The recipe to success for any business involves several key ingredients: an in-demand product/service, excellent copy, social proof and, most importantly, a brand identity that your consumers can connect to. If your consumers can’t distinguish you from your competitors, you can wave them goodbye. Fortunately, we’ve got the shortcut to success: using brand archetypes.
We will explain what brand archetypes are and why they’re so vital. We’ll then show you how to use them to define your brand, connect to potential consumers and improve your copywriting. Let’s go!
Table of contents
- What are brand archetypes?
- Why should I use brand archetypes?
- The 12 brand archetypes
- Using brand archetypes
- Final thoughts
What are brand archetypes?
Image source: Towfiqu barbhuiya (via Unsplash)
Psychologist Carl Jung defined archetypes as universal symbols and images that derive from the unconscious mind. In other words, humans can subconsciously identify and categorise people according to their traits, values and actions. This allows us to watch a film like Star Wars and automatically determine that Luke Skywalker is the hero and Darth Vader is the villain.
This work was later expanded upon by marketers Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson (“The Hero and The Outlaw“), who believed that brands could take advantage of the effect that archetypes have on the subconscious mind to connect to consumers on an emotional level.
There are countless archetypes in the world, but for simplicity, Mark and Pearson reduced it down to 12 distinct brand archetypes:
- Caregiver
- Creator
- Everyman
- Explorer
- Hero
- Innocent
- Jester
- Lover
- Magician
- Outlaw
- Ruler
- Sage
These brand archetypes are based on innate human desires, values and behaviours. They tie into your brand identity, personality and voice, not to mention how your target audience perceives your brand and connects to you.
Why should I use brand archetypes?
👉 To connect to your audience
The power of archetypes lies in their ability to be identifiable and relatable to your target audience. When consumers can recognise a brand’s values and personality and potentially align them with their own, they’re more likely to make a purchase and connect with you.
👉 To understand your brand
Whether you’re a new business, or a brand looking to reposition itself, you need to understand who you are. This includes your personality traits, goals and, generally, how you want to present your brand to the outside world. With archetypes, you can build an organic brand identity and accompanying narrative.
👉 To write better copy
Defining your brand archetype gives your copywriting team a better understanding of your tone of voice and marketing goals. Once they know who you are, they can supercharge their copy to reflect your brand identity and bridge the gap between your business and your audience.
The 12 brand archetypes
1. The Caregiver
Image source: Rémi Walle (via Unsplash)
The Caregiver archetype is selfless, compassionate and generous. They are driven by the desire to nurture, protect and help people—providing physical and/or emotional support through their products/services. Caregiver brands typically prioritise doing good over making a profit and take preventative measures to protect their consumers.
“From the Day You’re Born, Johnson & Johnson Never Stops Taking Care of You.” – Johnson & Johnson
Tone of voice:
➔ Reassuring
➔ Warm
➔ Caring
Example industries:
➔ Healthcare
➔ Non-profits
➔ Education
Example brands:
➔ Johnson & Johnson
➔ Pampers
➔ Boots
2. The Creator
Image source: Anna Kolosyuk (via Unsplash)
The Creator archetype is artistic, imaginative and unique. They are driven by the desire to innovate and create something valuable and long-lasting. These brands want to share these creations with their consumers to encourage them to embrace their creativity and express their individuality.
“Empowering the World to Design.” – Canva
Tone of voice:
➔ Inspirational
➔ Daring
➔ Passionate
Example industries:
➔ Technology
➔ Marketing
➔ Art & Design
Example brands:
➔ Lego
➔ Canva
➔ Adobe
3. The Everyman
Image source: Andriyko Podilnyk (via Unsplash)
The Everyman archetype is down-to-earth, humble and reliable. Everyman brands want to connect with their consumers and make them feel like it’s okay to be normal—giving them the chance to feel like they’re part of an inclusive community. Ultimately, it’s all about creating a sense of belonging.
“Creating a Better Everyday Life for the Many People.” – Ikea
Tone of voice:
➔ Friendly
➔ Humorous
➔ Authentic
Example industries:
➔ Home
➔ Food
➔ Apparel
Example brands:
➔ B&Q
➔ Aldi
➔ Ikea
4. The Explorer
Image source: Alexandra Mirgheș (via Unsplash)
The Explorer archetype is adventurous, daring and brave. These brands encourage their consumers to seek new experiences, push their limits, and explore the unknown. They want to challenge their audience and inject them with enough confidence to take action.
“Never Stop Exploring.” – The North Face
Tone of voice:
➔ Daring
➔ Exciting
➔ Fearless
Example industries:
➔ Sports
➔ Outdoor equipment
➔ Travel
Example brands:
➔ The North Face
➔ Red Bull
➔ Trivago
5. The Hero
Image source: Esteban Lopez (via Unsplash)
The Hero archetype is brave, determined, strong and bold. They are driven by the desire to achieve greatness and save the day. If you couldn’t tell from our superhero branding and dynamic copy, Supersede Media relates entirely to the hero archetype—vowing to help all businesses far and wide achieve their marketing goals and dreams!
“Just Do It.” – Nike
Tone of voice:
➔ Brave
➔ Bold
➔ Trustworthy
Example industries:
➔ Sportswear
➔ Outdoor equipment
➔ Emergency services
Example brands:
➔ Nike
➔ Adidas
➔ Duracell
6. The Innocent
Image source: Christina Anne Costello (via Unsplash)
The Innocent archetype is optimistic, youthful and authentic. They’re a happy-go-lucky archetype that desires happiness and honesty above all else—wanting people to be their authentic selves without a care in the world. They see the beauty in the world around them and want their consumers to follow suit.
“Beauty is For Everyone.” – Dove
Tone of voice:
➔ Optimistic
➔ Honest
➔ Friendly
Example industries:
➔ Skincare
➔ Beauty
➔ Food
Example brands:
➔ Dove
➔ Innocent Drinks
➔ Extra
7. The Jester
Image source: Thomas Park (via Unsplash)
The Jester is funny, light-hearted and playful. The class clown of the brand archetypes, Jester brands are all about having fun, living life to the fullest, and not taking themselves too seriously. They want to share their laughter and joy with their consumers and appeal to their inner child.
“Smell Like a Man, Man.” – Old Spice
Tone of voice:
➔ Upbeat
➔ Witty
➔ Playful
Example industries:
➔ Entertainment
➔ Food
➔ Home
Example brands:
➔ Old Spice
➔ Lynx
➔ M&Ms
8. The Lover
Image source: Mayur Gala (via Unsplash)
The Lover archetype is affectionate, passionate and empathetic. They are driven by the desire to help consumers find human connection and intimacy—encompassing romantic, familial and spiritual closeness. Lover brands also appeal to their consumers’ need to feel desirable and attractive.
“Date, Meet, Network Better.” – Bumble
Tone of voice:
➔ Sensual
➔ Intimate
➔ Empathetic
Example industries:
➔ Food
➔ Perfume
➔ Dating
Example brands:
➔ Marks & Spencer
➔ Bumble
➔ Jean-Paul Gaultier
9. The Magician
Image source: Loris Marie (via Unsplash)
The Magician archetype is inspirational, charismatic and mysterious. These brands want to make their consumers’ dreams come true and transform their lives for the better. They walk a fine line; the wrong exaggeration or claim could make the difference between being perceived as a positive catalyst for change and a complete liar.
“Where Dreams Come True.” – Disney
Tone of voice:
➔ Inspirational
➔ Mysterious
➔ Exciting
Example industries:
➔ Entertainment
➔ Media
➔ Health & wellbeing
Example brands:
➔ Disney
➔ Nintendo
➔ Dyson
10. The Outlaw
Image source: Jakayla Toney (via Unsplash)
Also known as the Rebel, the Outlaw archetype is bold, disruptive and energetic. These brands are looking to buck tradition, defy the status quo and encourage others to embrace the freedom of individuality and choice. They want to empower their consumers, make them non-conformers and inject them with a bit of attitude.
“Live to Ride. Ride to Live.” – Harley-Davidson
Tone of voice:
➔ Rebellious
➔ Edgy
➔ Unapologetic
Example industries:
➔ Automotive
➔ Apparel
➔ Food and drink
Example brands:
➔ Doc Martens
➔ Harley-Davidson
➔ Jack Daniels
11. The Ruler
Image source: Roland Denes (via Unsplash)
The Ruler archetype is assertive, prestigious and confident. As you can guess from the name, these brands are all about exerting their dominance and authority over their industry. Though they value exclusivity and have an air of superiority, they want to give consumers the secrets of their success so that they too can feel influential and respected.
“The Best or Nothing.” – Mercedes-Benz
Tone of voice:
➔ Refined
➔ Authoritative
➔ Eloquent
Example industries:
➔ Automotive
➔ Watch manufacturers
➔ Luxury apparel
Example brands:
➔ Mercedes-Benz
➔ Rolex
➔ Hugo Boss
12. The Sage
Image source: Siora Photography (via Unsplash)
The Sage archetype is wise, thoughtful and curious. These brands are driven by the desire to understand the world around them and share their knowledge with consumers. They rest easy knowing that every piece of wisdom they offer to their audience will help to change the world for the better.
“Ideas Worth Spreading.” – TED
Tone of voice:
➔ Informative
➔ Encouraging
➔ Thoughtful
Example industries:
➔ Education
➔ Media
➔ News
Example brands:
➔ Google
➔ BBC
➔ TED
Using brand archetypes
Now you know what brand archetypes are, we can show you how to use them to understand your brand better, make an emotional connection with your consumers and improve your copy.
👉 Define your brand archetypes
You’ll first want to determine which brand archetype(s) your business aligns with. Before you proclaim that you are a Magician or an Outlaw, you’ll need to consider your decision carefully.
Your chosen archetype(s) will depend on various factors…
- Your industry: as we’ve highlighted, some archetypes are better suited to specific industries. You can break the mould by picking an unusual archetype for your sector, but you’ll need to ensure you don’t alienate anyone.
- Your values: the foundation of your archetype is based on your company’s values and goals. Are you looking to improve people’s health and wellbeing or trying to promote learning? Do you want to shape futures or aid in the day-to-day?
- Your consumers: your brand archetype and its associated personality and values must align with your target market. You won’t be able to make an emotional connection with them if they don’t identify with your brand.
- Your competitors: you’ll likely find that most of your competitors align with the same archetype. This means that you’ll need to either pick an entirely different one, or find a way to make it more unique.
Though some brands can pick a single archetype easily, most will likely end up with a primary and a secondary archetype.
Supersede Media is a Hero and a Magician brand. We are driven by the desire to save the day with SEO and content creation and transform the fortunes of businesses!
Will my consumers align with my archetypes?
It’s easy to jump the gun here by assuming that your consumers will fall into the same archetypes as your brand. In some cases, you might be right—Explorer brands like The North Face, for example, attract a lot of like-minded fellow Explorers looking for outdoor adventure.
As with everything marketing-related, however, it’s not always so cut and dry. The people you’re trying to attract might not be as easily defined as your brand. People who are easily bored and love to have fun, in other words, Jesters, might also be attracted to Explorer brands or like the idea of playing the role of Ruler.
Though you should consider which archetypes your consumers align with, you should also utilise your buyer personas and psychographics.
👉 Find your unique identity
Brand archetypes are merely the foundation of your brand’s identity, and it’s up to you to determine how to interpret them so that you stand out from the crowd and connect with your consumers.
To find out who you are, you should brainstorm with your marketing and copywriting teams and pick out the themes, symbols and emotions you want to convey. This, in turn, will help you:
- Create a mood board
- Discover your colour palette
- Find your tone of voice
- Hone your brand’s language
- Generate your visuals and typography
Though you want to stand out from your competitors, bear in mind that going too far outside the box may alienate your consumers. You’ll also need to remember that each choice is a piece of your brand’s jigsaw puzzle—it all must fit together to work.
👉 Supercharge your copy and make that connection
Now that you have a better handle on your brand’s story and how you want to present yourself to your consumers, it’s time to revamp your copy and make that emotional connection!
Though getting rid of your old copy might be time-consuming and upsetting, you might find this process more manageable if you start from scratch. This will stop you from slipping back into your old identity and ensure you’re being consistent with your new authentic self.
With a clear brand identity and stronger messaging, you give consumers a chance to connect with and relate to you. Rather than seeing a faceless brand looking to take their money, they will focus on your traits, values and passions.
Final thoughts
It is simply not enough to have a good product and website nowadays. To truly reel in your consumers, you need to connect to them on a deeper level to drive them to take action. There is no better way to do this than to develop a distinct, identifiable personality through brand archetypes.
With a strong brand identity, you can attract consumers who share your values, create a solid and loyal customer base, and improve brand awareness.
More on Consumer Psychology…
Looking for more insights into the minds of your consumers and ways to influence their buying behaviour? Check out the other instalments in our Consumer Psychology series…
