Your manifesto is your purpose.
It is what you believe. Your manifesto isn’t just what you tell each other or what you tell your clients. It is what you tell everyone.
It cuts through the noise and goes to the heart of the core values and beliefs that guide your team. It is carved in metal and hung in the lobby of your headquarters (if you had a piece of metal and a building with a lobby). It is why you do what you do, and it provides a deeper sense of connection to your brand and your work.
A well-executed brand experience creates an emotional connection for your team members, clients, and partners. Defining your brand manifesto is a key part of that process! And that is one of the key exercises we lead our clients through in our discovery work to create a comprehensive brand guide for their organization.
Mercury Creative Group recently redefined our brand manifesto and then dug a little deeper to describe how that concept of community applied to us personally.
“We believe creating and nurturing community leads to meaningful change.”
Our team wrote multiple iterations before we landed on this manifesto. We realized that we’re great at creating community within the organizations we serve and among our client groups. And, we’ve seen how our work leads to meaningful change. But the word that took our manifesto to the next level is “nurturing.” Nurturing means to care for and encourage. Yes, Mercury believes in creating community, but we don’t stop there.
Much of this manifesto was led by our founder, Justin Bieganek. He shared, “I grew up in a small town where there were five businesses and a church that all worked together to help the community in so many ways. So when I started my business, one of my goals was to bring my networks together, to connect, share, help each other, and build something better, together. That network has grown into our community that I am super proud of. And that happened by going the extra mile for our clients and colleagues. It’s volunteering my expertise with the many groups I believe in to help their organizations and the ones they serve. Even my workout peeps are a strong part of our community. We keep each other accountable as well as encourage growth, and a lot of play too, which is so valuable in a busy world. All of these connections and time together has shaped some incredible lifelong friendships.”
I also asked some of the Mercury Team members to share their thoughts on what the Mercury Manifesto means to them, why community is important, and how they participate in community in their personal lives.
Emily Youngblood, Client Services Manager
“The Mercury Manifesto comes to life at work every day. The work we do connects our team with our clients and with each other. One of my favorite parts about my job is that my network, community, and friend group grows as Mercury grows. It’s a gift to be connected with so many people and also to learn so much from each of them. During our brand discovery work, we do an exercise called “Impact Stories”. These are so meaningful; we ask our clients to be very vulnerable.
Community for me is the people I’m doing life with every day at work, at home, and in my neighborhood. Participating in community for me looks like hosting people at my house, gathering with friends at restaurants, hockey games, or concerts. My family is also strongly connected to a church community. When I’m participating in a community I feel connected to the world in a different way. My view of people’s lives and what I learn about how other people live, work and play all help me grow as a person.
Tania Hermann, Marketing Director
“When I work with clients that mirror my values and interests it’s like turning on a faucet of ideas. The creativity and expression of messaging aren’t a struggle, it’s free-flowing. The struggle instead is more about how to rein it in and prioritize speaking to our clients about what is most valuable to their ideal audiences.
Community to me is a sense of belonging. One that isn’t contrived, but occurs organically because it’s created by shared values and shared purpose.”
Nicole Devereaux, Executive Operations Assistant
“I see the Mercury team as my community – who I am responsible to. I work hard to create space for the varying opinions, experiences, and day-to-day needs of my team members because I believe that, as I care for them, they are better able to care for our clients. When my work is supportive and nurturing of my team, then they can make great stuff happen!
A community is a group of people who tangibly care for and are committed to one another. Because I live on the road, I don’t have a physical community outside of my immediate family. As a result, I get to choose who my broader community is and how I engage with them. For me, this means regular phone calls with my closest friends to check in on each other and provide support and encouragement. It also means making phone calls and sending letters to elected officials to protect marginalized communities across the country, as well as donating to organizations that serve and advance causes I care about. If community is about caring for and being committed to others, then showing up for those people (politically, financially, emotionally) allows me to participate in community.”
The beginning of each year is a great time to reflect on your manifesto.
We also encourage you to take some time to define what community means for you both personally and professionally, and we invite you to connect with us. We’d love to help you create and nurture community with your team while building your brand.
