What on earth is a brand archetype, and which one are you?
Similarly to how fiction characters are often written according to a certain paradigm, brand archetypes are ways of presenting a brand as a persona.
It’s a way of understanding, broadly, what a brand stands for and how it behaves.
There are 12 brand archetypes: the Innocent, the Sage, the Explorer, the Outlaw, the Magician, the Hero, the Lover, the Jester, the Everyman, the Caregiver, the Ruler, and the Creator.
Innocent
The Innocent archetype is centred around trust and honesty, and is valued for their strong ethics, reliability, and authenticity.
Example: Dove, Coca-Cola
Sage
The Sage is wise, analytical, and thoughtful. They use their knowledge to help people tackle challenges and solve problems, and better understand the world.
Example: The Economist, Google
Explorer
Independent and curious, Explorers seek new experiences through discovery and risk taking. They are the pioneers, setting out to find excitement and adventures.
Example: Patagonia, NASA
Outlaw
The Outlaw archetype is a risk taker and revolutionary, breaking the mold to lead the way for others. A rebel at heart, Outlaws are an agent of change and breaker of conventions.
Example: Virgin, Diesel
Magician
The Magician archetype is intuitive and inspiring, making dreams come true with their charisma, imagination, and knowledge.
Example: Disney, Xbox
Hero
The Hero is courageous, self-sacrificing, and determined, on a mission to save the world, and inspire others to do the same. Magicians are visionaries, helping people to achieve their dreams and create something truly magical.
Example: Nike, Duracell
Lover
The Lover archetype is passionate, intimate, and faithful, helping people belong and build relationships.
Example: Häagen-Daz, Victoria’s Secret
Jester
The Jester is playful and humorous, bringing joy to the world and the people it works with. They help people have a good time, and make their work fun and exciting.
Example: Cadbury’s, Ben & Jerry’s
Everyman
The Everyman archetype is down to earth, connecting with people at their own level. They offer a sense of belonging, and take on a role of stewardship within their brand’s community.
Example: Ford, IKEA
Caregiver
The Caregiver archetype seeks to help others. Caregivers are nurturing and altruistic, using their work to do good, serve others, and really make a difference.
Example: Johnson & Johnson, UNICEF
Ruler
The Ruler creates order from chaos, bringing stability. An authority and a leader, Rulers take charge in their brand’s niche.
Example: Microsoft, British Airways
Creator
The Creator archetype is driven by imagination and an artistic drive to create something meaningful, and express their individuality.
Example: Apple, Lego
Not every brand fits perfectly into one archetype. You might see your brand values and characteristics reflected in several. But by understanding your archetype, you can start to build upon your brand’s identity, messaging, and ultimately feed this into your marketing strategy.
Get in touch with Astley Media to find out how we can help take your brand to the next level with our 5 Steps to Success model: hello@astleymedia.co.uk