Manifesto Agency

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Cirrus Secure is a B2B SaaS company selling a cloud-based collaboration portal that connects providers and their customers in the onboarding or asset-origination processes. The platform has its roots in the commercial lending environment.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Manifesto Agency, and what were your goals?

We hired Manifesto to help us reinvent the Cirrus corporate brand identity, positioning and messaging to position Cirrus for future growth and investment.

1. Reinvent and evolve the Cirrus brand, positioning, messaging, and ecosystem and create a cohesive and scalable foundation for brand storytelling and website relaunch.
2. Clearly separate Cirrus from competitors and uncover the positioning and messaging for the brand
3. Humanize the brand and create more than a product based on uncovering and articulating what the brand stands for
4. Successfully relaunch the website with a new brand identity and messaging

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We found them through a google search and after meeting with several agencies we felt that we were aligned in terms of ethos and ambition. We were drawn to their human-centric approach to branding.

Describe the scope of their work in detail, including any steps and the final deliverables.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

• Audience and competitive research
• Brand Strategy including positioning and onlyness and messaging
• Brand narrative/manifesto
• Brand identity asset and playbook development
• Website design and copywriting

How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

The Manifesto team included strategists, copywriters, and a design team as well as Creative director and Associate creative director. Both the partners and the team were involved at various points in the project and consulted with us on strategic decisions throughout the engagement.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Manifesto completed the rebrand of Cirrus in June of 2021 and launched the website in July 2021. We are continuing to work with Manifesto on developing new brand assets for activation.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We had weekly project management calls with the account exec and often many other key members of the team. In these meetings, we coordinated additional information needed and exchanged ideas for the project as it moved forward. We communicated as well in slack, which was helpful for our team. They were timely in all to-dos as the project moved toward completion.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Manifesto really understood who we are and connected with us on a deep level. They have a friends first business second model and this really stood out to us the first time we met for a brand immersion session. They were able to navigate working with an earlier stage high growth startup but also brought a lot of critical thinking to the table when we needed it most.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Their account management team was going through a transition during this time and at various points in the project other team members stepped in to fill those gaps.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the chief admin officer at Mount Mary University.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Manifesto Agency?

Student enrollment was declining and we thought that our brand wasn’t well-understood. We wanted to hire a partner that could help us redefine and bring new life to our brand while honoring our history.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They worked with us to define our brand through a series of conversations. They identified how we viewed ourselves and the language we used. Then, using that information, they created a brand manifesto for us. Our brand identity outlined what images, templates, and language we would use for our ads so messaging was consistent.  

Once we were in agreement, they worked on digital content including a video that described our brand at a high-level. Then they created several videos that showcased our strengths. For example, we have a great fashion program, so they focused on that.

In addition to creating digital content, they created print ads, radio ads, billboards, and social media ads. We also refreshed our college magazine so it would consistent with our new brand.

In summary, they helped us create a story that was interesting and engaging for our audience — young women looking to go to college. We came up with a new campaign called “Here’s to the Bold,” which was a nod to our history and we hoped would inspire a new generation of women to get their education here.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Tim (Chief Storyteller & Managing Partner). Then we worked with 2–3 team members on copywriting and design.

How did you come to work with Manifesto Agency?

A friend of mine introduced me to them a few years ago at a conference. I was blown away by their boldness and the vision they had for their own company. They seek to do things greater than themselves and want to help their clients create success.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent upwards of $250,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project started around January 2014 and wrapped up sometime around July 2016.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We accomplished what we set out to do — we increased awareness and understanding of our brand. There was a lot of buzz about our rebrand and it increased enrollment.

We were able to make a cultural shift and change how we viewed ourselves. In that, people began to believe in what we were trying to achieve. Our employees definitely became more engaged.

How did Manifesto Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

I always felt well-informed and my team had a good rapport with them. As expected, we hit some bumps in the road, but I always knew that I could call Tim and he would be responsive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re radical creatives. They’re able to look at things with fresh eyes and see things other people don’t see. Then they bring that forward with the right visuals and messaging to appeal to people rationally and emotionally.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Overall, it was a great experience, but they could have provided more support when we rolled the manifesto out to the academic side of our organization. There’s a divide between the administrative side of our organization and the academic, and it was difficult to get the academic side on board with the new brand. Change doesn’t come easy, so more support on that would have been helpful.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would definitely recommend them to anybody considering them. I can’t imagine that they would take on a project that wouldn’t be successful because they come up with these radical ideas that make clients feel like there are endless possibilities.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Chief Marketing Officer at a healthcare oranization

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Manifesto Agency?

We faced an internal challenge of rallying our primary care physicians around a future strategy for the company. There was little engagement around the mission of our healthcare system. And primary care physicians needed to know that they were being heard.

What were your goals for this project?

We faced an internal challenge of rallying our primary care physicians around a future strategy for the company. There was little engagement around the mission of our healthcare system. And primary care physicians needed to know that they were being heard.

SOLUTION

How did you select Manifesto Agency?

Manifesto has a philosophy of “friends first, business second.” I had the opportunity to work with Manifesto during my time at GE Healthcare. I helped bring them into their first project at GE Healthcare and since then we have maintained a working relationship. One of the partners, Tim, has also become a friend over time.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

We asked Manifesto to develop a comprehensive strategy and event plan that would bring together our primary physicians from across the region and help cast the collective vision for where our healthcare company is headed. It included all elements of strategy (including key stakeholder interviews, multiple presentations to an executive team as well as planning and executing the event.

DELIVERABLES OVERVIEW: - Concept & strategy, account service and creative development within the estimated scope of hours of this agreement to shape the look, feel, experience & content for the event.

DISCOVERY - In-person interviews with key groups (serve line leaders, HR AMG groups, etc. within scope of hours, and within planning parameters) - Review of model community survey results - Identification of KPI’s agreed upon by both parties - Audience definition (Benchmark belief identification in strategic framework that informs event architecture, content and approach).

CONCEPTING Development of a strategic approach, event construct and run of show (choice of video, presentation style, featured speakers) solidified in a singular deck for internal key stakeholders.

INITIAL EVENT PLANNING Event design & ideation Content delivery ideation (choosing what videos, stories to be told, etc.) Venue prospecting, negotiating & booking Element bidding, pricing, etc.

EVENT PRODUCTION Asset production (videos, presentations, photography, collateral, etc.) Event production including but not limited to: Staging, A/V, Lighting Event execution & event staffing Event elements including but not limited to: Food & Beverage, Signage (CTA), Giveaway items

What was the team composition?

The Manifesto team was comprised of an account lead, a senior level strategist, some of the partner’s time, an account coordinator and designer at a later stage of the project.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Great attendance from our physicians, providers and Ascension leadership team. We spent the evening sharing "Stories of Transformation: Mission and Values in Action" and linking our strategic priorities with our priorities and design teams, and really helping with clinician engagement and well-being. Nice videos, storytelling, discussion and networking.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very easy workflow with Manifesto! Weekly meetings followed a detailed project plan.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

I really appreciated Manifesto's focus on employee engagement. They created a special, curated evening for primary care providers across our Milwaukee and Racine communities. This was planned especially for providers that needed to link to Ascension's strategy, growth, and mission to help the poor and under-served.

Are there any areas for improvement?

This was a brand new idea for our employed providers. We had a nice turnout, but there were some emergency factors beyond out control that kept some doctors in their clinics and unable to attend in person.

However, Manifesto produced a really nice summary video to provide a quick snapshot of the event, and we got nice feedback from folks who were sorry they missed it and looked forward to the next one.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CMO of a modern payments fintech company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Manifesto Agency?

We were engaged in a rebrand and needed help creating a cohesive brand framework inclusive of our narrative, creative platform, positioning and value proposition, tagline and core messaging statements. We engaged another agency to develop the rebrand look and feel, but it was clear we were at a crossroads and needed additional support from an agency currently not on our roster who specialized in strategy and storytelling.

What were your goals for this project?

Our primary goal was to wrestle through an internally-developed positioning and creative platform with an outside partner who could help us hone and articulate it, first for key stakeholders and then across potential platforms and messaging.

SOLUTION

How did you select Manifesto Agency?

They came recommended by a former consultant who worked as an extension of our team.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Though the project shifted because we were moving really fast and were using a sprint-style work model under deadline, the scope of work we identified on the front end of the engagement is as follows:

• Phase 1: Insights & Discovery Review existing brand book, messaging, collateral and digital audit. Conduct virtual immersion session and discovery session with key stakeholders Provide light competitive analysis and review of existing customer research and brand messaging Review of existing research, messaging, values and conduct internal brand comms asset audit
• Phase 2: Create Brand Messaging Framework Develop brand messaging framework in a google slide (PDF format) that included brand narrative/manifesto, onlyness, value prop, brand statement, brand tone and tagline Also include a section that frames up third party (partner) communication

What was the team composition?

Because it was a very fast timeline and a sprint-style model we had identified on the front end of the engagement, I worked primarily with the two founders and a senior copywriter/ACD on their team. Strategists were involved in the project, but behind the scenes and largely on the competitive analysis portion.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The work together with Manifesto was like a genie in a bottle for a CMO. The concepts and narrative they presented helped us make a very quick leap forward and solidify our tagline and launch campaign “Go After It.”

The core ideas within their narratives helped reveal how we could turn into a lifestyle brand and that it had a role to play not on the 3rd page of your shopping cart, but the homepage of your life.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They got under the hood of our business very quickly. And though, with no major category experience, demonstrated their ability to not only keep pace but be a very effective sounding board. I had the opportunity to work directly with the partners, which candidly, may not be every client’s experience. It was very effective because we did this work in under four weeks.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Fast, smart, and damned nice people to work with.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not that I can think of

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was the CMO at an HR software company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Manifesto Agency?

We hired them because we needed to reset our positioning in the market with our audiences. Our portfolio of products had greatly expanded since we started, but the breadth of what we brought to the market wasn’t fully understood. 

We also needed to raise our awareness with new audiences, prospects, and accounts. Our challenge was that we weren’t known for what we do or our value proposition. We needed an agency that could help us uncover the true essence of who we were.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We started off by doing a corporate rebranding project. Manifesto Agency went through multiple phases of work with us. They first did R&D, both internally and in the market, to uncover the state of our positioning, perception, and awareness. 

Next, they helped us set up our corporate positioning, including the words that we used to describe ourselves. They set up a verbal brand strategy and developed a brand new visual brand identity. The team helped us uncover the tone that represented who we are as a company.

Based on the success we had with that, we extended our work with Manifesto Agency, and they became the partner who helped us rebuild and redesign our website. 

What is the team composition?

We initially spent a lot of time with Tim (Chief Storyteller & Managing Partner) and Dave (CEO & Managing Partner), and we later expanded to a team of two designers and an account manager. 

We also worked with a copywriter. When we had needs that went beyond their core competencies, they also contracted other resources to help us with video production and in-depth research.

How did you come to work with Manifesto Agency?

We did a lengthy RFP process with about 10 branding agencies, and we selected Manifesto Agency because our internal graphic designer had had a relationship with them in the past. 

How much have you invested with them?

We started the RFP process in March 2019, and we initiated the project in June 2019. The project technically wrapped up in March 2020, but we also extended their scope of work to include brand activation.

I’m no longer at the company, but I believe the organization is still working with Manifesto Agency.

What is the status of this engagement?

In total, we ended up spending about $500,000.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

We were excited about buying into the new brand strategy that represented who we were as a company. When we launched it, we got a tremendous reaction from our employees and executives. Our employees are our brand ambassadors, and they were very excited about the work. 

Additionally, we launched a new website based on branding, and Manifesto Agency was a big part of that. There were a lot of improved metrics related to our website performance, including viewership and time spent on the website. 

How did Manifesto Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

Manifesto Agency did an excellent job. It was a long and complicated project. They did a great job of keeping us on track, and we hit every milestone. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Initially, the reason we selected them was that we had a strong connection culture-wise in terms of their purpose and mission in looking at branding as a way to articulate the true essence of a company. That authentic approach aligned with what we wanted to do.

In addition, Tim and Dave were incredibly strategic. They worked with our executive team in a way that built a lot of trust. Also, what I appreciated was Manifesto Agency’s flexibility and commitment to getting it right, especially because there are a lot of cycles in the creative process.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They’re a smaller agency. They did everything right, but I would’ve loved to have worked with Manifesto Agency directly on more parts of the project. That said, for this project, they were everything that we needed. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

They know what they’re doing, so trust their methodology and approach. Treat the relationship as a partnership and allow them into your company.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

As Director of Intel Ambassadors, my team was chartered with building Intel brand loyalists internally and externally.  We strive to connect people personally and emotionally to what’s inside the heart and soul of Intel through our social and technological innovations.

Intel Ambassadors are the voices of our unified brand story that reveals to the world what we stand for and why they should care.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Manifesto Agency?

We were looking for a brand agency to help Intel launch a global brand refresh campaign for our internal employees. The challenge is that our employees don’t connect their work every day to the macro experience and global impact that Intel is making.

The opportunity is how to engage and empower employees to be powerful ambassadors and influencers for the brand.

What were your goals for this project?

The goals are:

1. Make Intel employees believers. They must believe that we are the INSIDE that makes AMAZING possible on the OUTSIDE.
2. Create pride and awareness around the scale of impact that Intel employees are making.
3. Build and instill a new culture that reflects focus on Intel as a performance-based brand.
4. Create fun engagement experiences that pay off the brand promise to employees.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Manifesto Agency was uniquely positioned for helping us bring this internal brand campaign to life with their unique expertise in helping companies transform brand beliefs into authentic behavior through the power of culturally disruptive ideas. They understand the internal employee audience better than any other agency I've engaged.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Their work involved:

1. Reach and impact 100K+ employees around the world making the campaign scalable throughout geos
2. Connect employees to the outcome of their work
3. Enable employees to experience and own the brand
4. Arm employees with the latest technology
5. Transform employees into powerful brand advocates
6. Drive external social conversation about the brand, led by employees Manifesto
7.  Deliver inspiring content, on-campus messaging and signage, digital hub, and event activation mobile tour

What was the team composition?

Manifesto engaged a dynamic team of 5-6 employees to deliver on this brand campaign. As the scope of the global reach increased, Manifesto brought on additional contractors to help us scale.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The impact these campaigns had for our Intel employees exceeded expectations. Metrics and impact over 30,000 employees attended the brand campaign activation "Let The Inside Out" at site events in 15 countries and 28 campuses and the "Moore's Law" anniversary activation in 24 countries and 29 campuses.

Other quantifiable outcomes were:

• Average of 27 minutes with hands-on demos
• 72% of visitors rate the value as “extremely valuable” in a post-survey
• 93% of attendees agreed with the statement that “Intel Makes Amazing Experiences Possible”

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Manifesto Agency was an excellent thought-partner in the creation and activation of this brand campaign. They came to the table with bold, innovative ideas.

They internalized Intel's feedback and delivered best-in-class solutions to close the gaps. The Manifesto team was accessible, agile, and delivered excellent results.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

The Manifesto Agency has unique expertise in helping companies transform brand beliefs into authentic behavior through the power of culturally disruptive ideas. They understand the internal employee audience better than any other agency I've engaged in.

They quickly learned Intel's values, culture, and norms to deliver a solution that fit our company's needs. They excelled at creating powerful storytelling platforms, designed to inspire, disrupt, and create lasting impact. Their ability to create high-touch experiences rooted in the core of what the Intel brand stands for was amazing.

Are there any areas for improvement?

This campaign had a very aggressive timeline and a massive global reach. While it's always possible to hit milestones quicker, Intel was impressed by Manifesto's ability to deliver an exceptional brand campaign against the timeline.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the chief marketing and communications officer for the Wisconsin Foundation Alumni Association. We try to increase pride and affinity among our alumni base as well as raise philanthropic support on behalf of the university. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenges were you trying to address with Manifesto Agency?

We hired them for experiential marketing support. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Creative concepting was a major portion of their work, as was creative execution, digital design, and actual activation support. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with several people including Tim (Partner & Chief Storyteller), Matt (Managing Director), and a project manager. 

How did you come to work with Manifesto Agency?

I was introduced to them by the CMO of my former place of employment. 

How much have you invested in them? 

We’ve invested $400,000–$450,000 so far. 

What is the status of this engagement?

I’ve worked with them for about three years. We probably started working together in October 2016. Our relationship is ongoing, however, we’ve put things on hold since there are no public events this year. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Their strategy and creative conceptualization are very strong. They use their insight on consumers to find unique ways to market our ideas. They’re also excellent storytellers. The team knows how to make our activations work.  

How did Manifesto Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

We have a designated project manager who we had weekly calls with. They have their own project management organization that I’m not privy to. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

They’re extremely easy to work with. I’ve worked with other agencies, but Manifesto feels like part of our in-house team. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They outsource some of the technical work which sometimes makes things go a bit slower. However, any issues we ran into were manageable. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers? 

Don’t let their size dissuade you from working with them. They’re flexible and work well with their clients. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I was in charge of communications for the innovation team within the strategy department at Cisco Systems. Since then, I have moved to a different team within Cisco.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Manifesto Agency?

We were participating in an internal company event called the Innovate Everywhere Challenge, and we needed help getting people within the company on board and shifting the culture to make sure that people believed that we had the opportunity and permission to innovate internally.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us with a variety of tasks around the development of an internal website called innovation hub, including naming, a document called the “articles of innovation” to help brand the effort, and the look and feel of the innovate challenge as a whole. All of those elements were part of their big picture role as our partner in the branding of our company culture change.

What was the team composition?

We worked with around 5–6 people, including the principles, a copywriter, an art director, and program managers.

How did you come to work with Manifesto Agency?

I knew one of their principles from another relationship, and so we included them in our search for different potential partners. In the end, we decided to work with them in part because they hadn’t worked with Cisco before and we wanted a fresh eye, but also because they had done some innovation type work with other major tech companies and easily grasped what we were trying to accomplish.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent around $160,000 on the project in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

The project ran from about August 2016–August 2017.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We really enjoyed the process of working with them because they were very flexible with our needs. They listened, brought creative ideas to the table, and then arrived at really refined suggestions in the end. We just loved their concepts and process, which was a huge benefit to us.

In terms of results, it’s hard to say except that the Innovate Everywhere Challenge is still ongoing and making an impact within the company to this day. The only reason we had to stop working with them was because of pretty significant changes at the corporate level.

How did Manifesto Agency perform from a project management standpoint?

They used Slack to communicate internally, but we mostly used email and Excel spreadsheets for documentation. They always did a good job meeting deadlines and communicating with us to make sure that our team was always on the same page about what we were working towards next.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I’ve been in comms and worked with other agencies in the past, and I was really impressed with the way they package everything. They were just an excellent partner to work with from the very beginning and were more than willing to dive in alongside us in the work. I would absolutely work with them again if given the opportunity because this project remains one of the best pieces of work I’ve been a part of in my career.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The hardest part for us was the budget, because we wanted to be able to do a lot with it, but due to their prices just didn’t have quite the wiggle room to work with that we were hoping for.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Executive and GM for a medical tech company. I am responsible for the Edison platform which is the digital strategy for our company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Manifesto Agency?

Create an anthemic video and a regional sales presentation painting a vision for Healthcare in 2030 and the company's role in it.

What were your goals for this project?

Inspire an organization around how technology would play a critical role in transforming the industry and allowing our teams to rally around this transformation. It also kicked off a technology platform that allowed startups to engage with our teams to get access to customers.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

Past work. Multiple references from healthcare companies that refreshed their brand image. The talent of the organization. Marketing, Brand team, and General Manager had a rigorous criteria for selecting new agencies. Included capabilities assessment and reviewing past work.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

Messaging, full production of video, including various video assets built from the original asset. Presentation and regional customer conferences to rally the sales teams and customers in local areas.

What was the team composition?

20+ members associated with the project including the CEO and Chief Storyteller

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Edison platform was launched globally and included startups in 7 different geographies including the US, China, and India. Organization invested heavily in bringing in software talent. The video won nine Telly Awards across a range of categories including Gold for Craft/Cinematography and Silver in Writing/Storytelling, the piece was designed to showcase how future technology could dramatically transform the patient experience when facing the potential of breast cancer.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Great communication and many back and forths aligning on vision. Manifesto navigated various global and functional stakeholders to ensure all perspectives were heard and managed several senior leaders to bring together a successful project and regional rally cry.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their creative work was sensational. Their ability to capture a difficult vision of predicting healthcare and 2030 and balancing futuristic with believable. The piece also captured the emotion of the characters and helped display the passion many feel working in the healthcare industry.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Nothing notable. Content was delivered above expectations. It required several iterations and Manifesto stayed on budget and schedule.