We’re going to show you how to energize and command your mission statement in a way that is memorable, impactful, and meaningful. Naturally, our answer is through video.
First, let’s be honest. Do you actually know what your company’s mission statement is? Even if you do, do you know what it really means? What purpose it serves? Do your employees or coworkers know?
If you can’t answer at least one of those questions, then that means your mission statement is essentially a polished, rhetorical package of BS. And, it might as well be about nothing (just like our favorite 90s sitcom).
Is that a tad harsh? Perhaps.
Is it very common? Also, yes.
Are we going to 100% take advantage of Seinfeld trending in the news with the Netflix buy and use an abundance of gifs in this post? Definitely yes.
The Problem with Mission Statements
A mission statement is meant to capture the central idea that an organization builds upon to create its sense of identity. It’s the base for explaining company personality. Mission statements are pithy, poignant, and ideally succinct. They explain who your company is, what you do, who you serve, and why you do it.
Any creative output or business decision usually begins with a consultation of the mission statement. We have to know who we are before we can express ideas or sell products or forge partnerships or communicate messages. It’s a very necessary tool.
The problem with this is that even if you’re an amazing, innovative, cutting-edge, too-cool-for-school kind of company, a written mission statement is still kind of bland. If you’re not in the communications department or part of the group that crafted the mission statement, you *probably* don’t know what it says.
And, if you ever did know what it said, you probably forgot.
The Importance of the WHY
But, you can’t build a brand on nothing. You can’t effectively communicate a sense of purpose to your clients or to those within your organization if your mission statement is forgettable, confusing, or bland. So what are you to do? How do you bring your mission statement to life and wield it as a means to further company goals and invigorate your employees or coworkers?
You go back to the WHY.
Why did you write your mission statement? Why did you start your business? Why do you serve your clientele? In other words (we’ll get a little meta here): WHY do you go to work each day? Bottom line aside.
The answer to that is key to a good mission statement. Once you answer that, then you’re all set to create your mission video.
The Power of Visual Communications
It’s endless, folks. We will shout this message from the rooftops until YOU are blue in the face (because that’s part of our mission statement 😉
Seriously, video is a powerful tool for expressing an often abstract, and sometimes forgettable message, like a mission statement. A brand or mission video is a great way to engage your internal and external audiences. It gives you the space to explore tone and music and personality to present a message that will resonate. As much as we love the written word, a mission statement that lives in two or three lines of text under the About tab on your website does not have the same vibrancy as a video.
A brand mission video allows you to explicitly emphasize your company’s identity and goals. Instead of just explaining who you are and what you do, a brand mission video enables you to show your audiences a personality. It’s like introducing yourself to someone (and making a really good impression).
Video is humanizing, and it’s just more fun. Your employees or clients are not going to remember a well-crafted sentence as well as they might remember an engaging video.
The People of “People,People”
We recently completed a brand anthem video called “People-People.” We had the pleasure of working with the great folks at Assurance Financial to capture the essence of their mission statement in a video that would serve to promote the company to internal and external audiences.
But, how do you explain what makes a mortgage loan finance company different? How do you make it engaging?
What’s their answer to “WHY do I go to work in the morning?”
It’s simple. It’s about the people.
And, it’s actually in their mission statement: “We serve the people in our local communities by enabling them to buy the home of their dreams.”
“People-people” is a blast of company personality with lively visuals and a deep dive into the human aspect of AF’s company culture. It’s no secret that mortgage loan finance isn’t all that sexy, but wielding the “why” of their mission statement resulted in something quite fun and engaging, which brings us to our final point.
The More Enjoyable a Message, The More Memorable It is
Yes, a brand anthem or a mission video is meant for business. But, this doesn’t mean it can’t also be engaging and genuinely enjoyable. You’re allowed to have fun, and so is your viewer. You can have it all. You can package a clear, precise explanation of your services and mission into something that is enjoyable to watch.
We had an awesome team at Assurance Financial. They had a clear message with a tone of creative energy and a readiness to incorporate innovative visuals. They took a very serious goal and then didn’t take themselves too seriously, and that is so important.
Remember, your audience is human too. We’d all rather watch a tricked video about company spirit and personality than read another bland bit of handbook.
So, be direct. Be brave. Be adventurous. And, don’t let your company mission statement pull a Seinfeld. None of us are as funny as Jerry.
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