Brand Archetypes Ultimate Guide: What is it, History, Types, Examples

When brands are talked about, there comes a person-to-person relatability that exists through various groups or communities. It’s like there’s a bond. Audiences are so attached to this one brand or company that buying from anywhere else, even with many brands coming into the market every day feels uneasy.

What could it be that makes the audiences feel very close to this brand? What is it about the brands that don’t shake the feeling off of buying from customers? Well, it sure isn’t just a choice or even logical and not spiritual. What could it be then?

More than 90% of consumers make decisions about brands are based on the subconscious. The love, the sentiments for this “particular brand” is deep-rooted within the psychology and there’s a 95% probability that everyone is seduced by at least one brand. This is where archetypes come into the picture.‌

What are Brand Archetypes?
History of Brand Archetypes
Types of Brand Archetypes
Purpose of Brand Archetypes
What Makes Brand Archetypes So Unbelievably Effective?
Why Should Businesses Use Brand Archetypes?
FAQs

What are Brand Archetypes?

Brand archetypes are a way of presenting a brand which can be a statement, meaning, behaviour, values, and messages that make the brand more relatable and recognized by the target audience. Archetypes build human-like personas that give brands a personality that the audiences who share similar values can relate to and approach.

Even the unicorns and the most powerful organizations just didn’t reach the top overnight. Perfect use of effective and efficient strategies into crafting the perfect brand image that attracts and sticks with the audiences is what paid them off. When the companies understand how the brand archetypes work and their importance, building brands is a children’s game.

History of Brand Archetypes

Brand Archetypes originated with a psychiatrist named Carl Jung, who worked with Sigmund Freud. He was of the thought that every human has fundamental human needs that are both primitive and instinctual. That everyone is of models, values, and behaviours.

Archetypes are essentially the combination of wants and behaviours. They are the soul of a brand that’s living and makes the audience relate. Understand the audience and make a brand archetype according to it, make and define the brands so good that the audience forms a relationship with a brand and genuinely cares about it. Archetypes instil humanity in the brands' vision and mission.

Types of Brand Archetypes

The archetype framework identifies 12 different Archetypes :

Innocent

Brands with innocent archetypes are honest and pure and are driven with a positive personality towards life’s outlook. Innocent archetypes ignore publicity, are simple, and let the audience explore the business.

Example of Innocent Brand Archetype - Coca-Cola, Volkswagen

Sage

These archetypes recognize and celebrate curiosity, wisdom, and knowledge. Sage brands are truthful.

Example of Sage Brand Archetype - TED

Outlaw

Outlaw archetypes are the harbinger of revolution. Brands of these archetypes provide an introduction to alternative lifestyles and challenge the status quo.

Example of Outlaw Brand Archetype - Harley-Davidson, MTV

Explorer

Brands with explorer archetypes have a thirst for ambition and innovation and are always hungry for self-discovery and adventures.

Example of Explorer Brand Archetype - Jeep, North Face

Hero

Hero archetypes come as the saviour of society. These brands are courageous and triumphant and believe in helping everyone achieve their goals, bring positivity and make the whole world a better place.

Example of Hero Brand Archetype - Nike

Lover

Lover archetypes are sensuous and emotive. It’s all about the relationship with the people, different experiences, work, and favourite places. Lover archetypes are luxurious and come as appreciative for the beauty.

Example of Lover Brand Archetype - Magnum, Nescafe

Everyman

These archetypes show signs of connecting with the audiences on a deeper level. Everyman archetypes just want to belong and don’t expect to be outstanding.

Example of Everyman Brand Archetype - IKEA, eBay

Jester

Jester is about having fun, being energetic and living life at the moment. These brands are cheerful.

Example of Jester Brand Archetype - M&M, Mailchimp

Caregiver

These archetypes are selfless and desire to care for others. Such brand archetypes are generous and compassionate.

Example of Caregiver Brand Archetype - Campbell

Ruler

The ruler archetype is driven by the desire for power, control, has a dominant personality, and is a leader.

Example of Ruler Brand Archetype - Mercedes Benz, Microsoft

Creator

Creator brand archetypes make their trends by tapping into the human imagination.

Example of Creator Brand Archetype - Sony, Pinterest, and YouTube

Magician

These archetypes think outside the box and have aims that are even impossible for others.

Example of Magician Brand Archetype - Disney, Dyson

Purpose of Brand Archetypes

Archetypes are essentially human wants and needs that can be tapped into. These archetypes take the sales and marketing ideas and efforts and turn them into something that the audience can connect with and relate to. They support brand-customer interactions and user experience and relationships. Builds trust and makes a good customer base.

It adapts to customers' requirements, desires, and urges. Brand archetypes make the customer think that the brand can help them to achieve their aims and help remove the competitors as they make the business think about the why behind it and what could make it unique and apply it. The ideas and concepts are very unique and important for a brand.

What Makes Brand Archetypes So Unbelievably Effective?

Archetypes help in establishing identity as a brand. Today’s brands are mostly defined by partnerships and connections between the audience and the brand. They support product innovation and developments and hold powerful marketing and advertising tools allowing the audiences to tap into the brand exclusively and bring the brand alive in the most unimaginable ways. They accurately place the marketing strategies and make branding and marketing more strong and convincing.

Still, in today’s era, it is not just sufficient to thrive in marketing and communicating what the brands' services and products provide. To be successful, brands must have an emotional and sentimental connection with the audiences that encourages brand loyalty and a huge client base. The emotionally connected customers tend to spend more than twice on brands as those who aren’t emotionally connected.

More than 80% of people promote the brands with their loved ones if they are emotionally connected. This is how the emotional connections strengthen the brands' value and presence over time and are sometimes even passed down to generations.

Why Should Businesses Use Brand Archetypes?

When it comes to businesses, the archetypes help the businesses with what they need the most; individuality, differentiation from others, and sustainability. They give a personalized depth to the businesses making them easy to connect with. This is both intriguing and authentic. They bring fresh and innovative ideas and distinctive customer propositions and regularly challenge the status quo. They help audiences connect to brands personas and clear the focus on customers’ needs and requirements, changing the business course from good to best.

Conclusion

Brand archetypes help a brand to create a brand identity. Choosing a brand archetype is hard but choosing one will help your brand to create better relationships with your customers. So, This was the ultimate guide to brand archetypes.

FAQs

What are the 12 Brand Archetypes?

The 12 brand archetypes are The Innocent, Everyman, Hero, Outlaw, Explorer, Creator, Ruler, Magician, Lover, Caregiver, Jester, and Sage.

Can a brand have 2 Archetypes?

Yes, a brand can have 2 brand archetypes if your audiences are different.

Who made brand Archetypes?

Carl Jung, a swiss psychiatrist made brand archetypes.