BRAND ARCHETYPES: UTILISE THE ABILITY OF GIVING YOUR BRAND A SOUL

Have you ever wondered why some brands just get you? They speak your language, know what you value and generally just feel familiar? That’s no accident. Great brands tap into something that is much deeper than pretty visuals and punchy taglines. They have a soul that radiates a vibe and tells a story. They have a personality.

This is where brand archetypes come into play. Based on timeless human character traits, archetypes help to shape how a brand is introduced into the world and how it is understood, perceived and experienced from there forward. They make messaging clear, strengthen a presence and connect their intended audiences to a brand’s values and mission.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or refreshing a disconnected brand that may have lost its spark, getting a grasp on brand archetypes can help you bring your brand to life in a new way that feels authentic and actually resonates. In this article, I’ll help you to explore what brand archetypes are, why they matter, the specific archetypal characters and finally how to identify and utilise your own archetype.

So, What are Brand Archetypes?

The best way to think about brand archetypes in general is like the timeless recognisable characters that have appeared in all of your favourite media growing up. The same standard character structures that always show up in every story you encounter whether it's in movies, tv shows, books and even in games. You’ll always be able to identify the standout characters like The Hero, The Rebel or The Everyman, just through their basic behaviour and their unique personality traits.

The idea of these archetypes originated from Swiss psychologist Carl Jung who believed that we all instinctively recognise human personality types based on universal behavioural patterns, motivations and desires. Jung established that there are twelve distinct archetypes, each with their own voice, goal, fears and risks that create a persona which is then projected into the world. In branding, these very same Jungian archetypes can be applied to any business as a blueprint to determine how it can communicate, how it can feel and even how it can look. They can provide a brand with a clear voice and emotional depth to make it easier for people to connect with, interact with and to remember.

Now, Why Should I Care About Brand Archetypes?

The simple answer is because clarity is magnetic. When you know exactly who your brand is, everything else falls into place. Your messaging becomes consistent, your visuals are inspired and your audience starts to feel like you’re communicating directly with your brand. Archetypes cut through the noise in these ways and help to develop an emotional connection to establish brand loyalty and ensure their unique voice isn’t lost in the expanse of competition. They actively work with you to transform your brand from being just another name into something relatable and trustworthy, and give audiences something to build a relationship with.

Knowing your archetype is a secret weapon that can present you with unfound opportunities, unlock new ways of reaching new people and can help position your brand in the market. Humans are wired for stories and these archetypes are another tool for you to use to be able to tell yours. Before we look at this in more detail, let’s introduce you to the archetypes themselves.

The Twelve Brand Archetypes

There are twelve brand archetypes to align with, each tapping into different human needs and motivations. It is possible to align a brand as a blend of multiple archetypes (especially if they’re closely related or match up with multiple brand purposes), but identifying a clear primary archetype however, is the strongest approach to take. Doing so communicates that you have a clear understanding of your purpose and your motives while still being aware of your other traits and characteristics. It also gives you a clearer direction on the pathway which you’re building for your brand to navigate. Take a look at the wheel diagram here to see them all in action and then explore their specificities below.

1. The Creator

The Creator archetype wants to go where no-one before them has. They are all about self-expression, championing craftsmanship and pursuing innovation to unveil new trends and create new products/offerings that enhance the lives of their audiences. Their innovative core is built around imagination and they hate slowing down. The only direction for the Creator archetype is onward and upward.

• Brand Voice: Inspiring, Innovative, Provocative
• Brand Message: If it can be imagined, it can be created
• Brand Goal: To create with enduring, irreplaceable value
• Fear: Falling into mediocrity
• Risk: Style means nothing without substance
• Brand Examples: Apple, Lego, Adobe, Pixar

2. The Ruler

As can be expected, brands who embody The Ruler archetype are here for one thing - Control. They seek to bring order to chaos and are motivated by a desire for power so that they can always come out on top. They are focused on achievement and success and project an image of prestige, priding themselves on setting and maintaining the highest of standards. Rulers hate to fail or be beaten and see themselves as the only leaders in their respective niches.

• Brand Voice: Commanding, Refined, Direct
• Brand Message: Control and power are everything.
• Brand Goal: To create successful leadership, family or community
• Fear: Being overthrown
• Risk: Arrogance can affect accessibility
• Brand Examples: Rolex, Mercedes, Louis Vuitton, Microsoft

3. The Caregiver

The Caregivers are brands who want to protect and nurture others. They are all about providing comfort and support, and they promote a true sense of safety and security. They are understood as being wholesome, selfless and generous and are associated most commonly with wellbeing, health and anything related to children. Caregivers value warmth and kindness and wholeheartedly reject anything careless or harsh.

• Brand Voice: Calm, Caring, Compassionate
• Brand Message: Everyone deserves love. Everyone deserves care.
• Brand Goal: To help, nurture and protect others
• Fear: Selfishness and being underappreciated
• Risk: Overprotectiveness can become condescension
• Brand Examples: World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Nivea, Johnson & Johnson, Unicef

4. The Everyman

Above all, The Everyman archetype is simply about being relatable. They are plain and authentic and don’t try to be something they aren’t. They promote a sense of belonging and encourage everyone to find their place within their brand. They are unpretentious and aim to build their connections on authenticity, knowing that their superpower is that their brand can be experienced by anyone. They avoid loud noise and outlandish claims, and hate exclusion.

• Brand Voice: Authentic, Humble, Straightforward
• Brand Message: We are all equals, We all deserve love
• Brand Goal: To connect and make everyone belong
• Fear: Standing out from the crowd
• Risk: Being for everyone doesn’t mean being average
• Brand Examples: IKEA, eBay, Levis, Tesco

5. The Jester

The Jester aims to bring humour and laughter to the world. They are engaging and energetic, often focused on optimism and providing everyone with a good time. They don’t take themselves so seriously and want to make sure that their audiences don’t either. Jesters want to provide light hearted vibes, create fun and provide enjoyable experiences through humour for people to enjoy.

• Brand Voice: Fun, Playful, Light-hearted
• Brand Message: Laugh and light up reality
• Brand Goal: To promote humour and brighten the world
• Fear: Be perceived as boring
• Risk: Inappropriate humour can offend
• Brand Examples: Ben & Jerry’s, M&M’s, Old Spice, GoCompare

6. The Lover

Brands who inhabit The Lover archetype are passionate and emotive. They aim to attract and be seen as attractive, often evoking sensuality and exuding desire. Lover brands frame themselves as luxurious and glamorous and are motivated by intimacy and beauty. They are designed to be alluring and will do anything they can to ensure they aren’t going unnoticed.

• Brand Voice: Sensual, Empathetic, Intimate
• Brand Message: Passion and Pleasure
• Brand Goal: To create and inspire intimacy
• Fear: Being unwanted
• Risk: Oversexualising or becoming inappropriate
• Brand Examples: Gucci, Chanel, Godiva, L’Oreal

7. The Hero

The Hero archetype wants to make the world a better place. They aim to redeem society through pure strength and determination, no matter what it takes. They are embodied by selfless courage and triumph, and inspire others to push their limits to the max. Brands with this archetype persistently work to improve themselves and make it their responsibility to help everyone achieve their goals through positive change.

• Brand Voice: Courageous, Inspiring, Honest
• Brand Message: Outwork the rest
• Brand Goal: To prove worthiness through triumph
• Fear: Being vulnerable
• Risk: Your strength should be balanced with humility
• Brand Examples: Nike, BMW, Royal Marines, Adidas

8. The Magician

Magicians are known for their promises of transformation and magical experience. Brands who have this archetype tend to have an outside-of-the-box approach to their thinking and are known for being able to make dreams become a reality. They aim to problem solve and entice audiences with their exciting thinking and inspiring decision making. They are interested in creating opportunities through transformation.

• Brand Voice: Enlightened, Mystical, Reassuring
• Brand Message: Anything can happen
• Brand Goal: To make dreams come true
• Fear: Stagnation and uncertainty
• Risk: The magic needs to deliver with results
• Brand Examples: Disney, Red Bull, Sony, Mastercard

9. The Rebel

The Rebel archetype is exactly what you’d expect. Brands with this archetype don’t like to conform and are constantly pushing boundaries by pursuing rebellion. They encourage breaking the norm and are happy to introduce a dash of chaos and anarchy into their unconventional approaches. They use their voices for change and are adverse to anything that oppresses their personal expression.

• Brand Voice: Rebellious, Disruptive, Aggressive
• Brand Message: Rules exist to be broken
• Brand Goal: To break the mould
• Fear: Being ineffective or repressed
• Risk: Being too rebellious can alienate an audience
• Brand Examples: Harley-Davidson, Diesel, MTV, Vans

10. The Explorer

Almost self explanatory, The Explorer archetype is for brands who seek new experiences and push boundaries. They are all about freedom, adventure and ambition. Explorers are driven by self-discovery and aim to connect with audiences who desire difference. They avoid anything that presents confinement, instead favouring things that break through the convention of everyday routines.

• Brand Voice: Adventurous, Exciting, Fearless
• Brand Message: Adventure awaits, make it count
• Brand Goal: To discover a better world
• Fear: Conforming to confinement
• Risk: Adventure is exciting but it needs to be practical
• Brand Examples: The North Face, Patagonia, Timberland, O’Neill

11. The Sage

The Sage archetype best personifies brands who are all about knowledge, wisdom and understanding truth. They exist to support individuals seeking reliable, trustworthy information and empowerment through learning, and want to use their abilities to teach, mentor and guide people. They are typically adverse to misleading information and position themselves as trusted thought leaders.

• Brand Voice: Knowledgeable, Guiding, Assuring
• Brand Message: The truth shall set you free
• Brand Goal: To educate the world
• Fear: Being ignorant or misleading
• Risk: Balance needed between knowing and a willingness to learn
• Brand Examples: Google, Oxford University, Wikipedia, BBC

12. The Innocent

Lastly, brands who fall under the innocent archetype are honest and optimistic, and are driven by a pursuit of happiness. They appreciate simplicity and aren’t interested in overtly flamboyant or elaborate marketing stunts. They are more invested in avoiding manipulative advertising, preferring to instead allow their customers explore their businesses for themselves, building organic, genuine relationships.

• Brand Voice: Optimistic, Honest, Humble
• Brand Message: The best things in life are untouched and pure
• Brand Goal: To spread joy, happiness and optimism
• Fear: Punishment or Corruption
• Risk: Naivety will push you out of touch
• Brand Examples: Coca-Cola, Nintendo, McDonalds, Innocent Smoothies

How to Find Your Brand Archetype

The process of finding your brand archetype starts with some self-discovery. You first need to have a crystal clear understanding of your brand’s mission, values and the emotions that you’re expecting people to experience during engagements. You then want to consider your audience. You want to understand their needs, what they’re drawn to and how they see the world. This then leads to understanding your competition. You need to identify the archetypes they’re using in their brand and see if you can differentiate to create opportunity and introduce your own competition in your market. This establishes your foundation that you can then apply to the archetypes.

You’ll naturally notice you’ll be able to identify which archetypes then align with your voice, style and purpose. This isn’t about choosing what sounds cool, it’s about deciding which feels true to you. I believe that intuition and trusting your gut is your best guide in this matter - deep down you should really know which feels suited to your brand. If you’re still stuck however and feel that you need some help, head over to my contact page, I’d be happy to help you.

How to Implement Your Brand Archetype

Reaching this stage should mean you have a concrete idea on your archetype - or at the very least, are close to one. The next stage will be to begin implementing your archetype. There are many things you can do with your archetypes, but the following is my recommended process that I always take:

1. Audit Your Brand Assets

Take a look at all of your existing brand materials. Your marketing assets, your website, your social media. All of the touchpoints that your customers interact with. Identify which of these align with your archetype and which don’t. Use this as an exercise to define what needs to change and create an actionable list that allows you to begin to make the adjustments.

2. Define Your Personality

Think about your brand personality as if it were translated into a human. Does your archetype align with this person? To double check, create a list of traits and behaviours that your brand currently possesses, then do the same with your chosen archetype. Cross reference the lists and redefine any areas that are lacking or misaligned so your current personality and your archetype become one.

3. Craft Your Voice

Every brand archetype will speak to their audience differently. Using your brand personality, decide how your brand sounds in writing through tone of voice, use of vocabulary, and the communication style. Perhaps you’re inspiring and focused on an uplifting voice, or maybe you’re rebellious and want to disrupt your market. The style you land on should flow your personality through all of your brand materials.

4. Align Your Identity

Your archetype should also influence how your brand looks and feels. It should inspire your brand identity and be recognisable in your colours, typography, imagery and any other design elements that represent your brand. An Explorer for example may choose to use earthy, natural tones and adventurous imagery, whereas a Creator may prefer a vibrant, artistic aesthetic to their visuals to suit their needs.

5. Shape Your Storytelling

Your archetype should be used as a vessel to tell stories that reflect your brand's values, position and worldview. Whether it’s your origin story, customer testimonials or marketing campaigns, every story you tell should be reinforcing your archetype to reiterate who you are and what you stand for. A content strategy that plays into your archetypes strengths will dramatically enhance your storytelling ability as well.

6. Refine Your Customer Experience

Think about how you can connect your archetype to the way you interact with your audience. Map out your customer journeys and identify the touchpoints that affect how you handle support, solve problems and deal with everyday interactions. Look at how your brand personality and your brand voice can influence your brand behaviour in your customer’s mind.

7. Train Your Team

Whether you’re working in a small or a large team, ensuring everyone is aligned with your archetype (especially those who handle marketing and communications) is of massive benefit. A shared understanding that maintains a consistent experience across all touchpoints through a business builds a strong, recognisable brand and develops a cohesive team mentality and environment.

Staying true to your archetype is key to brand growth, but allowing it to have some space to evolve and develop like we as individuals should, should also be kept in mind. Your core personality needs to remain steady, but innovating your methods of expression and keeping an eye on market trends will allow you to progress and develop over time.

In Conclusion

At the heart of every unforgettable and successful brand is a complete, strong sense of identity. Brand archetypes are the gateway in which this is uncovered, developed and expressed. They allow you to speak with purpose, show up with confidence and nurture those deeper connections with audiences that you’re ultimately here to serve. Whether as a new brand or as an existing brand looking for something new, leaning into your archetype will introduce a soul to your business that provides clarity and consistency to everything you do.

If you’re looking at exploring, reflecting and aligning your brand or would like more information, advice or opinions on this subject, reach out to me on my contact page and we can look at finding your archetype together.