What's your brand essence?

Speaking of dictionaries, Resource Shelf led me to some online word lists of interest. Lake Superior State University has published its 2006 List of Banished Words. It's true. Life would definitely be better if I never again had to hear anyone say "person of interest," "pass the savings onto you," or "holiday tree." Next year, though, their award committee should take a look at The Dictionary of Branding Terms, which defines brand essence as "The distillation of a brand's intrinsic characteristics into a succinct core concept." Huh? I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the committee did consult Regret the Error, a compilation of "corrections, retractions, clarifications and trends regarding accuracy and honesty in the media." Some real back-pedaling to be found there.