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 Director
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 Manager
For me, Mercury’s manifesto goes beyond a statement on a page—it’s a reminder of why I love what I do and the community we build through it. In my career, I’ve seen firsthand how building relationships grounded in trust and collaboration can elevate both brands and the people who champion them.
Whether it’s through volunteer work, or supporting the schools and sports teams that shape our neighborhood, I believe that we all contribute to something bigger than ourselves. Mercury’s belief in nurturing community aligns with my personal purpose: to make a meaningful impact by bringing people together, fostering shared growth, and going the extra mile to support the places and people we care about.
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.
