Fruitful : Writing a Brand Manifesto

Fruitful : Writing a Brand Manifesto

Writing a Brand Manifesto

I got a challenge last week via email from someone seeking information on how to write a brand manifesto. I did a quick search on Google and didn't come up with much, so I thought it would make a great topic for a blog post. I may ramble a bit, but here goes...
First, a few definitions. A manifesto is "a public declaration of principles, policies, or intentions, especially of a political nature." It comes from the Latin word manifestus, which means "clear or evident."
I define brand as the idea about your company in the minds of stakeholders. And just as actions speak louder than words, the brand idea is created more by operations than by marketing.
So I see a brand manifesto as a declaration of 1) the core intention of the brand, 2) the guiding principles of the brand, and 3) the policies that guide each department to effectively realize the stated intention. So unlike brand visions or missions (which only focus on intention), a brand manifesto should get into the nitty gritty of turning the intention into reality. Bridging the gap between rhetoric and experience is so critical in building strong brands... I've done a number of B2B customer research projects in the last year in which "delivering on promises" was one of customers' top issues when dealing with vendors. A brand manifesto is both a promise, and guidelines to the corporate team on how to deliver that promise.
I think the big idea here is that it's a public declaration, not something that's limited to employees. Everyone sees it. Customers, investors, partners... everyone. It doesn't feature vague, self-serving statements about being the "leading provider" or "market-share leader." Your intentions are written in clear and friendly language, and the manifesto contains proof that you're putting your intentions into action. A great example is Chipotle's "Food with Integrity" manifesto. It clearly outlines their brand intentions and how they're setting out to achieve it. And this example brings up one more point about brand manifestos. They're ambitious. They're revolutionary. If you read the Chipotle manifesto, you'll see that they're setting out to change the way Americans eat.

Today our size allows us economies of scale. It helps us influence the decisions of suppliers. And it lets us shoulder our way into the consciousness of the American eating public. Like we’re doing now. Our size means we can change for the better the way people eat. What does all this mean for you? In the short term it means better-tasting tacos and burritos. If you have been with us for several years you will have already noticed a difference. Looking forward, it means encouraging growers to pursue humane and healthy practices, and rewarding small farmers who eschew mass production in favor of quality. It means new and higher expectations from all of us about what we consume every day. Have we achieved our mission? No. Will we ever accomplish it? Never, because Food With Integrity is a constant process of searching and improving. But the changes will be noticeable, positive and significant. And you’re part of making it happen, every time you come in. Thanks.

To be revolutionary, you've got to have passion. The manifesto must be something not only worth reading, but worth acting on. Can your company create a movement? Can it improve people's lives in some small but important way? I wrote a couple posts (here and here) about Ikea that included the following quote from a Guardian article:

In 1976, (founder) Ingvar Kamprad crystallised his thinking in a hyperbolic tract entitled The Testament of a Furniture Dealer, setting out Ikea's "sacred concept", and waxing evangelical on the necessity of salvation. It was, he wrote, "our duty to expand ... Those who cannot or will not join us are to be pitied ... What we want to do, we can do and will do, together. A glorious future!"... Ikea's moral crusade extends uncompromisingly to the customer. Whether you like it or not, it intends to teach you the value of good, honest, simple hard work. Self-assembly, viewed from this perspective, is more than a cost-cutting measure: it's a tool of evangelism, designed to make you sweat for your own edification.

So a brand manifesto crystalizes and clarifies the revolutionary intention of an organization, and it asks others (employees and customers) to join together and make it a reality. Powerful stuff. Not easy, but powerful.