Brand Archetypes: The Complete Guide with Examples

Taskick - Branding - 29/11/2022

Hey there!

Welcome to our Brand Archetypes guide.
We'll see what they are and why they're so darned important, bringing examples of famous brands.

At the end of this short article, you will know how to recognize all the Brand Archetypes and, above all, how to make the most of them.

Having said that, let's get started!

What are Brand Archetypes?

Personally I believe that a brand is very similar to a person, from many points of view.

As we know, every human being is different, characterized by unique physical traits and their own personality, complex and multifaceted.

As are the brands.

A brand, to make a real impact, has to be like a person, with a specific personality, that communicates specific values.

Brand archetypes give brands personality traits that makes them recognizable and relatable to everyone that share those same values.

But everyone is different, so there is not a single one.
To be specific, there are 12 of them.

The 12 characters are:

The INNOCENT
The SAGE
The EXPLORER
The OUTLAW
The MAGICIAN
The HERO
The LOVER
The JESTER
The EVERYMAN
The CAREGIVER
The RULER
The CREATOR

1. The Innocent

The goal here is to provide happyness, through the simplicity of their products and communication.

Brands that choose this archetype are mainly for:
1. Beauty and Skin Care, like Dove and Aveeno.
2. Food and Beverage, like Coca-Cola and Innocent Drinks.

Those are perfect examples of the Innocent Archetype.

Dove and Aveeno base their communication around using natural ingredients and simplicity in their products, muted colors and super clear messages, leaving customers with a feeling of safety and comfort.

Coca-Cola is slightly different.

If in both Dove and Aveeno the main focus is this feeling of comfort, Coca-Cola adopted a more direct communication centered on the sense of happiness.

Some of the brand's messages are in fact: "it's a real thing" and "Open happiness".

2. The Sage

This archetype is a seeker of truth, knowledge and wisdom.

Traits like intelligence, competence, and influence are used to share knowledge and help the world and, more specifically, customers.

Best brands for this archetypes are:
1. News Networks.
2. Schools/Universities.
3. Consultancies.

We are talking about brands like Google, TED, The Economist, CNN and Discovery Channel.

Each of these bases its own communication on knowledge-sharing.

Think about Google, their mission is literally:
"Our mission is to organize information worldwide and make it universally accessible and useful".

3. The Explorer

"You only get one live. Make it count!"

As the name suggests, the main values of this archetype are the pursuit of adventure and experiences.

Think of the explorer as the main character of an action film.

A well-constructed Explorer require a sense of direction, a goal to be achieved, filled up by a desire for adventure and curiosity.

Some really good examples of this archetypes are Jeep, National Geographic and The North Face.

Their Value System and Communication in general is immediately clear from their vision statement:
- "Go Anywhere. Do anything" for Jeep.
- "Illuminate and protect the wonder of our world" for National Geographic.
- "Never Stop Exploring" for The North Face.

In all of these examples, what emerges is curiosity and a desire for adventure.

4. The Outlaw

Disruptive, Rebellious, Powerful, they are rule-breaker by nature.

They are Dominant and Polarizing.

These brands denounce the normalized, what is accepted, and the status quo for something better.

Given their nature and the principles that guide them, Outlaws can be both good and bad.

In the first case, they are activists, revolutionaries and visionaries, who challenge larger and more oppressive powers.

Since their desires take precedence, they can also play negative roles, acting as radicals or criminals.

Let's think about some great Outlaw examples, like
Harley-Davidson (which represents freedom from the rigid constraints of society),
Diesel (known for thier rebellious and uncommon style) and,
PayPal (which positions itself as the new transaction system in a very Outlaw way).

5. The Magician

I personally love this archetype, for what a wizard represents.

Typically in stories it is the one who pushes the hero to action, like a mentor.
Which is perfectly in line with the Story Brand model, where the hero is the customer and the one who accompanies him towards solving the problem is the brand.

The Magician is Clever, Disciplined, Powerful and Wise.

Another very important element is dreams.
Think of the hero of a story, who sets out on the path to fulfilling that dream.

In fact, one of the main exponents of this archetype is Disney, whose slogan is "Where dreams come true".

When it comes to all things magical, Disney is the absolute benchmark.
From fantastic films to the breathtaking Disneyland experience.

6. The Hero

7. The Lover

8. The Jester

9. The Everyman

10. The Caregiver

11. The Ruler

12. The Creator

About us

Hi, we are Taskick!
We are a team that mainly deals with the development of Apps and websites to accelerate the digital transition of companies.