What is Soul?

Soul. It’s a funny looking word, but it carries such depth.

What comes to mind when you see the word, soul? Think about it for a minute before reading on. When was the last time you thought about soul?

Soul shows up in many places.

• Like music. Soul music. Can you hear it?
• Like a dramatic performance. Soulful. Can you see it?
• Like religion. “Pray the Lord my soul to keep.” Did you recite it?
• Like food. Soul food. Authentic food, be it southern collards or Sicilian rice balls.

Even though we’ve shown many associations, soul isn’t really what you see. It’s more about what you feel. You either feel soul or you don’t. Is soul something that is tangible? You can’t buy it. You can’t sell it – although some people claim to have sold their soul to the devil.

Soul is about deep, resonating feelings. Soul is about authentic base tones. Soul is about fundamentals. When you really strip it down, soul is about the essence of something. It’s probably the most precious of all that we have.

• Save my soul.
• She’s a good soul.
• He’s got a good soul.

What a wonderful way to be characterized.

Can a brand have soul? Absolutely – especially if you infuse with emotion. After all, it’s humans that connect to it.

Soul. It’s a funny looking word … and nearly as powerful as love.