30 Jul Branding at the Core: Why your Brand needs an Essence

Your brand is amazing. There are numerous reasons why your target market should use/want/need your brand. You want to shout to the world all about your amazing brand! Well, where do you start? All communication regarding your brand that will reach your target needs to have a singular, consistent, meaningful origin. That origin is your Brand Essence.

Brand Essence is essentially the ultimate emotion your brand evokes from your target consumer based on your promise to your consumer. People choose one brand over another primarily because of the way it meets their needs and how it makes them feel. Think about some of your favorite brands and postulate on what their essence may be.  Some of the most iconic brands have extremely clear and powerful essences that drive every marketing tactic the brand puts out. Here are some examples (according to brandingstrategyinsider.com):

Disney = Fun Family Entertainment

Starbucks = Rewarding Everyday Moments

Hallmark = Caring Shared

Nike = Authentic Athletic Performance

These examples are clear, concise, emotional, memorable, and lasting. Advertising and marketing will continue to evolve for any product, but that product’s core meaning should remain consistent in order to create a timeless and lasting brand. The process to reach your brand’s essence will take some thought and brainstorming. You may want to create a framework that helps you ladder-up to the brand’s essence.

Whatever your brand, it must be rooted in something emotionally meaningful or else your messaging and marketing effectiveness will suffer. Have fun with it…this can be one of the most thoughtful and intellectually creative parts of building a powerful brand!