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Brand Essence

Brand Essence Explained

What is Brand Essence?

Brand Essence is the core values which distinguish a brand. These values will be consistent over time, whereas the execution characteristics of material pieces like the packaging, marketing or advertising of the product or service can change.

By clarifying and setting up a brand essence, it allows the owner of the brand to have a model which all marketing and NPD (New Product Development) will be able to follow and be cohesive with the brand’s image.

What are the benefits of defining your Brand Essence?

  • Allows focus on brand positioning over time
  • Brand growth is enabled, giving your message validity
  • Allows for creative design and values
  • Allows consumers to put their feelings onto the brand’s imagery

Kevin Keller is a brand expert who devised the term “brand mantra” which is another term for brand essence. The mantra concept backs up the role of brand essence in internal communication. Kevin said that the brand mantra should “define the category of business for the brand and set brand boundaries. It should also clarify what is unique about the brand. It should be memorable. As a result, it should be short, crisp and vivid in meaning. Ideally, the brand mantra would also stake out ground that is personally meaningful and relevant to as many employees as possible.”

At Vision One, we have a slightly different approach where we refer to brand essence as the ‘secret word’ (or phrase), that is never said or used publicly, but somehow everyone recognises it as a brand characteristic.

The key to having a positive re-positioning program is thinking about your brand’s essence and the layout of the brand. Most of the companies skip over steps such as self-analysis, purpose, philosophy and purpose.  They tend to go straight to other factors, such as marketing tactics and the product line.

If a company is to skip these steps without thinking thoroughly about its brand’s purpose and values, and how these will not be used in order to create a valued bond with its consumers. If you haven’t got your values in place, then you will still be creating plans without it being strategic planning in a brand sense.

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