Why Your Team Needs a Rally, Not a Poster
Manifestos vs. Mission Statements
Mission statements are everywhere. You’ll find them carved in conference rooms, pasted on websites, and rattled off at annual offsites. But ask ten employees—or even the founder—what it means, and most won’t make it beyond vague platitudes.
Here’s the Un_Standard truth: A mission statement is a hope. A manifesto is a call to arms.
Why Mission Statements Don’t Move Teams (or Markets)
- Most are built by committee—over-edited, generic, forgettable.
- They sound good on a poster but fail to drive daily action, excitement, or clarity.
- Employees glance at them and shrug; customers never read them.
End result: confusion, drift, and watered-down identity.
Join The Movement
What Makes a Manifesto Different?
A manifesto is a living, breathing rallying cry. It isn’t a timeline or a vision for “one day far away.” It’s a blueprint for movement:
- It tells everyone what you refuse to compromise.
- It clarifies who you attract, who you repel, and why it matters.
- It’s bold—sometimes raw, always anti-vanilla.
The best manifestos are declarations of intent, courage, and action.
Movement Brands Don’t Settle for Posters
- Manifestos unify teams—statements divide. Everyone, from founder to newest hire, knows why they’re here and what they’re building. They’re not just “aligned,” they’re energized.
- Manifestos invite customers to co-create, not just buy. Clear values, bold lines, and shared “whys” attract people who want to join your story, not just consume it.
- Manifestos activate action. They surface when tough calls hit, when competition heats up, or when the company’s culture is put to the test.
How to Move Beyond a Static Mission Statement
- Start by asking: “What would we actually fight for?”
- Draft without filter or fear; prune for clarity, not safety.
- Test: if your manifesto doesn’t make some people pause or disagree, you’re still too generic.
- Live it. Make it visible in onboarding, rituals, customer stories, and decision meetings. A manifesto worth building is a manifesto worth referencing—in every deck and daily standup.
Proof from the Movement
Brands that drive rallies, not posters:
- Patagonia’s “We’re in business to save our home planet”: Activates loyalty, drives change, and draws the right hires.
- Every viral startup that becomes culture-first: Not by accident, but by installing a manifesto as a movement ritual—reference, challenge, and evolve it as teams and times demand.
Manifesto, Not Mission—The Rally Your Brand Needs
No plaque stirs action. If you want your team to align, attract, and move the market, drop the posters, build a movement. A great mission tells the “what.” Only a manifesto inspires action.
Ready for a rally, not a report? It’s time to make your manifesto earn its place in your brand’s legacy.
Book a Manifesto Clarity Sprint With Un_Standard →
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David Garrard
Agent Provocateur & Chief Creative Officer at Un_Standard. David helps ambitious brands unearth clarity, break the rules that hold them back, and co-create movement-level growth. When not challenging the status quo, he’s in the kitchen inventing new flavors or chasing after his three cats: Hallie Tosis, Lester Een, and Jim G. Vitis. #BeUnStandard
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