Have you ever noticed that you just relate more to some companies
over others?
One of the critical steps taken when setting goals for your brand and what you want it to be is figuring out the brand archetype. What’s this? Put simply, a Brand Archetype is a way of describing your brand’s personality. Business owners big or small are constantly looking for a way that will connect their brand to an audience and build a loyal following. Determining and understanding your brand archetype provides a powerful way of doing this. It also allows you to create messaging that your audience will connect with.
So, what are the brand archetypes? The 12 identities – or brand archetypes – check out our infographic for a
brief run down.
To add a deeper level of context, each of these identities were originally derived from Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung’s personality archetypes. He theorised that humans use symbolism to more easily understand complex concepts. Jung maintained that over the course of time, for people, certain paths to greater understanding remain both timeless and recognisable. And that these paths can and should be categorised. Also, that these categories exhibit personality traits that are easily understood – and in the case of brands, by customers and by the businesses looking to define their customer audiences.
These [archetypes] are imprinted and hardwired into our psyches.
When correctly identified, brand archetypes will reflect the personality of brands and help to better align the brand’s personality type with specific customers/buyer personas/avatars. Applied to brands, this idea of archetypes can be particularly effective as an orienting tool for businesses looking to focus their marketing and communication efforts.
Let’s take a close look at the twelve brand archetypes and their associated traits:
| The Sage | Want to find the truth. Goal is to use intelligence and analysis to understand the world and help people gain wisdom and insight. |
| The Ruler | Want to exercise power and influence. To them, power isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. |
| The Innocent | Believe that the glass is always half full. Want to be happy and have the world live in peace and harmony. |
| The Everyman | Thrive on connecting with others. Are the dependable and trusted ones. Down to earth. |
| The Caregiver | Are satisfied by helping and protecting others. |
| The Lover | Have a desire for intimacy and connection. |
| The Jester | Live by “You only live once.” Want to have a great time and lighten up the world. |
| The Outlaw | Here to shake up the status quo. |
| The Explorer | Seek to find out who they are by exploring the world. |
| The Creator | Believe that if it can be imagined, it can be done. |
| The Hero | Know that where there’s a will, there’s a way. |
| The Magician | A visionary, inventor and charismatic leader that make things happen. |
Now think of some of the most successful brands you know and the archetypes they assume.
Apple: want to think different and switch up the status quo. They’re a Rebel.
Disney: want your dreams to come true. They’re a Magician.
Google: want to find the truth and are constantly seeking out information. They’re a Sage.
Rolex: are prestigious and powerful. And they know it. They’re a Ruler.
These brands haven’t achieved their success by mere chance. They meticulously crafted their brand personalities ensuring that at every touchpoint their messaging and communication out to market was aligned to their archetype.
The question is, how do you determine the right brand archetype for your business and your customers? As brand specialists, our mission is to help you forge the same profound connection between your business and your valued customers.
If you are looking for expert guidance in understanding your brand’s archetype, Viabrand® is here to help. Schedule a free, no-obligation 30-minute call with us to learn more about our services, and how we can support you in building a successful brand.