Ever noticed how some brands just seem to get you, like when you scroll through their website or walk into their space you feel immediately heard and at-home? That’s not just smart marketing; it’s archetypes in action! 

Everyone has at least one archetype that resonates most with their personality, and is ideal to integrate into their branding. When you take your archetype into consideration when creating and promoting your brand, you end up with something that resonates with you and your ideal audience on a deeper level, and allows you to feel confident showing up as the leader of your brand.

What are Archetypes, and How do They Relate to Branding?

Introduced by Carl Jung, archetypes are like the DNA of our collective storytelling, shaping everything from ancient myths to the brands we love today. They tap into universal themes that pull us in on a deeper level, making us feel like we’re part of a bigger story.

There are 12 brand archetypes, including the Hero, Outlaw, Explorer, Sage, Innocent, Magician, Everyperson, Lover, Jester, Caregiver, Ruler, and Creator. Each archetype embodies distinct attributes, strengths, and weaknesses, allowing brands to connect with their audience on a more emotional level. 

When you align your brand with an archetype, you're choosing a specific narrative and set of traits that help define how you present your brand to the world. 

It’s a way to infuse your brand's communications, imagery, client experience and overall vibe with qualities that feel familiar and appealing to your audience, making your brand more relatable and memorable.

In today’s world, standing out isn’t just about being seen; it’s about being remembered and feeling connected. 

By leveraging an archetype, your business can craft a more cohesive and impactful brand identity. This approach helps to differentiate yourself in the market, create deeper connections with your audience, and build a brand that not only sells but tells a compelling story. To get started in finding your archetype, you can take my free quiz here!

Now, let’s meet each of the 12 archetypes!

Explorer

The Explorer is on a quest to discover freedom, purpose and truth by exploring their inner and outer worlds.   

• Brand Personality: Open-minded, courageous, curious, adventurous

• Brand Promise: To help you find deep fulfillment and freedom through daring to live an adventurous and unconventional life

• Brand Values: Freedom, flexibility, authenticity, independence, personal growth

• Brand Strengths: Autonomy and ambition

• Brand Pitfalls: Aimless wandering, becoming a misfit, trouble committing

• Brand Motto: Collect experiences, not things

• Your Brand in Action: Share your adventurous lifestyle and how you break free from the norm

• Brand Voice: Authentic, curious, energetic

• Brand Visuals: Earthy, natural, unstructured, rugged

• Examples: Jeep, Patagonia, Air BnB, Amelia Earhart

Innocent

The Innocent’s glass is always half full. They love to create happiness, spread optimism, and encourage new beginnings in their cheerful demeanor.

• Brand Personality: Positive, sweet, joyful

• Brand Promise: To help you slow down, relax and get out of the fast lane so you can truly enjoy your life.

• Brand Values: Simplicity, harmony, trust, integrity, beauty

• Brand Strengths: Optimism, finding the good in any situation

• Brand Pitfalls: Becoming predictable and boring, or unrealistic

• Brand Motto: Keep it simple

• Your Brand in Action: Spread happiness, demonstrate kindness and act in integrity

• Brand Voice: Gentle, poetic, concise

• Brand Visuals: Light, whimsical, uncluttered

• Examples: Dove, Volkswagen, Real Simple Magazine, Meg Ryan

Sage

The Sage is a planner, a teacher, and a philosopher. They are trustworthy and gifted at guiding others with their well-rooted wisdom. 

• Brand Personality: Logical, wise, certain, contemplative

• Brand Promise: To provide wisdom, guidance and intellectual or spiritual growth that leads to deep self discovery and even enlightenment.

• Brand Values: Learning, freedom of opinion, truth

• Brand Strengths: Rational, trustworthy

• Brand Pitfalls: Always learning and never taking action

• Brand Motto: Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument

• Your Brand in Action: Make your audience feel smart. Provide all the relevant information people need to make an informed decision on your website (including price and logistics).

• Brand Voice: Intelligent, dignified, factual, clear

• Brand Visuals: Understated, uncluttered, neutral colors with pops of yellow and blue 

• Examples: TEDx, Buddha, Harvard, Mayo Clinic, NPR, Al Gore

Hero

The Hero is on a mission to improve the world through triumph over adversity or challenge. They are driven to empower others to reach their highest potential.

• Brand Personality: Disciplined, strong, fearless

• Brand Promise: To empower you to achieve your goals no matter what 

• Brand Values: Discipline, hard work, commitment 

• Brand Strengths: Decisive, competent, resilient  

• Brand Pitfalls: Burnout, aggression, competitiveness

• Brand Motto: Courage over comfort

• Your Brand in Action: Demonstrate your values from the inside out. Dare to get vulnerable and share the challenges you’ve overcome.

• Brand Voice: Motivational, direct, energetic

• Brand Visuals: Saturated colors, definitive lines and shapes, functional not frilly

• Brand Examples: Nike, Gatorade, Olympics, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Malala

 Magician

The Magician is a visionary, an alchemist and a charismatic leader. They make things happen, trust synchronicity and use their influence to make dreams come true.

• Brand Personality: Visionary, influential, enchanting

• Brand Promise: To make dreams come true

• Brand Values: Transformation, interconnectedness, innovation, trust

• Brand Strengths: Trusting intuition, transforming visions into reality

• Brand Pitfalls: Disconnected from reality, manipulative

• Brand Motto: If you can dream it, you can achieve it

• Your Brand in Action: Create magical moments for your audience and clients, always be innovating.

• Brand Voice: Inspiring, thought provoking, charismatic 

• Brand Visuals: Magical, sparkly, free-flowing, ethereal, expansive

• Examples: Disney, Tesla, Make a Wish Foundation, Yoda

Outlaw

The Outlaw is a rebel and a revolutionary. Their outspoken and passionate nature allows them to inspire radical change and challenge the status-quo. 

• Brand Personality: Revolutionary, rebellious, outspoken

• Brand Promise: To disrupt what you've been taught to believe

• Brand Values: Liberation, non-conformity, taking risks

• Brand Strengths: Standing in your values no matter what, not being afraid of being judged

• Brand Pitfalls: Violence, self destructive behavior

• Brand Motto: Rules are meant to be broken

• Your Brand in Action: Shock people with what you say and do

• Brand Voice: Controversial, blunt, fearless

• Brand Visuals: Dark, moody and/or intense colors. Edgy. Disturbing, shocking or offensive imagery

• Examples: Harley Davidson, Lush Cosmetics, Red Bull, Liquid Death, Captain Jack Sparrow

Everyperson

The Everyperson is a realist, good neighbor and advocate who lives by common sense, kindness and respect.

• Brand Personality: Welcoming, humble, reliable, relatable

• Brand Promise: To create an inclusive community where you're seen and accepted just as you are

• Brand Values: Connection, acceptance, equality, hard work

• Brand Strengths: Making others feel welcomed and appreciated, being relatable

• Brand Pitfalls: Being overlooked, becoming apathetic, losing oneself in the name of fitting in

• Brand Motto: In a world where you can be anything, be kind

• Your Brand in Action: Be open about your failures and fears. Share everyday parts of your life.

• Brand Voice: Conversational, warm, practical, humble 

• Brand Visuals: Simple, down-to-earth, casual

• Examples: Gap, Target, Budweiser, Ikea, Amy Porterfield, Drew Barrymore

Lover

The Lover is an enthusiast, a romantic and an intimate soul. They live with heart, openly share their passions and make relationships their priority. 

• Brand Personality: Passionate, appreciative, romantic

• Brand Promise: To help you experience greater pleasure in your life and relationships

• Brand Values: Beauty, intimacy, connection, quality

• Brand Strengths: Connecting people with their deepest desires while making them feel special and loved

• Brand Pitfalls: Infatuation, obsession, envy

• Brand Motto: Do it with passion or not at all

• Your Brand in Action: Create customized, experiential programs, products and services. Add extra-special touches that make clients feel appreciated, seen and heard.

• Brand Voice: Affectionate, emotional, passionate

• Brand Visuals: Elegant, beautiful, luxurious textures

• Examples: Victoria’s Secret, Häagen Dazs, Chanel, Marilyn Monroe

Jester

The Jester is witty, spontaneous and the life of the party! They are on a mission to bring more joy and laughter to the world. 

• Brand Personality: Mischievous, funny, cheerful, insightful, outgoing

• Brand Promise: To help us lighten up and be a more spontaneous

• Brand Values: Living in the moment, having fun, making the most of life

• Brand Strengths: Living in the moment, being spontaneous, using humor to shift perspectives and broach difficult topics

• Brand Pitfalls: Being irresponsible, can struggle to be taken seriously 

• Brand Motto: Laughter is the best medicine

• Your Brand in Action: Play, make jokes, be mischievous

• Brand Voice: Clever, sarcastic, enthusiastic

• Brand Visuals: Colorful, bright, busy

• Examples: Skittles, Old Spice, Ben & Jerry’s, Ellen DeGeneres, Rebel Wilson

Ruler

The Ruler is powerful, confident and a natural born leader who adheres to personal responsibility, high standards and leading by example.

• Brand Personality: Confident, responsible, sophisticated

• Brand Promise: To help you feel confident, safe and and in control

• Brand Values: Structure, ambition, quality

• Brand Strengths: Juggling many important responsibilities with grace, creating order out of chaos, leadership

• Brand Pitfalls: Being entitled, cold, or bossy

• Brand Motto: Always wear your invisible crown

• Your Brand in Action: Exude confidence in everything you do. Make working with you a seamless and luxurious experience.

• Brand Voice: Confident, clear, prestigious 

• Brand Visuals: Classy, luxurious, formal

• Examples: Mercedes Benz, Louis Vuitton, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co., Jennifer Lopez

Caregiver

The Caregiver is an altruist, an empath, and a true giver. Their generosity, thoughtfulness, and dependability make it easy for people to open up to them. 

• Brand Personality: Nurturing, dependable, warm 

• Brand Promise: To keep you safe and cared for

• Brand Values: Compassion, responsibility, generosity

• Brand Strengths: Being calm and reliable in times of crisis, good listener, helpful, making people feel safe and cared for

• Brand Pitfalls: Self sacrificing, smothering, enabling 

• Brand Motto: Treat others the way you want to be treated

• Your Brand in Action: Support charities you believe in

• Brand Voice: Reassuring, considerate, kind

• Brand Visuals: People-oriented imagery, soft, grounded, warm and comfortable

• Examples: Habitat for Humanity, Huggies, Volvo, Mother Teresa

Creator

The Creator is a dreamer, a builder, and an artist. Their expressive, dedicated and hardworking nature is perfect to bring visions into reality.

• Brand Personality: Innovative, expressive, imaginative, unconventional

• Brand Promise: To help you create structure that will allow your vision to come to life

• Brand Values: Self expression, quality, beauty, originality 

• Brand Strengths: Attention to detail, creating meaning out of chaos, pushing boundaries, breaking new ground, and setting new standards in business and life

• Brand Pitfalls: Perfectionism, taking things too personally 

• Brand Motto: Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself

• Your Brand in Action: Show up fully expressed through creative mediums, share behind-the-scenes of your creative process

• Brand Voice: Insightful, expressive, metaphoric

• Brand Visuals: Artsy, unconventional, bright and bold

• Examples: Spotify, Lego, Etsy, Martha Stewart, Michael Jackson

Which archetype do you resonate with most?

If your answer is more than one, that's ok!

I recommend choosing one primary archetype and one secondary archetype to guide your brand.

If you're not sure which archetype you are, or just want confirmation, you can take my free quiz here where you'll discover your top archetypes and how to incorporate them into your brand.