Your Brand Manifesto: Your Secret Sauce

The first thing you’re going to need for branding is to write your brand manifesto. We'll explore how to write your manifesto in this post.

Tisha Oehmen/May 6, 2010/4 Comments
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OK, so you’ve found your new brand position and tagline. You’ve taken the time to discuss it with your key stakeholders and get their buy-in. Now what? Well, my friends, now comes the FUN part! The first thing you’re going to need to write is your brand manifesto. In a short paragraph, what does your company stand for? Why do you exist?

Writing Your Brand Manifesto

It will need to be no more than 200 words. It needs to be clear, it needs to be concise, and when you read it out loud, it needs to grab you in the gut and create an emotional response. The reason that writing a manifesto is critical is that it will help you to synthesize your thoughts and to think about the position. It will become the document you go back to every time you are ready to create a new piece of advertising.

brand manifestoPlease note: the brand manifesto should be intended only for internal audiences; however, selectively it might be able to be used externally as well. Write this for you and your team – no one else.

Ready for an example? Well, despite my caution about the external use of a manifesto above, here is the manifesto for Paradux Media Group, as an example.

At Paradux Media Group, we’re fed up with the notion that you have to spend a lot to get a lot in marketing. We’re tired of seeing cookie-cutter and number-based solutions applied uniformly to a variety of clients with different businesses, needs, wants, and desires. We know marketing and advertising is first an art, then a science. We practice our art everyday and measure our effectiveness with science and business results. We’re for the local-business owner that cares about their community. We’re for listening to the business’ needs and using out of the box, social media, guerrilla tactics, and traditional advertising to help them realize their dreams. We believe that a powerful and quality brand should be available to everyone – regardless of their budget.

As you can see, the manifesto doesn’t mince words. It doesn’t take the politically correct view of the world. And it certainly doesn’t use long sentences or look good framed on the wall. It’s the magic ingredient that makes your business, your business, and no one else’s. It’s your secret sauce.

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Tisha Oehmen

Tisha Oehmen is a professional brand strategist and a leader in the branding field. She was recently 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.

Possessing expertise in both front- and back-office operations, Tisha conceptualizes, develops, and implements initiatives to foster brand effectiveness like no other. With over 15 years of experience in branding and marketing, Tisha has successfully led large financial institutions and health care companies down the path of renaming their business.

Where Tisha really shines is in the work that isn’t done. Sometimes a name change for a business isn’t in their best interest and after meeting with Tisha, they are able to find the true value and equity that has always been in their brand. Tisha has a special knack of being able to communicate the value so that the CEO/Business owner can see its luster and then with a little polishing, make it shine company wide.

Tisha is best known for developing long lasting branding campaigns that speak to the heart of the business, the brand, and the community. True brand, no matter how big or small, has longevity. Creating branding campaigns that have longevity, that have a laser-like focus, is where Tisha thrives.

Tisha received her M.B.A. from the University of Oregon, from where she also earned a B.A. in Political Science. She enjoyed a distinguished academic career punctuated by enthusiastic and successful participation in competitive speaking events, and holds numerous awards for her skill in public speaking. Tisha is widely recognized for her ability to capture an audience’s attention with her straightforward and engaging speaking style.

When not working, she enjoys golfing, baking, reading, and hiking with her partner, Mike, and their two dogs, Chloe and Jackson. She’s also an active member of Rotary International, the Chamber of Commerce, and is a very proud supporter of the Oregon Ducks. Tisha lives in Eagle Point, Oregon.

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