The essence of a brand is not something that you see. It is not something that you can smell or touch. The true essence of a brand is something that you feel.

Do you remember your first trip to Disney? Having gone at such a young age, I’ll be honest and say I don’t remember much. I know we rode the teacups and the tower or terror, and I remember my older brother got lost for a few hours... but apart from that I do not have a lot of memories of my short time at Disney World. What I do remember is what it made me feel.

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3015" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" title="BI Blog - Disney Pic" src="http://www.brandiron.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/BI-Blog-Disney-Pic-300x190.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="190" />

<em>Magical</em><em>.</em>

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3014" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" title="BI Blog - Disney Pic2" src="http://www.brandiron.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/BI-Blog-Disney-Pic2-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" />That is the essence of the Walt Disney brand. This brand essence is unique to them, and describes no other place, product or service on earth. It is something that Disney consistently delivers across every area of their company – in their theme parks, animated movies, retail stores. It is that intangible quality that creates meaning and connection; tapping into what the consumer feels when they experience something from the company.

Some other examples:
Harley Davidson – Liberating
Crayola – What If?
Volvo - Safety

Understanding and defining your brand essence is the key to developing a brand voice and strategy that generates meaning and consistency across all areas of your business. The essence is usually one word, never more than two, and is something that will never change. This word drives your business strategy, marketing messaging, new products and brand extensions for the life of your business.

Defining the brand essence can often be a challenge for businesses. For some consumer brands it may be more easily defined, but for a B2B brand, it can often be difficult to zero in on one defining quality that authenticates your brand and is sustainable for the long term.

So, where do you start? Your audience. As a business owner or marketer, you know your audience better than anyone. Start by diving into what they like and find meaningful about your product or service. Next, use this Brand Pyramid to help you deduce and define the essence of your brand. Once defined, get your employees involved and begin seeping this essence into every aspect of your business for a strong brand and great results.