Baltic Manifesto
Project type: words, magazines/newspapers, design
Manifestos are important. They represent a way for a company, a collective, even individuals to succinctly present their ethos to the world. While manifestos might historically have been a provocation – they can be a fun, concise way to communicate what guides you.
We’ve worked on our fair share of manifestos, for clients such as Make Liverpool, and even for ourselves and were asked by the Baltic Triangle team to update and revamp the Baltic Manifesto.
Since the first one was drawn up several years ago, the area has expanded in a huge way. Once just a collection of disused buildings and noisy garages, the Baltic had grown to be one of the most vibrant digital clusters in the country.
We wanted to reflect the aims and desires of us and our neighbours in a succinct manner, both as a declaration to potential investors and future clients, but also a reminder to each and everyone one of us of how me made the Baltic so great in the first place.
The challenges in making such a document were in finding the balance between the new and the old, leaving enough room for the manifesto to have a decent shelf life without being instantly obsolete, while still trying to adhere to its core principles, never mind the fact that there were so many stakeholders in the area to appease.
We whittled down our list and interviewed who we believe to be the core tenants who make the Baltic what it is. We talked to retailers, sculptors, artists, designers, teachers, students, skaters and creators, and everyone at least agreed that Terry makes the best sandwiches in the area.
The final document was a love letter to the area, a traditionally Scouse slice of pride and identity, a group of like-minded people sticking two fingers up to the naysayers and doing things their own way.