As a brand, your use of archetypes will determine your overall success. If you're maintaining a large social media audience, then creating and promoting content that suits the archetype used by your audience will make it easier to keep them engaged. On the other hand, ignoring the marketing mantras of other businesses can hurt your marketing effort in the long run. That's why it's very important to have an archetype in mind if you want your business to grow. Here's a list of 12 brand archetypes that will help you get started with effective marketing.
The Caregiver Archetype
The Caregiver archetype is the most universally valued of the 12 because just about everyone wants to be cared for, protected, and looked after at some point in their life. They take care of their customers, clients, and employees with unconditional love, sympathy, and compassion. They are also known for being generous, kind, and helpful to those in need. Brands that embody the Caregiver archetype will often take on social issues themselves or encourage their customers to do so.
The Creator Archetype
The Creator brand archetype is all about inspiration, originality, and self-expression. Creator brands tend to be colorful, expressive, and sometimes even a bit eccentric. While they may not always be as polished or professional as other brands, their unique style helps them stand out from their competitors. Some examples of Creator brands include Crayola, Sony, Pinterest, and YouTube.
The Everyman Archetype
Anchored in the belief that everyone matters equally, the Everyman brand believes in doing the right thing, without heroics or recognition. They are inclusive and believe everyone should have a seat at the table — they don’t have time for social structures and hierarchies. The Everyman is great for brands looking to build a community around similar interests or experiences — because every person shares something common with every other person, after all!
The Explorer Archetype
The Explorer is an archetype that seeks to build, explore and experience. The Explorer is an adventurer and a pioneer. They have a deep, often subconscious need to overcome boundaries, explore new ideas and environments, and then take the necessary action to make their newfound discoveries a reality. Explorers are always seeking out new frontiers, asking questions, and pushing boundaries in the hopes of discovering something new.
The Hero Archetype
Strong, courageous, and often larger than life itself, the Hero is one that demands respect and admiration. The Hero’s strength not only comes from within but also from a desire to help others. Innately altruistic, the Hero is always seeking to help others overcome their greatest challenges. Whether it’s saving the day for consumers or providing them with a sense of hope for the future, the Heroic brand will always come through in a pinch.
The Innocent Archetype
The Innocent is a character archetype who represents notions of purity and virtue. Innocent archetypes are often depicted as naive or fragile, innocent to the ways of the world, but their simplicity can also be a source of strength. They represent the ideals we strive for and bring out our desire to live with more kindness and compassion. Innocent brands often take on an idealistic mission and express their vision for a better world through marketing. These brands remind us that there is good in everything around us and that we have power over our own destiny.
The Jester Archetype
Jesters have a way of making people laugh and lighten the mood, but they also use humor to question authority and challenge the status quo. Jesters are tricksters who use self-effacing humor to entertain and sometimes satirically skewer what's going on around them. This archetype can be used by brands that aren’t necessarily injecting humor directly into their products or services, but who use it in their marketing or brand voice. Brands like Old Spice are probably the most obvious example of this archetype, but there are many more out there.
The Lover Archetype
The Lover is a brand archetype that focuses on the sensual, emotional and nurturing aspects of life. The Lover appeals to our deepest romantic and idealistic natures, making it a powerful tool for brands that seek to connect with consumers on the deepest levels. Consumers respond well to this archetype because it taps into their most basic desires and needs: love, acceptance, compassion, and connection. For many people, these needs are so deeply ingrained that they're often considered to be universal human experiences.
The Magician Archetype
People are drawn to the brand that can make their dreams come true. The Magician is the brand that can help you achieve your goals through its understanding of the hidden workings of the universe. Communicating with a deep, honest voice and a charismatic tone, these brands inspire people to trust in their ability to get things done. The Magician archetype believes in their power to transform ideas into reality, a power they use for good. Though often mysterious, the Magician archetype wins customers over with its warmth and empathy.
The Outlaw Archetype
The Outlaw is an agent of change who wants to push the envelope of conventional values. They play by their own rules and aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd. In many ways, Outlaws are similar to Heroes – they both have a passion for creating change in their field or industry. But that’s where the similarities end. Where Heroes inspire others to follow them, Outlaws demand it. Outlaws are fearless in their approach to changing the status quo and don’t mind being controversial if that’s what it takes to get people talking about a subject that needs attention.
The Ruler Archetype
The Ruler uses their influence to guide others towards growth, helping them achieve their goals. This can be done through direct leadership or by creating an environment where the target audience can excel. Ruler brands are typically authoritative, dependable, powerful, controlling, and dominant.
The Sage Archetype
The Sage is the archetype of wisdom and knowledge. The Sage is an excellent communicator and can connect with people from all walks of life. They are open-minded individuals who value diversity and have a deep respect for other cultures. While Sages aren’t always the most creative people, they do have a knack for taking complex ideas and breaking them down into easily digestible concepts that anyone can understand.
The point of a brand archetype is to help you score some real clarity about the best way to approach your branding and marketing efforts—and, more importantly, which market you want to go after. Maybe you're still trying to figure that out. But once you do, the archetypes can serve as a helpful framework for starting the conversation about what you need to do next in order to capture your target audience's attention. Good luck, marketer—you're going to make it happen!