It was the first fashion show ever held on Segways—and it made Hilo Hattie look better than it had in years.
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![Black background with the white Amazon Web Services (AWS) logo and text]()
AWS+Salesforce=Better Bumper Cars
CASE STUDY: Going Head-On For Maximum Impact
Client: Salesforce
Project: AWS Annual Contract Renewal
Scope: Tens of Millions of Dollars at StakeThe Ask:
Salesforce’s “Big Bet” sales team was facing a stalled contract renewal—and the clock was ticking. Senior leadership needed a presentation bold enough to jump-start a complex sales motion and compelling enough to convince Amazon that Salesforce could drive the next wave of transformation for a company already famous for transforming retail.
The Idea:
Rather than selling Salesforce as a tool to help Amazon’s famously independent teams ricochet through a complicated internal speedway, like bumper cars in search of an exit, we proposed taking a very different route. Amazon didn’t need better bumper cars—it needed a better traffic management system. Salesforce could deliver the maps, the lanes, the signals, and the rules of the road to bring order, speed, and scale to the chaos.
The Results:
Contract renewed. Additional revenue secured. By refusing to just buckle up and go along for the ride, we achieved a high-speed, high-stakes win.
Fun Fact:
In Q1 2025, AWS led the global cloud infrastructure market with a 29% share—maintaining a strong edge over Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. While we can’t say we put them on top, we like to think we made the trip a little easier.
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![A black background with a white stylized globe logo.]()
Toyota's Augmented Reality Mural
CASE STUDY: The Art Of Mixing Paint And Pixels
Client: Toyota
Project: Lucas Oil Stadium Logo Refresh
Scope: One Very Big Paint JobThe Ask:
Simple: update all Toyota branding in Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Idea:
Sure, we could do that. But what if we went the extra mile and made something spectacular? Indiana’s pro football team is the Colts. What if we painted a mural of wild horses stampeding towards you, almost like a football formation? We include visual triggers for augmented reality content and design digital animation overlays that football fans can see on their cell phones. We could transform the horses into a fleet of Toyota’s brand new trucks or SUV’s, create interactive games and contests, and transform a flat wall into multi-dimensional, immersive experiences.
The Results:
While extremely popular with the vast majority of Indiana’s Toyota dealers, the decision to move forward had to have unanimous approval. It didn’t. So we went ahead and did a traditional brand refresh. But there’s an important lesson here. The pursuit of innovative ideas doesn’t always succeed. It can’t. That’s not failure. There will inevitably be setbacks along the way. But you learn from them, and you move on to even better ideas. Failure is giving up.
Fun Fact: Pokemon Go launched in 2016, instantly becoming a cultural phenomenon. In its first year alone, real players walked over 8.7 billion kilometers hunting virtual Pokémon.
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![A black square with the white text 'Aloha Airlines' in a cursive font.]()
Aloha Airlines super bowl sunday
CASE STUDY: Creating a Winning Playbook
Client: Aloha Airlines
Project: West Coast Route Launch
Scope: From Regional Favorite to National ContenderThe Ask:
Aloha Airlines needed to launch new West Coast routes and look like they belonged in the big leagues. But how can a small, regional airline go toe-to-toe with national giants—on a budget that barely covers beer and peanuts?
The Idea:
Rip up the rulebook and write a new one. That meant a total brand refresh: new aircraft, bold new livery, stylish uniforms, a revamped website, and its first-ever mainland TV campaign that kicked off Super Bowl Sunday. The ads had to compete with the best spots of the year and send fans flocking to the site. The site, in turn, had to turn football watchers into Hawaii bookers. No room for fumbles.
The Results:
Website traffic shattered records—up 400% over the previous all-time high. Flights from the West Coast to Hawaii sold out. In the space of four quarters, a little-known airline was suddenly on the radar from Seattle to San Diego.
Fun Fact:
The in-flight scenes were filmed inside a real jet that had been sliced into quarters, mounted on dollies, and reassembled like a puzzle. This allowed full access for cameras, lighting, and crew. Not to mention plenty of legroom.
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![Black square background with a white Chevrolet logo in the center.]()
Corvette Test Drives New Technology
CASE STUDY: Revving Up Corvette Buyers
Client: Chevrolet
Project: Digital Garage
Scope: Upgrading The Ownership (And Purchase) ExperienceThe Ask:
Create a communications program that keeps purchasers of new Corvettes engaged and immersed between ordering and taking delivery. It should reflect Chevy’s commitment to providing Corvette buyers with a premium experience on par with luxury European competitors.
The Idea:
Create a virtual factory tour where Corvette buyers experience their new car being built from body shell to paint, to being fitted with the engine, drivetrain, interior, and exterior trim. They could opt-in to receive a detailed production schedule, phots and videos, daily text or email updates, and access to the Corvette Concierge Team. They could also schedule delivery and a tour at the National Corvette Museum.
The Results:
Response was so positive that Chevrolet extended it to the purchase process on Chevroltet.com, enabling buyers to choose from exterior customizations, interior personalizations, and performance upgrades. The fully interactive experience features 360-degree, 3D exterior and interior renderings.
Fun Fact:
The Corvette is the longest-running continuously produced passenger car in the world.
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![Large stylized letter A on a black and white background.]()
adobe times square takeover
Adobe Times Square Takeover
CASE STUDY: Start Spreading The News
Client: Adobe
Project: Adobe Creative Suite Digital Launch
Scope: WorldwideThe Ask:
Announce the new Adobe Creative Cloud--no constraints. (Only later did I learn we were a few weeks from deadline.) The dozens of discarded campaigns—mostly online banners—were heavy on features and functional benefits, but lacked the excitement, and impact of a momentous launch.
The Idea:
Starting with Times Square, we take over cities worldwide known to be creative epicenters, turning each into an outdoor gallery, It launches with every screen in the 5-block area going dark. Then the new Adobe Creative Cloud premieres, showcasing art made with Adobe’s products. It moves propelled by a whisper campaign among the creative community who nominated the art to be featured. No screens? the city becomes the screen, with the art projected on iconic local buildings and other landmarks.The Results:
Total silence. Then, a very rare occurrence at a creative presentation: applause. The idea never took shape. But a creative director job did.
Fun Fact:
Called the Midnight Moment, a synchronized art display appears on the electronic billboards in Times Square.
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![Black background with a white starburst shape containing the text 'MATTEL' in bold black letters.]()
MATTEL BARBIE SKI CHALET
CASE STUDY: Downhill From Day 1
Client: Mattel
Project: Barbie Line Extension Brainstorming
Scope: 150+ countries worldwideThe Ask:
Barbie has been everything: a doctor, an astronaut, and even a presidential candidate. And she has everything. But Barbie wants more. Come up with a product line extension for the new year.
The Idea:
It was my first creative assignment at my first “real” job, but it wasn’t mine alone. Everyone at the ad agency was invited. I wanted to prove that I deserved a place in the creative department. But I didn’t know very much about Barbie, so I called an expert with deep knowledge: my sister. I wrote our ideas down on 3” x 5” notecards and organized them from good to better. Not feeling like I had a winner, I tossed and turned for few hours. It was on the commute to the office when, distracted by traffic, the idea hit. Barbie needed a Ski Chalet.The Results:
I was informed that the Ski Chalet was among the ideas that would be presented to Mattel. In addition to receiving permission to work with the creative team on the presentation, I was handed an envelope emblazoned with Ogilvy’s letterhead. It contained a bonus check for $100. That year I got my dream job as a Junior copywriter.
Fun Fact:
Barbie has her own signature color, “Barbie Pink,” also known as Pantone 219 C.
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![Salesforce logo inside a white cloud shape on a black background.]()
SALESFORCE+US CELLULAR
CASE STUDY: Not The Usual Run Around
Client: Salesforce
Project: US Cellular Pitch
Scope: Multimillion Dollar Contract ExpansionThe Ask:
Create a high-impact presentation for C-suite and senior-level clients to push Salesforce to the top of the consideration set. Make it high-level, conceptual, and memorable.
The Idea:
Instead of a pitch deck, what if we did an embodied presentation at Nike’s Unlimited Stadium, the world's first full-sized LED-lined running track?The starting line is Q1. As we walk the track, we’ll explain how we can help US Cell get ahead. Threats will be represented as 3D avatars that we outpace with the help of key Salesforce technologies. At each corner, we get a Salesforce boost that propels us forward. Contextual information in the form of dynamic charts and graphs accompanies us, adding depth to the presentation.
As Nike says, “There is no finish line,” but when we arrive back at the starting line we’re in the lead.
The Results:
None. This was a spec idea. Take it and run with it.
Fun Fact:
There are more mobile phones on the planet than toothbrushes, which may explain why long-distance calling is so popular.
accelerated time to value of new hires
FAQs
What is Monumental Ideas?
Monumental Ideas is a consultancy that helps teams and organizations spark innovation, unlock talent, and solve complex challenges. We do this through high-impact workshops (which we call playshops) and strategic consulting engagements designed to turn ideas into results.
What are playshops?
“Playshops” are our signature workshops—dynamic, immersive sessions built to inspire strategic thinking, creativity, and collaboration. Unlike traditional workshops, playshops are fast-moving, energizing, and structured to break people out of stale patterns and into new possibilities.
Who are playshops for?
Our playshops are designed for:
Teams that need a quick start or are stuck in a rut
Leaders looking to unlock fresh ideas
Organizations navigating change
Anyone facing a blank page and needing a breakthrough
We work with startups, global brands, nonprofits, and cross-functional teams of all shapes and sizes.
What kind of problems do you solve??
We help clients:
Generate breakthrough ideas
Reimagine brand positioning or messaging
Develop new products, campaigns, services, or experiences
Align teams around strategic priorities
Break through organizational gridlock or inertia
If it involves ideas and forward motion, we’re built for it.
How long are the playshops?
Playshops can range from 90-minute sprints to full-day sessions. We’ll recommend the best format based on your objectives, schedule, and team size.
Are playshops virtual, in-person, or hybrid?
All of the above. We’ve designed and delivered playshops in every format:
In-person (on-site or off-site)
Hybrid (with in-person and remote participants)
Virtual (Zoom, Teams, etc. for established clients and follow-up to in-person)
Each format is built for engagement and impact.
What makes Monumental Ideas different?
We blend 30+ years of experience in branding, innovation, and organizational transformation with a fresh, fast-moving approach. Our secret sauce is structured creativity — methods that are playful and productive. We don’t just talk about ideas. We help you make them happen.
Do you work with individuals or only teams?
While most of our work is with teams and organizations, we also coach individuals navigating big decisions, creative blocks, or major transitions. If you're a leader looking for clarity and direction, we’re here for that too.do you create custom playshops?
What industries do you work with?
We’ve worked with clients across:
Automotive
Agencies and in-house marketing teams
Banking & Financial
Consumer goods
Healthcare
Nonprofits
Professional services
Tech & SaaS
Travel & Tourism
Innovation is industry-agnostic. If you need ideas, we can help.
Do you offer speaking or keynote sessions?
Yes! Monumental Ideas founder, George Chalekian, speaks at events, conferences, and internal gatherings on topics like creativity in business, unlocking team potential, and idea generation under pressure. Get in touch to learn more.
How much do playshops cost?
Pricing depends on the format, duration, and level of customization. We offer flexible options for teams of all sizes and will always provide clear estimates up front.
How DO WE GET STARTED?
Start by reaching out through our Contact page. We’ll schedule a quick call to understand your needs, then recommend the right playshop or solution for your goals. No obligation. Just a conversation.