Brand Essence

What is a Brand’s Essence?

The most powerful brands don’t leave an impression just because the marketing messages themselves are true and convincing (though that’s important). The most powerful brands elicit an emotional response from people. They convey a deep idea — a feeling — that resonates with people.

In fact, the best brands aren’t really “selling” a set of products or services, they’re selling that essential idea that’s known as the brand essence.

For example, think about some of the brands you interact with every day. Now think about what the essence of each brand is really about:

• Nike isn’t just selling you shoes — they’re selling victory.
• Volvo isn’t just selling you a car — they’re selling safety.
• Disney isn’t just selling you theme park resorts and memorabilia — they’re selling magic.

So what is NOVA’s brand essence?

Boldness. We want our core audiences to associate NOVA’s brand with boldness, but more than that, we want them to feel a sense of boldness when they interact with our brand. It’s what sets us apart from other education providers — especially other two-year institutions — that our audiences could choose instead.

That essence of boldness needs to flavor the substance and style of all our brand messaging.