Brand Archetypes: The Essence of a Brand

The archetypes convey deeper meaning of brands that are synonymous to the brand’s vision & mission. The brand archetype accesses something deeper & richer in the consumer psychology. A classified psychologist Carl Jung defined it as: “There are forms or images of a collective nature which occur practically all over the earth as constituents of myths and at the same time, as individual products of unconscious”.

The brand archetypes are vital as it allows you a detailed study of the brand which helps you gain a competitive advantage. It improves brand’s communication, boosts consumer perception for the brand & builds brand equity. In this blog, we will discuss in detail the history of brand archetypes, the 12 types of brand archetypes, benefits of implementing it, identification of it & implementing it into your brand strategy.

Evolution of Brand Archetypes:

In the early twentieth century Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung brought the idea of collective unconsciousness or the hidden shared memories throughout the time. Archetypes have a storied past, and the mere idea of them has sparked the imagination of poets, philosophers, psychologists & dreamers. As a business, you can leverage common archetypes to craft a brand presence strongly that resonates with the consumers.

Carl Jung’s 12 Brand Archetypes:

Knowing the brand archetype is the main highlight to create a brand identity. This will help you to create a deep connection with your audience. These cover the spectrum, from those that convey comfort from others to those who create excitement. Choosing the right archetype for your business is essential. Here are Carl Jung Archetypes:

The innocent::
This one is like nature. These brands are pure & unadulterated. These brands prefer simplicity & authenticity & are principled in nature. These innocent brands don’t want to harm anyone or anything. They also have an impeccably positive outlook on life. E.g. Nestle Pure Life.
The Everyman:
This archetype simply wants to belong. These brands dislike standing out from the crowd & send the message that it’s okay to be normal. This one yearns to blend into the rest of the society. E.g.
The Hero:
This is one of the brand archetypes that oozes courage, inspiration & determination. These brands are like protagonists & their mission is to make the spread peace & harmony in the world. E.g. Nike, FedEx.
The Outlaw:
In this brand archetype, the brand craves for liberation. It wants to be a free bird. Simply said it believes in the saying rules are meant to be broken. The themes of these can be said as rebellious nature & disruptive nature. E.g.
The Explorer:
This brand archetype is one of the best as it has an inner drive to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. They aren’t introverts at all by nature & all they want is go out into the rugged environment. They like to be faced by challenges & be adventurous. E.g. Red Bull, Jeep.
The Creator:
The brand strategy of the creator and the brand storytelling plays a huge role in the overall branding. The Creator personality of brands has a desire to create something new & fresh. This brand archetype believes if one can imagine it, it can be created. Eg. Adobe & Apple.
The Ruler:
These brand persona of these brand archetypes is to be powerful & dominating. They want to be known as the best in the business at all times. The ability to influence others with authoritative personality & attention to minor details is praise-worthy. E.g. Gillette, Rolex.
The Magician:
Into the list of brand archetypes, this one comes into the category of brand differentiation. The goal of these brands is to provide a disruptive experience & help to make people’s dreams come true. E.g. Disney.
The Lover:
This one falls into the category of a romantic one at heart. These ones hold relationships into the highest regard. These brands find strength in intimacy, passion & emotional connection. E.g.
The Caregiver:
This caregiver archetype is empathetic, compassionate & offers a vibe of guardianship. It makes it an excellent opportunity for healthcare brands, baby products or non-profit organizations. E.g. Pampers.
The Jester:
This one likes to have fun, be light-hearted & not stress about things in life. It strives to make their audience laugh, entertain & laugh along with them. The archetype aims at helping people let go off their stressful thoughts, to come out of their shells & get into the party mood a little. E.g. Doritos.
The Sage:
This one exists for knowledge, truth & wisdom. These brands do not only strive to seek valuable information, but also to share it with others. It’s goal is to empower people to change the world rather than bring about a change into the world. E.g. Google & BBC World.

Benefits of Brand Archetypes:

Simplicity:
The brand development process is simplified. It offers a direction to start & define the brand’s voice, values & visual elements.
Consistency:
Archetype provides a clear & consistent framework for brand consistency.
Emotional element:
These archetypes tap into human emotions & stories. It enables brands to create successful branding as the story hits the right chord of emotion.
Differentiation:
In the competitive markets, brands often struggle to get noticed. By opting for an archetype, that’s different from its competitors, a brand can easily set itself apart.

How to identify your brand’s archetype:

Understand the power & potential of your brand.
Formulate an emotional connection.
Use symbolism for a stronger connection.
Deep study on your target audience.
Study & select the right archetype.

Common mistakes to Avoid:

Targeting the wrong audience.
Ignorance towards customer experience.
Irrelevant brand visuals.
Not having a consistent brand identity.

Conclusion:

When crafting the archetype study your values, vision & mission of the brand in detail. Brainstorm ideas on building an emotion & connect with the people. These archetypes help us to implement brand consistency. They elevate brand trust among the consumers into the market. When properly identified, it will reflect the brand persona exactly as it was envisioned. Emotional branding is the most effective way to spread your brand wide.

Table of Contents

Brand Archetypes: The Essence of a Brand

Evolution of Brand Archetypes:

Carl Jung’s 12 Brand Archetypes:

Benefits of Brand Archetypes:

How to identify your brand’s archetype:

Common mistakes to Avoid:

Conclusion:

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