OUGD505 - Product, Range & Distribution - Manifestos

A manifesto is a published verbal declaration from an individual, group, political party or government of their intentions, motives, or views. Most typically a manifesto takes on a previously published opinion or public consensus and uses this to promote a new idea with suggested changes the creator believes should be made.

Society's most familiar type of manifesto will be that of political parties' intensions and plans for the government, distributed during the run up to the election to communicate favourable policies and therefore gain support and votes from the nation.

In the creative world, one of the most famed manifestos is the 'First Things First' manifesto by British designer Ken Garland, written 29th November 1963 and published in 1964. Backed by over 400 graphic designers and artists, the manifesto also received the backing of radical left-wing MP and activist Tony Benn, who subsequently published the manifesto in its entirety in The Guardian newspaper.

The manifesto was written in response to the rich and affluent Britain of the 1960s, and attempted to re-radicalise a design industry which many designers felt had uncritical and lazy. A revolt against the consumerist culture purely concerned with buying and selling, its aim was to promote a humanist dimension to graphic design theory, reaffirming the belief that design is not a neutral, value-free commodity.

Later updated and republished as the 'First Things First 2000' manifesto by Adbusters magazine in 1999, the updated version's aim was to generate discussion about the graphic design profession's priorities - and while some designers welcomed this attempt to reopen the debate, others rejected the manifesto.

A manifesto provides opportunity to deliver social comment and call for change through a formalised point of delivery, and as a result can enhance perception of the delivered motives through an amplified sense of authenticity via physicality and formatting.