How Brand Archetypes Help you Define your Brand Personality
Written by Laura Jane Boast
Do you know your brand’s archetype?
Why do certain brands appeal to you, make you want to buy them, make you feel good about yourself, welcome them into your family and show loyalty towards them?
The simple answer, Brand Archetypes.
People are emotional beings that are capable of creating an unconscious connection between themselves and your brand. According to a popular, and effective, marketing strategy based on the Archetype, it’s because these brands are built around a personality and certain personalities appeal to us more than others.
Personifying your brand can allow your customers to relate to your brand in the same way they would relate to another person. And if they emotionally connect with this personality, it makes them think, it amuses them or encourages them to be better versions of themselves… that is what makes the brand truly irresistible.
Therefore it’s all about turning something impersonal, into something that people can relate to – your brands passions, missions, values, and even fears. Something with a story. Something… personal!
What are the benefits of knowing my brand’s archetype?
Discovering your Brand’s Archetype/s (because you’ll most probably find that your brand resonates with two or three), not only does this help you gain a better understanding of your brand’s personality, but you can utalise its traits to re-align your brands aesthetic, products or services, make better inform decisions, help to bring consistency, use the right tone of voice for your customer and even gain insight into how to deepen your connection with your customers.
Every design decision for your brand should be based around your brand’s personality – from colour, font pairings, photography, illustrations and tone of voice – all which paint a picture to your customer about your brand.
So what are the archetypes?
Archetypes are not new. They are grounded in decades of psychological research and have their roots in Greek Mythology. They stem from the work of well-known psychologist Carl Jung. Jung believed everyone shares and understands these themes, regardless of culture, age or language, because they are an undercurrent to all humanity.
The idea is that we humans are wired to behaviour built on our desires, and certain personalities have stronger desires than others. Based on 12 human desires, are 12 Archetypes – these are used to define your brand’s personality.
List of 12 Brand Archetypes and their primary desires:
The Innocent = Safety
The Sage = Knowledge
The Explorer = Freedom
The Outlaw = Revolution
The Magician = Transformation
The Hero = Change the World
The Lover = Connection
The Jester = Enjoyment
The Everyman = Belonging
The Caregiver = Helping Others
The Ruler = Control
The Creator = Innovation
As a brand, you want to appeal to the desires of your audience, rather than the traditional age and demographics. This is very closely linked to psychographics (a methodology used to describe traits of humans on psychological attributes: personality, values, opinions, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles) and a much more purposeful way of segmenting your customer/audience.
Does that mean you create your brand personality, your archetype by first identifying your customer’s personality, and aligning your brand with the archetype that would most appeal to a desire within your customer? Or do you identify your brand’s archetype first and align your branding an marketing to that archetype and inevitably attract the right audience?
Personally, either way can work, depending on what your business is, what you offer and in how far your WHY is connected to your archetype.
The Archetypal Wheel below is an intuitive tool that helps to gather all the information together, to give you a quick overview, and shows how each of the 12 Brand Archetypes divide into the four main motivational characters: Independence, Change, Belonging and Structure: and it’s desires – enabling the information to be more accessible.
Meet the Archetypes
Innocent
The Innocent is an eternal optimist who always sees the good in people and in life. This brand archetype is associated with simple pleasures and wholesomeness. With our busy lifestyles, we are attracted to the focus on simplicity and happiness. Brands that are associated with goodness, morality, nostalgia, or childhood are identified as Innocent archetypes. Their products are quite often natural or pure (e.g. cotton, soap, organic foods).
Is your brand a Innocent? Is the goal of your company to help people find or realise happiness? Does your company value simplicity and ethics?
Sage
The Sage believes the path to happiness is paved with knowledge and that by seeking out the truth and sharing it with others, we can make the world a better place. Typically touted as “experts,” these brands act as sources of guidance to help consumers feel more informed to make better decisions. Think… institutions of higher education, news sources, research, museums, bookstores and libraries.
Is your brand a Sage? Do you value knowledge? Does your company’s reason for being is to seek out the truth, and encourage people to think?
Explorer
The Explorer yearns for the freedom to discover the world and experience a better, more authentic, and more fulfilling life. Brands with Explorer traits are often those that help people feel free, are nonconformist, are pioneering, and offer sturdy or rugged products.
Is your brand a Explorer? Does your brand feel at home in the wilderness of nature? Or does it help people discover new things?
Outlaw
The Outlaw is all about revolution and seeks to destroy what is not working. Brands that identify with values at odds with those of society at large, that pioneer new and revolutionary attitudes, or whose products literally destroy something (e.g. a bulldozer) fall into this category.
Is your brand a Outlaw? Take a look at the products or services you offer. Do they disrupt the status quo of your industry or society?
Magician
Transformation, change, renewal, metamorphosis, magic. No matter how you say it, the Magician archetype leaves others standing in amazement, wanting to make dreams come true through knowledge of the fundamental laws of how the world works. The Magician genuinely believes that there is more, something greater than us, greater than what we see. They foster “magical moments”, experiences that feel special, novel, and exciting — as well as more lasting change. Think… pharmaceuticals, herbal remedies, beauty products, cosmetic surgeons, life coaches, cleaning companies, restoration services, hygiene products, retreats, travel agencies, career agencies and technology.
Is your brand a Magician? Does your brand help people transform?
Hero
The Hero strives to prove worth through courageous and difficult action and to exert mastery in a way that improves the world. Look behind that flowing cape to find brands that help people perform at their best, address a major social problem, and incite people to take action. The Hero archetype is all about rising to the challenge, and it instinctively seeks to protect and inspire others.
Is your brand a Hero? Is it fighting an invisible enemy to address a social problem? Is it challenging people to get stronger and perform at their full potential?
Lover
For Lover brands, customer appreciation is a way of life and is likely a big part of their business plan. Staying in good relationship with those they serve and making them feel special. The Lover brand is intimate and elegant. The goal is to be in relationships with the people, work, experiences, and surroundings it loves. There is also a sensual aspect that the Lover archetype represents. Anything that pleasures the senses – beautiful things, enticing smells, indulgent foods – give joy and delight to the Lover. Think… cosmetics, jewellery, fashion, food and fine wine, gourmet chocolate, spa treatments, beauty and gifts.
Is your brand a Lover? Are you passionate about people? Do you help people find or deepen relationships, or offer products/services that make them feel more special?
Jester
Just like the class clown from high school, the Jester wants to live in the moment with full enjoyment. He only wants to have a great time and lighten up the world. Look past the laughter and that silly hat and you will see brands that help people have a good time and embrace a fun-loving, freewheeling culture.
Does your brand help people enjoy life or live in the moment? Is being clever or quirky a method you use to help people see something differently?
Everyman
The Everyman wants only to belong and fit in and desires to connect with others. The mark of the Everyman is prominent on brands with a down-home culture, that create things used in everyday life, and that help people feel that they, too, belong.
Is your brand a Everyman? Does your brand help people fit in or feel comfortable being themselves? Are your products/services something used in common everyday life?
Caregiver
The Caregiver’s aim is to protect people from harm and help others. Brands that serve families and that place a high value on customer service. Think… healthcare, education, or non-profit/charitable space.
Do you place a high value on serving or protecting others? Is your goal to help people care for other people, pets, society, or the world at large?
Ruler
Brands that are able to provide the world with the security and stability we all desire are the ones that earn the title of Ruler. They want to create a prosperous and successful family, company, or community. Brands that enhance or promote power, help people become and stay organised, in a chaotic world are easily identified as Ruler archetypes.
Is your brand a Ruler? Do you sell high-status products? Or ones that promise safety and security?
Creator
The Creator’s core desire is to create something of enduring value and give form to a vision – contributing to society and providing structure to the world by bringing something into being. Brands that encourage self-expression; help foster innovation; or are artistic or creative in design. The Creator brand is focused on innovation and quality. They get deep satisfaction from both the process and the outcome of creating something that did not previously exist. Creator consumers demonstrate their taste and quality standards by the things they buy, to express how much they love beautiful and high-quality things. Think… arts, design, marketing, technology and entrepreneurs.
Is your brand a Creator? Do you value beauty and quality? Do you offer consumers ways to re-create or re-imagine something? Is your product or service allowing others to express themselves through DIY projects?
