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Manifestos. Keywords. Taglines. Wordmarks.

Manifestos and Creative Concepts

• Use strategic thinking to develop your creative identity, work and campaign
  
  
• Write a manifesto that defines the voice of your organization. (If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough — Einstein)
  
  
• A great tagline is memorable and captures the essence of the value your organization / festival provides. Don't be afraid to put plenty of personality into your tagline.
  
  
• Use your keywords to test your work. Put the words on a post it on your computer, look at your work and then at the post it note and ask yourself does this work fit / meet / speak the keywords.

 

Poster from editionsof100.com

Manifesto, Pride PDX, (Design by Gaby Jenkins)

Gaby Jenkin, Keywords, Pride PDX Festival.

One of the logo variations for web by Gaby Jenkin’s Pride PDX Festival.

 

 

Overview of Pride PDX, Mobile Site Design by Gaby Jenkins

Pride PDX Tagline with Logotype in upper right of Out of Home Banner, Design by Gaby Jenkins

Pride PDX, Out of Home Posters, Design by Gaby Jenkins

Above Pride PDX, Totebag, Merchandise, Design by Gaby Jenkins

Yo Soy Chicana Talks / Festival, Denise Hernandez

Yo Soy Chicana Talks / Festival, Denise Hernandez

Yo Soy Chicana Talks / Festival, Denise Hernadez

 

 

 

Nimi Einstein, R!SE strategy document… Wordmark

Nimi Einstein, R!SE strategy document… inspiration / insight narrative

Nimi Einstein, R!SE strategy document… insights

 

 

Nimi Einstein, R!SE strategy document…

Nimi Einstein, R!SE strategy document… Wordmark

Nimi Einstein, R!SE strategy document… Creative Concept / execution of out of home.

 Nimi Einstein, R!SE strategy document… Creative Concept / execution of out of home.

Jamon Sin: Tagline and Manifesto (The Rip City 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament will feature divisions for all ages, abilities and skill levels. To benefit the Special Olympics Oregon.)

Jamon Sin: Posters (The Rip City 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament will feature divisions for all ages, abilities and skill levels. To benefit the Special Olympics Oregon.)

Anna Payne / with image mark

Manifesto by Hannah Höch, World Dada Fair, Design by Bryan Zentz

World Dada Fair, Primary Mark, Design by Bryan Zentz

Manifesto (left), Introduction to Guide (right), Hempfest, Design by Rico Macias-Zepeda

Description / Introduction Design by Patrick Adams

Strategy work: Tagline (left), Design Problem, Solution, Goal, Insights (right) Patrick Adams 

Buy Local Facts. (left) Out of Home. (right) Of A Kind, Design by Patrick Adams

Intro / Why? Make Portland Green, Ali Gary.

 

Manifesto, Make Portland Green, Ali Gary

Carve Magazine, Keywords, Ashley Vaughn

Carve Magazine, Manifesto / About, Tagline, Ashley Vaughn

Carve Magazine, Ashley Vaughn

 

Rachel Goldstein, Pedalpalooza, Manifesto

Rachel Goldstein, Pedalpalooza, Illustration style.

Rachel Goldstein, Pedalpalooza, Poster with tagline.

Bill Phan, NASA Science Fair, Insight and Keywords

Bill Phan, NASA Science Fair, main logotype (secondary marks and icon system also created)

Bill Phan, NASA Science Fair, Field notes with illustrations

Eleena Katz, Manifesto, Hump Fest

Maggie Johnson, The 48 hour PDX Film Project, keywords

Maggie Johnson, The 48 hour PDX Film Project, about / manifesto

Maggie Johnson, The 48 hour PDX Film Project, logotype / wordmark

Shoshanna Freedman, Purim Festival, Keywords

 

Shoshanna Freedman, Purim Festival, Manifesto

Shoshanna Freedman, Purim Festival, Wordmark and Illustration style / pattern

Nina Berry, Cup-Free Campus, strategy / approach

Nina Berry,Cup-Free Campus, strategy / approach

Nina Berry,Cup-Free Campus, keywords

 

 

 

 

 

Tour De Stache, Portland 2014, Tagline (left), Manifesto (right), Designed by Paul Rosales

Logotype, Stumping Grounds, Portland Music Festival, Tyler Butler

 

Overview / Description of Stumping Grounds, Portland Music Festival, Tyler Butler

Kelly Ongkowidjojo, Portland Fashion Week — quote to capture an insight / manifesto / about

Kelly Ongkowidjojo, Portland Fashion Week

What the heck is a manifesto? And why am I writing one?

A manifesto is a published verbal declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party or government. — Wikipedia

A manifesto is a communication made to the whole world. It may be pleasant, and good-natured, it’s always strong and vigorous. — adapted from Tristen Tzara

Manifestos clarify point of view — explaining why this event series or organization or idea matters — stating clearly what the festival or organization stands for. 

Manifestos can also help in the development of creative creative concept/big idea, insights, creative copy writing skills, and tagline.

Your manifesto is included (and adapted to fit) in your intro to  your schedule of events / about page / the strategy in your presentation deck and / or live in print as an impassioned letter from the editor / director / curator / event or festival organizer or the organization’s leader.

Write your manifesto by answering the following questions:
What does this organization stand for? Or what does this festival stand for?
What makes this festival unique? special, worthwhile? What differentiates it from all other similar festivals?
Why would I go to this festival?
What is this festival and its leaders point of view?
What motivates the organization? the audience? How do they feel? What makes them act? Why?
What is the story behind or about this season’s events that must be shared?
What is unique, exciting, interesting, funny, smart, compelling about this festival?

Once you have written and edited your manifesto for your festival distill it down to one short statement. See if that short statement is the beginning of a tagline.

For example, Apple’s Think Different

The original long version appeared on posters made by Apple. Text written by Rob Siltanen with Lee Clow. The copy reads like a manifesto…

The Crazy Ones
Full version: “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.[13]”

Short version: “Here’s to the crazy ones. The rebels. The troublemakers. The ones who see things differently. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.  —The Untold Story Behind Apples Think Different Campaign.

Here are some manifestos to check out:

FUCK COMMITTEES By Tibor Kalman (graphic designer)

(I believe in lunatics)
It’s about the struggle between individuals with jagged passion in their work and today’s faceless corporate committees, which claim to understand the needs of the mass audience, and are removing the idiosyncrasies, polishing the jags, creating a thought-free, passion-free, cultural mush that will not be hated nor loved by anyone. By now, virtually all media, architecture, product and graphic design have been freed from ideas, individual passion, and have been relegated to a role of corporate servitude, carrying out corporate strategies and increasing stock prices. Creative people are now working for the bottom line.

Magazine editors have lost their editorial independence, and work for committees of publishers (who work for committees of advertisers). TV scripts are vetted by producers, advertisers, lawyers, research specialists, layers and layers of paid executives who determine whether the scripts are dumb enough to amuse what they call the ‘lowest common denominator’. Film studios out films in front of focus groups to determine whether an ending will please target audiences. All cars look the same. Architectural decisions are made by accountants. Ads are stupid. Theater is dead.

Corporations have become the sole arbiters of cultural ideas and taste in America. Our culture is corporate culture.Culture used to be the opposite of commerce, not a fast track to ‘content’- derived riches. Not so long ago captains of industry (no angels in the way they acquired wealth) thought that part of their responsibility was to use their millions to support culture. Carnegie built libraries, Rockefeller built art museums, Ford created his global foundation. What do we now get from our billionaires? Gates? Or Eisner? Or Redstone? Sales pitches. Junk mail. Meanwhile, creative people have their work reduced to ‘content’ or ‘intellectual property’. Magazines and films become ‘delivery systems’ for product messages.

But to be fair, the above is only 99 percent true.

I offer a modest solution: Find the cracks in the wall. There are a very few lunatic entrepreneurs who will understand that culture and design are not about fatter wallets, but about creating a future. They will understand that wealth is means, not an end. Under other circumstances they may have turned out to be like you, creative lunatics. Believe me, they’re there and when you find them, treat them well and use their money to change the world.

Tibor Kalman
New York
June 1998

 

The Skillshare Manifesto

Written on April 28th, 2011

Education is what someone tells you to do. Learning is what you do for yourself.

The traditional way of education forces square pegs into round holes. It’s a one-size-fits-all solution that forces people down a predetermined path.

Our mission is simple. Reunite learning with education and make it accessible to every single person on this planet. Anyone can learn anything, at any age, at an affordable cost, anywhere in the world.

Learning has no roadblocks, prescribed paths, tests, quizzes, or outdated majors and degrees. It’s driven and powered by students. Here, students never ‘graduate’ because they are lifelong learners. Caps and gowns don’t see the light of day.

Teachers are passionate. Students stay curious. Because curiosity is the compass that leads us to our individual passions.

Learn by Doing

Rather than memorize equations for a test, learn by taking action. Learn from your peers. Learn by getting feedback. Learn by making mistakes. Learn by making things.

Your statement of accomplishment no longer needs to be a degree, certificate, or stamp of approval. Instead, frame the pictures you’ve taken, bake a cake, and wireframe your future website.

Proof of learning is in progress and action. Now, a piece of paper is just that, and your creations are your accomplishments. Learn new skills that are transferable, adaptable, and applicable in the world today.

Everyone is a Teacher

You can learn from anyone – which means we’re all teachers. The best way to confirm your understanding of something is to share it with someone else. We all have things we’re passionate about sharing with the world. If you’ve done something for even a few days more than someone else, you have valuable knowledge to share.

Why teach? Because teaching is inspiring, motivating, life-changing, challenging, and all of the above. The best teachers simply ask the right questions, facilitate students to discover, and find their individual passion. Amen!

Learning Can Happen Anywhere

Our cities are our best and biggest campuses, and any address can be a classroom. Forget desks and projectors. Use your hands, talk over coffee and cake, print out pictures that tell the story you want to share. Walls? Never mind them. Teach in a park, at the library, on a boat…and, ok, even in your kitchen. Share your skills online to thousands of students across the globe. Learning can happen online, offline, and everywhere in between.

We Can Change Education

The world’s most abundant resources are excess knowledge and skills. They just need to be shared and made accessible to everyone.

Learning and teaching are essential to keep the world spinning. All of our progress is dependent on it. This cycle turns magical when a student becomes a teacher. If we all share our knowledge and skills with each other, it becomes an endless cycle of awesomeness, and the world becomes a much better place. 

\

 

1964 Ken Garland, First Things First

 

Built By Civilization: We believe in design as a means of social change and are passionate about communicating the greater social, cultural and environmental value of our projects.  

Manifesto To Big Idea. The Origin of Apple’s Think Different Campaign

How Rob Siltanen used a manifesto to come up with Apple’s Think Different campaign.

Rob Siltanen writes of developing the campaign concept and copy for Think Different: “I told Steve Jobs I would write a manifesto that would be even better. I was always moved by the movie “Dead Poets Society,” starring Robin Williams, and particular pieces of the movie had made a major impact on me. The emotion and the context of the movie very much related to what I wanted to capture for Apple. Below are some key passages from “Dead Poets” that resonated with me and ultimately served as inspiration for the Apple script.”

“We must constantly look at things in a different way. Just when you think you know something, you must look at it in a different way. Even though it may seem silly or wrong, you must try. Dare to strike out and find new ground.”

“Despite what anyone might tell you, words and ideas can change the world.”

“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. Poetry, beauty, love, romance. These are what we stay alive for. The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

I quoted a few lines from “Dead Poets” and asked Steve if he’d seen the movie, and he said, “Of course I have. Robin Williams is a personal friend of mine.” I told Steve I would write something in a similar tone of voice, and we’d come back in a week.

I went back to the agency and worked non-stop day and night. I filled my journal with countless handwritten scripts. I wrote everything with the mindset it would be spoken by Robin Williams. I had two sections that I loved. The opening, which I had written to feel like a titled poem …

“To the crazy ones. Here’s to the misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The people who see the world differently.”

and the closing:

“The people who are crazy enough to believe they can change the world are the ones who actually do.”

I felt the opening was powerful because I designed it to sync up with the images of the geniuses and have a certain shock value. I thought about the brilliant people throughout history and the struggles they went through. Many lived tortured existences, and it was becoming clear to me that they shared a common thread. Like Apple, they all had amazing visions, but also like Apple, all of them at one point or another were given unflattering labels. Martin Luther King was seen as a troublemaker before he was universally seen as a saint, the rebellious Ted Turner was laughed out of town when he first tried to sell the concept of a 24-hour news channel, and it’s been said that before Einstein was celebrated as the world’s greatest thinker, he was thought to be just a guy with crazy ideas. Of course in 1997, Apple was being called a “toy” that was only for “creative types,” and it was being chastised for not having the same operating system as everyone else. But I felt this copy would speak to the fans and get people who weren’t on our side to re-evaluate their thinking and realize that being different is a good thing. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “To be great is to be misunderstood,” and I always believed that was the general concept behind the “Think Different” campaign.

 —The Untold Story Behind Apples Think Different Campaign and Forbes’ The Real Story Behind Apples Think Different Campaign. 

Taglines can help define ‘big ideas’. Taglines: “Make it memorable. Include a key benefit. It differentiates the brand. It imparts positive feelings about the brand.” — Anum Hussain

What is  a good tagline? Andrew Dixon says:

“A good tagline is honest. A good tagline is not a cliché. A good tagline is conversational. A good tagline is something only the brand can say. A good tagline takes a stand or stands for something.