I have talked a lot throughout this blog about the power of a manifesto, why they are important, and how to draft them. However, I was talking with a client this week and I described it, for the first time, as a “Declaration of Passion.” Moreover, in that moment, the somewhat nebulous concept became clear and the real power of the manifesto was revealed.

Definition of a Manifesto

For those of you who may not have been following along, a manifesto is a tool that you use internally, to motivate, to inspire, and to provide richness and meaning to the tagline. It is the backstory. It is NOT politically correct. It is never going to hang in the Board Room. At its best, it is raw, pound-on-the-table, and raise-the-hair-on-your-arms. If you do not feel “charged” as you are reading the manifesto aloud, you have not put enough truth in it.

The Power of a Manifesto

Think about the power that could belong to your “Declaration of Passion.” It is a declaration of what your business is passionate about, why your business exists, and what your business stands for. It has the power to capture the lightning bolt that is the reason your business exists, and drive all the energy and power deep into the culture and every fiber of your business. It provides the backstory for the tagline and most importantly, it provides context for the employees. It allows the reader to recruit themselves to your team and, through the employee’s passion, to recruit customers to your business. As if that was not enough, the manifesto also immediately shifts the reader to the mindset of the brand and allows the active reader to channel the brand and to become an extension of the brand position.

If you do not have your own Declaration of Passioncheck out this post to learn about how to create your own Declaration of Passion.

About the Author:

Tisha Oehmen

Tisha Oehmen is a professional brand strategist and a leader in the branding field. She has been named a member of the Global Guru’s Top 30 Brand Gurus. She is also the co-founder of Oregon-based Paradux Media Group and the best-selling author of the book, Finding Brand: The Brand Book Tutorial.

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4 Comments

  1. Aayna on March 12, 2013 at 11:56 pm

    It is of much importance to communicate to the target audience about the passion of the company, to occupy space in their hearts. Thanks for the share.

    • Tisha Oehmen on March 26, 2013 at 7:53 pm

      Thank for spending some time Aayna! I appreciate the comment!

  2. Fatima on March 13, 2013 at 4:23 am

    A great approach to developing a tagline and a clear purpose of the business. This is much valuable information for business owners and managers. Thanks for sharing the thoughts.

    • Tisha Oehmen on March 26, 2013 at 7:51 pm

      My pleasure Fatima, thank YOU for taking the time to share your thoughts!

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