Should your About Page include mission statements and manifestos?

A few years ago I wandered into a Jonathan Adler home decor store in my neighborhood. They’ve since moved to the suburbs, but they were a fixture of Old City Philly back then. The store owner has imprinted his personality on the store and has carefully chosen the items for sale. If I didn’t have so many furniture-destroying pets, I’d buy half the merchandise.

I couldn’t help noticing a framed image on the wall: the store manifesto. It’s also on the store website and it’s funny, but you also get a sense of the store personality:

“We believe in rustic modernism.
“We believe celebrities should pay full price.
“We believe dogs should be allowed in stores and restaurants.
“We believe our lamps will make you look younger and thinner.
“We believe in irreverent luxury.”

Wow, I thought. I didn’t have the slightest need for anything in the store, but I wished I did. Who wouldn’t love a store that welcomed dogs and understood the hidden motivation behind buying a lamp?

A Manifesto On Your About Page?

But you’re not a retail store. How does a service-based business communicate values on their About Page?