Brands Were Meant to Stand for More.
Manifesto is a courage-led brand agency with offices in Portland, OR and Milwaukee, WI. We specialize in rallying humans around the heart and soul of the world’s most ambitious brands. From branding, strategy, campaigns, employee engagement, and branded content and experiences we believe it all starts with identifying your brand’s onlyness—the one, unique thing your brand can lay claim to. Using deep human insights, we help brands declare what they stand for and activate their customers, employees, and stakeholders around this belief system.
headquarters
other locations
Focus
Portfolio
Intel, Amazon, Arby's, Starbucks, UW-Madison, Paylocity
Amazon Gift Card Digital Campaign
The customer is at the center of Amazon’s retail efforts—and Amazon has products for each and every one of them. They tasked us with figuring out how we could position Amazon Gift Cards as the perfect gift because it allows customers to buy the gift they really want.
We developed a series of short, witty animation vignettes to show their customers how to take the guessing out of gift giving–and to bring a smile to their faces. The digital content campaign was leveraged on Amazon social media and OTT.
Death's Door Bottle Launch
Despite the brand’s growth and scale, we uncovered that a pour of Death’s Door Gin tastes exactly the same as it did with the first batch. Its commitment to quality is unwavering and yet the brand never stops improving the process or even the vessel it comes in. With intentional care for everything they do, Death’s Door Spirits cares about the details, from an ergonomic shape and an easier pour to the reduction of waste that comes from sourcing bottles made in the USA. Said simply: Same Gin. New Vessel.
Manifesto created an integrated industry-focused PR effort to garner media coverage and buzz among Spirits influencers and publications. Getting coverage across media publications and listed on design blogs, the campaign focused on telling the story of an intentional brand as the precursor to a national awareness campaign.
Nike Zerocity
Nike seeks to create a zero waste supply chain, but to do it, Nike knew they’d have to rally the entire organization around a singular goal wrapped in an irresistibly powerful story.
At the heart of Nike is performance. To crack the code on selling Nike’s zero waste supply chain plan we had to transform it into a story that tapped into the heart and soul of Nike employees and their ambition to push past the boundaries of what’s possible. Instead of driving down waste, we called on employees to accelerate it to zero.
Armed with a deep human insight about the collective momentum of Nike, its athletes and the world, we created a platform called Zerocity. Lighter, better faster. When Nike, our athletes and the world create an unstoppable force that accelerates waste to zero, we’ve done our job. We’ve created sustainability through innovation. We have created Zerocity.
Arby's Foundation, The Big Wait
There’s a tough truth facing kids across America.
When’s the last time you waited in a line 30,000 people deep? Every day, there are 30,000 kids across America who wait in an invisible, but very real line. What are they waiting for? A Big Brother or Big Sister. 30,000 mentor roles waiting to be filled and 30,000 kids who can’t wait to meet them.
This Fall, Manifesto worked hand in hand with The Arby’s Foundation and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to help tell these kids’ story. With a focus on childhood hunger, youth mentorship and career readiness, Arby’s saw the opportunity to raise awareness around the mentorship gap.
With the launch of the microsite TheBigWait.org, we deployed a handful of teasers into the digital ether followed by a :60 TV spot, illustrating what would happen if this line was made visible. Driving viewers to the site, the video content campaign accompanied a simultaneous national in-store dollar donation program at Arby’s restaurants to support Big Brothers Big Sisters, No Kid Hungry and Junior Achievement.
UW-Madison #ThankYou72
Sam Adams - I Am Boston
Delta SkyMiles Portfolio Launch
Delta SkyMiles sought to build affinity in second tier markets. With head to head competitors like jetBlue and Southwest Airlines holding the number one spot for domestic travel in those markets, the SkyMiles credit card team needed to find a way to differentiate and drive both enrollment and affinity for Delta SkyMiles. Repositioning the card in a portfolio approach and leveraging the one point of difference that Delta can claim—an enhanced experience to more exotic destinations—our work with Delta helped them secure an aspirational lens on the accrual of SkyMiles in a first step to overtake the competition. With direct flights from Boston to London or Indy to Paris, Delta laid claim to the reality that Delta SkyMiles take you farther than the competition.
- Launch strategy development
- Campaign development
- Campaign creative execution (digital + social)
Paylocity Rebrand & Site Launch
Paylocity was challenged with the opportunity to step into the enterprise-level brand they were meant to be. As one of the first cloud-based solutions rooted deeply in a culture of caring more, our work involved a year-long brand evolution project. The singular insight? That Paylocity's culture fueled a new kind of currency—that of care. Conducting both qualitative and quantitative research, Manifesto helped to determine that their unique value to clients focused on their incredible culture and care not just for client's today, but for their tomorrow. Paylocity's onlyness emerged as both a rally cry and declaration of their approach to client partnership: Forward Together.
- Qual. & Quant. Research
- Focus Groups
- Brand Strategy
- Positioning
- Brand Playbook Development
- Website launch & Brand Asset Builds
- Brand Illustration
- Anthemic Video Content
GE Healthcare 2030
GE Healthcare wanted to showcase how emerging technologies could change the care pathway for patients in the very near future. Manifesto worked hand in hand with GE Healthcare's global Imaging team to create a traveling road show concept anchored by a powerful emotive content piece. Our work involved, strategy, planning, creative development and production as well as an accompany talk track for GE Healthcare executives.
Arby's #MeatSweats
Reviews
the project
Rebranding for Modern Payment Fintech Firm
"It was very effective because we did this work in under four weeks."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the CMO of a modern payments fintech company.
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.
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.
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
the project
Brand Strategy & Web Design for HR Software Company
"What I appreciated was Manifesto Agency’s flexibility and commitment."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I was the CMO at an HR software company.
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.
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.
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.
the project
Internal Branding Strategy for IT Company
"They quickly learned our values, culture, and norms to deliver a solution that fit our company's needs."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
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.
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:
- Make Intel employees believers. They must believe that we are the INSIDE that makes AMAZING possible on the OUTSIDE.
- Create pride and awareness around the scale of impact that Intel employees are making.
- Build and instill a new culture that reflects focus on Intel as a performance-based brand.
- Create fun engagement experiences that pay off the brand promise to employees.
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:
- Reach and impact 100K+ employees around the world making the campaign scalable throughout geos
- Connect employees to the outcome of their work
- Enable employees to experience and own the brand
- Arm employees with the latest technology
- Transform employees into powerful brand advocates
- Drive external social conversation about the brand, led by employees Manifesto
- 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.
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.
the project
Experiential Marketing for Academic Alumni Network
"They’re excellent storytellers."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
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.
What challenges were you trying to address with Manifesto Agency?
We hired them for experiential marketing support.
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.
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.
the project
Branding for Employee Engagement & Innovation Challenge
“I would absolutely work with them again if given the opportunity.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
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.
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.
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.
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.
the project
Video Production & Sales Presentation for Med Tech Company
"Their creative work was sensational."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
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.
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.
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
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.
the project
Branding & Communication Strategy for Nonprofit
"The innovative thinking and clear communication from the team is what impressed me most."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the Founder of Urban Light a non-profit based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We PROTECT boys and young men by meeting their basic needs and EMPOWER them through education, training, and counseling—all to give them FREEDOM to choose a life beyond exploitation.
For what projects/services did your company hire Manifesto Agency?
Urban Light was fortunate enough to have been chosen as a pro-bono client of Manifesto in 2016. The challenge of every organization is in crafting a cohesive message, a visual movement and content that tells a story about your work. Manifesto has assisted Urban Light with enhancing our communication strategy, our global message, as well as amplifying our visual presence online.
What were your goals for this project?
Urban Light was a passion project with zero budget for marketing, ads, and website design. Manifesto's team transformed the Urban Light brand into a mature, professional and competitive charity within the global anti-trafficking arena.
How did you select this vendor?
I spoke to a number of current and former clients and was able to learn about the incredible reputation of the entire Manifesto team.
Describe the scope of their work in detail.
Once Manifesto conducted an extensive audit of our website, content and vision the Manifesto team worked very closely with myself and the Urban Light team to design a visual campaign and strategy that would allows us to make the most impact in our work in Thailand.
What was the team composition?
Throughout our 5+ year collaboration I have had the pleasure of working with almost every team member within the Manifesto family. I have worked with talented web-designers, articulate story-tellers helping me to craft the organization's message, as well as the Founder. Each ladder of expertise provided sound wisdom and incredible hand-holding support.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Since Manifesto's creation of Urban Light's new organizational logo, messaging and visual storytelling we have seen an increase in engagement online, an increase in donations, a surge in new followers via social media, and more noise and interest for allyship.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Both teams had to work virtually as our teams were located on two different continents and time zones and yet the Manifesto team has always been stellar with communication. Team members aim to be available at the client's need and is always extremely accommodating to any urgency we might have surrounding new projects.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
The innovative thinking and clear communication from the team is what impressed me most with the Manifesto team. My expectation of Manifesto has surpassed excellent, with every project they tackle the end-result is never anything short of amazing and thoughtfully curated.
Are there any areas for improvement?
I normally recommend that companies address and build upon their Corporate Social Responsibility division, however Manifesto is not only already tackling this effort they are thriving in their support and care of the non-profit world. Manifesto is an absolute pioneer within this space and I applaud them for that.
the project
Visual Rebranding Services for Retail Growth Firm
"While they ensured we stayed close to in-scope, they went above and beyond in every aspect of service."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Harvest Group is an omni-channel retail growth agency that specializes in coming alongside CPG brands every step of the retail journey. We represent small, medium, and large brands at key retailers such as Walmart, Sam's Club, and Kroger.
I serve as both the Vice President of our Kroger Division as well as the Brand Director/Chief Marketing Officer
For what projects/services did your company hire Manifesto Agency?
We hired Manifesto to engage in a visual identity rebrand, as well as to help us more clearly tell and communicate our story (differentiators). This included new logo, wordmark, manifesto, tagline, and color palette.
What were your goals for this project?
- New visual identity which evolves with the maturity of our brand
- New manifesto to engage and solidify our company culture and story
- New business development pitch deck for meeting/discussing with new brand partnerships
How did you select this vendor?
We engaged with 5 different agencies from all over the country, small to large, and evaluated design talent, dedicated resources, and overall client service strategy. We chose Manifesto based on the 360 creative support, the dedicated approach, and the heartbeat behind the company from the top down.
Describe the project in detail.
We engaged Manifesto in December of 2019 to develop a new visual identity for Harvest Group. They began by executing a one day, on-site, deep dive with our team. This, for me, was the key element of the success of the project.
They then did a study of our industry, and presented back to us the strategic white space they discovered for our marketing and messaging. We then moved in to the brand identity work, while parallel pathing the manifesto creation.
Ultimately, we finished up with the tag line and the presentation deck for New Business Development All along the way the team brought new ideas, fresh thinking, and new visuals for communicating our story.
What was the team composition?
Their team ranged from the Founders to the creative team and everywhere in between. We met designers, researchers, copywriters, etc. There was a core team, but then different elements of the project included folks with a unique skillset. Each team member was well versed in the project, our business, and our desired outcomes.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
We launched the new branding recently, and it has been unanimously well received. We have received positive reviews from current clients, potential clients, and the industry. We also recently signed a large new client and we believe an element of the reason they chose us is due to the intentionality of our design work which Manifesto created.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
We utilized Slack for team communication which enabled quick response and feedback for rounds of design and next steps. Their team also consistently provided notes and recaps of meetings and documented next steps. The 'account management' element of the Manifesto team is as good as I've ever experienced at a creative agency.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
1.The creative skillset combined with the strategic thinking of the entire team - they took the time to truly learn our industry, understand our business from end-to-end, and then bring their creative talents to the design elements
2.The dedication of the team throughout many changes and delays. There was never a loss of passion during the extension of timing on this project
3. The 'yes' based culture - their team never said "we don't do that". While they ensured we stayed close to in-scope, they went above and beyond in every aspect of service.
Are there any areas for improvement?
The only misstep we had along the way was the first round of brand logo presentation. I'm not quite sure what the miss was, but once we provided feedback that the first round of design missed the mark, the 2nd round of design far exceeded expectations.
the project
Brand Marketing Campaign for Semiconductor Manufacturer
"They uniquely get under the hood of a brand and bring very valuable insights that are rooted in culture."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a former brand and marketing strategist at a semiconductor manufacturing company.
What challenge were you trying to address with Manifesto Agency?
We were trying to solve for a global brand reinvention. Ahead of launching with our consumers, we knew we had to launch with our employes.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Manifesto Agency developed a comprehensive employee-led brand reinvigoration campaign that was designed to help employees understand the brand essence and technology differentiation that the organization has around the world.
The team provided a lot of marketing assets, including a creative campaign that would resonate with the hearts and minds of both our employees and consumers. They helped us sharpen our brand strategy and realign the direction we wanted to go on a global scale.
Additionally, Manifesto Agency created a huge brand activation that was a technology tour with three shipping containers, one in each of three different continents, that traveled around simultaneously over the course of a few quarters.
It was designed to bring technology to the hands of our employees. They also helped us with building takeovers, wrapping buildings and elevators with our new messaging structure and brand resonance. Their services also included videos and lifestyle shoots.
Finally, The team helped us to do exposés on who we would consider our star employees to give voice and heart and face to the brand, fanning the flame of those exemplary employees.
What is the team composition?
We worked with 6–8 teammates.
How did you come to work with Manifesto Agency?
Dave (Managing Partner) and I were introduced through a mutual, professional contact.
What is the status of this engagement?
We worked with them from about 2017–2019 on this particular project.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We saw a huge volume of brand advocates, as well as resonance with what the organization was trying to do in the word. Manifesto Agency’s work increased employee price, engagement, and sentiment. We also received positive feedback regarding the stories, headlines, and exposés. All of it was so well received.
Additionally, their work helped to prepare our global employee base for the consumer-facing brand refresh that came just after this brand campaign. The experiential marketing part of this campaign ended up winning an award, so it was great for the team to receive that recognition.
How did Manifesto Agency perform from a project management standpoint?
They were incredibly responsive. The volume of work that we did over several continents simultaneously was herculean. There’s so much planning that goes into experiential marketing.
When challenges came up, Manifesto Agency handled them with grace and a sense of urgency.
Overall, the experience was very positive. They’ve continued to win work with my former organization which speaks to their partnership and engagement skills.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The team is very strong with strategy, especially helping companies to iterate on their current brand strategy. They uniquely get under the hood of a brand and bring very valuable insights that are rooted in culture. Additionally, the team is very creative and flexible.
The systems they developed for our marketers are reflective of the 360-degree needs of the omnichannel life that we now live in. Manifesto Agency did a smart job of creating a suite of assets that were flexible and modular so that they could be localized, which they thought through right from the beginning.
We really appreciate this as a global brand. The founders of the company are a delight to work with. They have high integrity, are really creative, and love what they, which shows in all the work they present.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Given the volume of work we did, I think they could’ve done with extra hands. I talked to Dave about this. Having more help would’ve helped them to ensure that all of the i’s were dotted and t’s were crossed in terms of experiential installations.
Some extra attention to the minute details amidst the pressure of delivering an experiential and global install campaign on our campuses would’ve been ideal.
the project
Rebranding for Online HR and Payroll Software Company
"They don’t offer cookie-cutter solutions — it’s been a customized, unique experience."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m a senior graphic designer at an HR and payroll SaaS provider.
What challenge were you trying to address with Manifesto Agency?
We were entering a rebranding process.
What was the scope of their involvement?
There have been two main phases of the project. The first was the research and strategy phase, where we began drawing up a plan to conduct quantitative and qualitative research around the best direction for our company. After finishing the interview and research reports, along with audience segmentation, and persona building, we created brand positioning statements, study reports, a brand messaging framework, and a creative brief.
Next, we transitioned into the visual identity side of the project, building out the brand guidelines. We established brand identity and a brand book, and are working on asset creation.
Manifesto has also provided support on the website development and design side. They’ve also helped us create a lot of the marketing piece templates that have been used internally and will eventually be used externally.
What is the team composition?
In total, we’ve been in touch with about six to eight team members throughout the project. Dave (Co-Founder) was my lead contact for the first phase, along with Matt (Managing Director). Tim (Co-Founder) stepped in for the second phase as well. We’ve also worked with creative and art directors.
How did you come to work with Manifesto Agency?
I’ve known Tim and Dave personally for a long time. When I was put on the rebranding project, I knew they were in the industry so I gave them a call. Manifesto was one of the 14 firms we considered. Ultimately, we thought they would strike the perfect balance between having a great amount of experience, but would also be able to relate to us as a partner.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent a little over $500,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working with Manifesto in May 2019, and the project is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We just launched the website, which has been live for less than a month. We’ve already seen tremendous amounts of growth in traffic and engagement. The quality and performance have definitely increased.
Due to COVID-19, we’ve paused our external brand launch. Instead, we’ve done an internal soft launch, which has been well received so far. We’re planning to go to market with Manifesto as soon as we’re able.
How did Manifesto Agency perform from a project management standpoint?
They’ve done a great job. Matt is our main project manager, and he’s been dedicated to making sure we’re staying on track. There’s been a lot of executive input from our side, but Manifesto has been extremely flexible and adaptable.
The team has maintained most deadlines we’ve set and has always offered clear, honest communication, adding us to their Slack channel. They have a very diverse and dynamic team that is capable of handling every aspect of our project.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Tim and Dave offered a great balance in their involvement in the project. They stepped in when they were needed, but also knew when to let their team work independently. They’re really effective leaders, instilling a great deal of confidence in their team. Overall, Manifesto is a very personable group that tries to understand our needs as well as possible. They don’t offer cookie-cutter solutions — it’s been a customized, unique experience.
Are there any areas they could improve?
There were a few times when Manifesto over-promised on when they would be able to deliver. We would’ve appreciated them under-promising and over-delivering, rather than the other way around. We also ran into some problems scheduling early on.
Thanks to Manifesto Agency's efforts, the company was able to have a powerful tagline and campaign launch. With their expertise, the client also saw an opportunity to be known as a lifestyle brand. They were responsive, talented, and ingenious.