Introducing the power of brand archetypes

An introduction to why extraordinary brands align themselves with one archetype

Healthy living and eating are a big part of our lives, especially now we are in Devon. We enjoy the beautiful outdoor spaces of Dartmoor and South Devon coast, plus try to eat more locally and seasonally. However, with the The Great British Bake Off and the pandemic lockdowns our eldest daughter took up baking during, so we do have a weak spot for a showstopper bake!

Taking inspiration from #GBBO, we’ve been thinking about what makes for a show-stopping brand - a brand that everyone keeps coming back for; one that people rave about and demand the recipe! Here are our key steps for a showstopper brand.

If you’d like to check our other blogs that cover branding from lots of different angles, explore branding here.

In terms of Wildings, we are a brand studio based in Torquay, South Devon, offering branding, website design & brand video to creative businesses across the UK - find out more about our branding services for businesses.

“Brands that consistently express an appropriate archetype drive profitability and success in real and sustainable way.”

— From ‘The Hero and the Outlaw’ by Margaret Marks & Carol Pearson

We’re introducing a series on brand archetypes, and this is why you should prick up your ears.

Extraordinary brands are usually aligned with one brand archetype.

1. WHY’S THIS IMPORTANT?

• It allows them to be consistent

• They are more profitable and successful

• This profit and success is real, tangible and sustains itself

“The strength of a brand’s association with an archetype makes a significant difference in at least one fundamental indicator of true economic worth: asset valuation.”

— From ‘The Hero and the Outlaw’ by Margaret Marks & Carol Pearson

In a study at the end of the 1990s, Economic Value Added (EVA) was used as a framework to ascertain the true economic profit of a brand.

It is also linked to the creation of shareholder wealth over time, so is a robust, long-term way of measuring value added.

The results were striking.

Of 50 well-known brands, those with a tightly defined brand archetype (which you can explore below) increased the rate of their EVA 66% great than brands with a confused identity.

The conclusion is significant for you and your brand, in the words of Marks & Pearson:

“Identities that succeed at striking an essential human chord affect the most fundamental economic measurers of success... [t]he [startling] importance of a single archetype in successfully determining identity and influencing performance.”

— From ‘The Hero and the Outlaw’ by Margaret Marks & Carol Pearson

2. BUT WHAT IS AN ARCHETYPE?

Your brand is a storehouse of meaning and value.

A strong brand will have a unique and compelling identity that reflects what it stands for.

A brand’s archetype is its way of tapping into the very fundamental and essential meaning of the particular category it sits in.

There are four overall categories each with three archetypes (12 overall); but don’t worry, each archetype can be expressed in a variety of ways.

3. WHAT ARE THE FOUR CATEGORIES OF ARCHETYPES?

Individual archetypes fall into the following four groups, each with their own three archetypes:

• Social

• Order

• Ego

• Freedom

4. WHAT DEFINES EACH GROUP?

Within each group are different expressions and they represent:

1. Both customers who are looking for, or value, those traits or

2. Brands that help customers achieve those ideals

THE SOCIAL GROUP

This category is made up of the following types:

1. The Regular guy/girl or person

2. The Lover

3. The Jester

All three of these types are characterised by their desire for attraction & intimacy.

Equally, brands that align with these types help customers achieve their goals in these areas.

THE ORDER GROUP

This category contains the following:

1. The Caregiver

2. The Creator

3. The Ruler

These archetypes express a desire for security & order and brands that lean into them help their clients capture this in their lives or products.

THE EGO GROUP

This category comprises the following:

1. The Hero

2. The Outlaw

3. The Magician

These types resonate strongly with individuals who are driven to make a difference.

Brands that help customers attain this sense of achievement, often rally to archetypes in the Ego group.

THE FREEDOM GROUP

This group is made up of the following specific types:

1. The Innocent

2. The Sage

3. The Explorer

These archetypes ultimately pursue fulfillment or what’s known as self-actualisation - finding oneself.

As above, for brands, those businesses that help clients with that journey of self discovery fit well in this category.

5. WHAT’S COMING UP?

Over the following months, we’re going to be spotlighting each archetype and showing what it can look like in practice.

We’re starting with the Lover which represents an innate desire to connect and interact with others and provides the structure to do so.

Popularity and connectedness are important to the Lover and the archetypes in this category.

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This is our brief introduction to the power of brand archetypes, and we’d love to hear any of your thoughts or reflections. Do head over to the corresponding post on Instagram to join the conversation and share your opinion.

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