Why Your Company Needs to Have a Manifesto

There’s a certain transcendence in marketing when a brand becomes a label that people choose to define themselves with.

The Apple fanboy movement is an obvious example. The values the company stands for are so desirable that its customers want to be associated with them. (And its content reflects that.)

Having an attractive brand is important, but even more crucial is putting out a cohesive message. The company manifesto is not new, but it is trendy and serves as almost a new type of mission statement—it’s a content vehicle for outreach, but also a valuable resource for those internally at your company.

Lululemon is a fitness brand specializing in yoga attire and boasts what is perhaps the most recognizable manifesto, printed on red and white bags. “Breathe Deeply” is one phrase easily spotted in the design, directly referencing an important facet of yoga.

Another catchphrase, “Dance, Sing, Floss and Travel” is more broad but still highly applicable to Lululemon’s young, urban audience.

Suddenly, Lululemon is more than attire; it’s something you believe in, and the products reflect the sentiment, too. That’s reflected across its ambitious content campaigns.

Holstee, designer of mindful consumer goods, created a manifesto that captures the intentions of the founders when they started the company. It’s been a hit, and Maria Popova at Brain Pickings continues to display it in the sidebar of her high-trafficked blog.

“This is your life. Do what you love,” it begins.

The concept of a manifesto can work for a business brand, too.

Quicken Loans includes what it calls “ISMs” on its site, including “It’s not about WHO is right, it’s about WHAT is right,” and “A penny saved is a penny,” with each line described in more detail.

Essentially, these brands are using cliches, or near-cliches, to create meaning relative to themselves. The simplicity allows the message to be memorable.

Note that poster-style layout used by Holstee and Lululemon is not only a fun use of typography, but for those looking to expand their content on Pinterest, the image is very pinnable.

For inspiration writing a manifesto, check out our comprehensive guide.