An artistic manifesto is a public statement on intentions, motivations or opinions of an artist or an artistic movement.

The manifesto is not a claim that only belongs to the art field. It is well known and used in politics. You would be surprised to discover that most of our voted constitutions and more are manifestos for a society value, the Declaration of Human Rights is an example of a direction a society defines for its people.

Art movements such as the Futurists, the surrealists and more have created famous and inspirational manifestos in order to establish the values they wanted to defend as an individual, a collective or an organization.

Visually appealing and challenging, they expressed the era and society they lived in but also set the claim for a better creative and free individual.
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From this artist tool to define, critique, elevate and also trigger our society we are going to take this state of creation and use it for our daily projects.

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What comes before branding and storytelling?

Before having a brand and being able to story tell it, it is important to focus on the one or the ones behind the brand. The origins and profoundness that allowed the brand to birth.
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Branding is the language that helps promote a company, organization, group or individual towards its users and customers. This art of expression to promote and enhance the vision of a company has several forms: from strategy and marketing to visual identity, copywriting and sound. But also events and how the company's collaborators interact and live by the values they defend.

The objective is for the brand to be fully understood by the user so that they can consume the products or services. Every brand's goal and the challenge lies in how the consumer perceives them and how they can enhance their message and attract their targeted audience.
The perception and understanding of a brand can improve by its use of storytelling: the way a brand shares its progress and vision. The consumer does not only buy or hire an entity but a personality, a set of values, skills and innovation but also concrete actions. A vibe and feel they can connect to and rely on.

At some point, we are all aware of what branding is, what storytelling does, I believe that the manifesto is the route from which they can both take on and grow.

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How I define a manifesto as a designer?

As a designer, first define it as a text that summarizes a set of values that inspire and motivate you. All the reasons behind you starting a project or entrepreneurial journey.

Then from this text, you create a visual response with your personality and taste. For me, that is the icing on the cake, when you have succeeded in synthesizing your manifesto in a concrete object, it becomes your declaration to yourself and team. A solid guide to use, when you need to recenter and stay focused on your journey.

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For you, how it can be viewed

Yes! the manifesto is also motivation besides being a vision defined. At the early stages, we are thrilled and excited to start, to create this logo and website, to hire our first collaborator or even to partner with other brands but before all that strategy in action we have to think and grow our vision.
Only you can do that work of introspection and understanding, before any business plan, who are you? What do you want to communicate? or even better, how do you define success, define growth, joy and resilience?

Because by answering to your WHY you remove any doubt and claim that this is what you are signing for, you will not compromise with something that is not ‘’you’’.

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Start with why

‍The manifesto as a tool can become a foundation of your communication. A powerful complement to a brief for art directors and agencies in the process of creating your visual identity but also an asset in your branding and storytelling to come.

It is so easy to dilute your message and vision, I have seen and I believe our ideas, concepts, companies transform with people we interact with from your co-founder, collaborators, investors, friends... whoever is involved in helping you to grow.
Of course, it will transform and it is a good thing, our ideas once in motion must evolve. You will end up many times far from the first key idea you started with, therefore it is important to remember and have beside your branding and storytelling a manifesto that is shared and used as part of your communication. One that keeps everyone on track, keeping the early feel alive and solid for potential growth.

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10 scenarios you may find yourself in

1. You want to create your project, business or define a life goal
2. You have no clue how to start and you feel like the final product is the most important thing
3. You have no design skills you just want to delegate
4. You have never taken the time to define values you want to defend and promote
5. You have already a company but you have lost the feel of why you started your company
6. You have seen inspiring manifesto's but you don't know what to do next
7. You do not know what a manifesto is
8. You want to collaborate in your new entrepreneurial adventure
9. You have a manifesto and want to revive it
10. You feel overwhelmed by the process
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If you recognize yourself in any of these cases, I can only advise you to keep discovering the theme and I encourage you to express what you believe in and share it in your project or company. Discover my manifesto guide
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