Martellus Bennett is best known for his 10 years in the NFL, playing for teams such as the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears. However, this former professional football player has found success off the field with the launch of his creative and imaginative business venture. Bennett created The Imagination Agency, which has spawned children’s books, apps, and animated short films, and more.
The Imagination Agency
Bennett started the multimedia production company back in 2014 and has since released a vast number of projects.
The Imagination Agency is described as, “a wondrous group of monsters and imaginary friends tasked with creating, drawing, writing, and imagining fantastical adventures for kids all over the world. We are committed to creating your next great adventure.”
Zoovie
Zoovie was the first project under the company; Bennett wrote and illustrated the story, which was
inspired by his daughters. The short story would later be turned into to a 23-minute animated short film, which Bennett directed, wrote, and starred in. The story follows a zoo penguin named Cosmo who attempts to make two zookeepers to fall in love - the
animated film was released in 2017.
Hey A.J.
Under the pen name Marty, Bennett has also written children’s books, including the popular
Hey A.J. series, which is expected to release more books in the future. The book series also jumpstarted a successful app - the
Hey A.J. app features interactive stories that brings kids into the wacky world of A.J. and is available on Google Play, iTunes, and Amazon.
Dear Black Boy
After police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota in 2016, Bennett decided to use his voice as an NFL athlete to spread awareness of the issue. Bennett
shared a poem on his Instagram account to serve as an inspiration for those who were in morning. This poem spawned another
children’s book that was released in the beginning of 2019 - 10% of the proceeds from book sales go to charity.
Department of Awesomeness
Bennett has also teamed up with the
Uncle Smarty Foundation and other programs to bring creativity to underserved youth. Bennet founded the
Department of Awesomeness; it’s an online party available under The Imagination Agency. It includes a line of delectable chocolates, a
fun video for World Play-Doh Day in 2017, and highlights all of Bennett’s off-the-field efforts.
