What Are Brand Archetypes? 12 Examples and Tips to Find Yours

Learn why archetype branding is important, and how to use it to define a unique, memorable personality for your product or service

Building an emotional affinity with your audience is a powerful way to sell. By giving your brand a “personality”, customers can feel a sense of attachment, familiarity, and even love. This is, according to brand strategist Raluca Rogoz, because of the empathy created between the brand and consumer. But how do you humanize your own brand in this way?

Brand archetypes are essential personality types that define how your brand should look and feel. They’re a two-way street, as they apply to both the brand’s personality, and the ideal customer for that brand.

Read on to discover where the concept of an archetype comes from, what the 12 types are, how to use them, and how to find the right one for your business.

What is an archetype?

The Ancient Greek philosopher Plato talked about the concept of pure form, or the basic, essential traits of a thing, also called an essence. In the early 1900s, a psychiatrist called Carl Jung expanded on the idea, writing about primordial images or impressions that we are all born with and unconsciously understand.

In the case of human psychology, an archetype is a personality (and associated traits) that people can easily understand and tap into. For a modern example, if we say a character in a movie is a “hero”, this automatically brings up loads of associations of what a hero is.

Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson applied this concept to brand marketing in their iconic book, The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands through the Power of Archetypes.

Archetypes in brand marketing

Designer Renata Rodrigues (@re_rodrigues), who teaches the Domestika course, Archetype-Based Branding Strategies, explains how consumer culture is not about survival, but connection and promise that the product or service will benefit the buyer.

She uses new iPhone and high-profile sneaker launches as examples. The functional benefit of these products is that we can make calls and protect our feet. But we also buy a sense of identification with the brand (the emotional benefit).

Our buying habits can reflect who and what we are. Imbuing a brand with a personality will add to this sense of connection. So, what are the different archetypes you can use to give your brand a human side?

The 12 brand archetypes, with well-known brand examples

These 12 brand personalities were identified by Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson. Here, Renata explores what each one means, some keywords associated with it, and which brand is a strong example to follow.

1. The Wizard is associated with transformation and making amazing things happen, often attributed to entrepreneurs and athletes. Red Bull, for example, emphasizes what you can create using the energy drink in their communication.

2. The Hero seeks courage and identity while overcoming challenges. In the case of Nike, its name comes from the goddess of victory, and its branding suggests energy and forward momentum.

3. The Outlaw is about rebellion and breaking the mold (think Robin Hood). If you have a particularly revolutionary product, or one aimed at teens, this archetype would suit you. MTV achieved this, breaking from ordinary television patterns and focusing on newness.

4. The Innocent wants optimism, safety, and utopianism. Coca-Cola stands out as an innocent archetype, with its focus on happiness and enjoying the moment.

5. The Explorer seeks freedom and personal growth, while keenly looking out at the world around them. Brands focused on nature, individual sports, and travel often do well here, including Land Rover.

6. The Sage focuses on knowledge and finding truth, and are often teachers or guides. Technology, journalism, and educational brands can all benefit from this archetype, and the Discovery Channel is the example given by Renata.

7. The Ruler is associated with leadership, decisions, and power. Luxury brands and big banks can often play off this, and Rolex is an example, with strong symbolism incorporated into the brand.

8. The Creator, associated with innovation and authenticity, often applies to artists, writers, and creative entrepreneurs. If you have a high-concept brand or a brand new product, you could consider this archetype, like Apple, which always sells its ability to redefine and improve technology.

9. The Caregiver celebrates generosity and altruism. Wellbeing, parent-focused, and safety brands are commonly seen here, but you could also apply it to an example like Volvo. The safety and comfort of their cars are always front-and-center in their ads.

10. The Lover is associated with seduction and desire. Indulgent brands and sectors such as fashion, beauty, and tourism can all appear here—think perfume brand Chanel and chocolate brand Godiva.

11. The Jester is about irreverence, trickery, and chaos. People with this archetype get bored of routines and like to change things up. Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is an example, balancing a message of sustainability with youthful and joyful branding.

12. The Everyman (aka the girl or guy next door) wants equality and belonging. They don’t want to stand out, and brands here might focus on genuine connection without pretension. Consider the pen brand Bic, which focuses on simplicity and practicality.

How to use brand archetypes

Let your archetype appear in your logo, motto, copy, and every aspect of your brand. But remember the keywords are guidelines, which you can then make more specific and less generic through your unique brand expression.

How to figure out your brand archetype

You might already have an intuitive idea of which archetype your product or service fits into, but there are also several questions you can ask to prompt your thinking: Try considering the goal for your brand, any customer personas you have already identified, and which emotions you want people to experience when they come into contact with you. Then, look at your competitors, and examples of companies you wish to emulate, and analyze them.

Finally, for a quick indication, you can take a brand archetype quiz like this one by Vision One. This could be a great jumping-off point for deeper discussion.

Take your brand to the next level with these resources

1. Check out Renata’s full course, Archetype-Based Branding Strategies.

2. To learn more about archetype branding and get a step-by-step guide to the process, keep an eye out for Raluca Rogoz's new course coming soon with Domestika (follow her @ralucaelenarogoz).

3. Find inspiration and guidance to build your personal brand with these six courses.