“A very typical example of a certain person or thing” defines an archetype. Twelve archetypes describe our unique personality signature on everything we do or create. Our personalities influence our buying decisions as well as the way we run our businesses.
In the digital marketing world, it pays to understand your unique business or brand archetype(s) and to leverage all your brand “quirks” in your marketing. You can efficiently maximize your reach as you create, sustain, and grow your audience when you know your archetypes and how to use them.
We are business archetype experts at Romain Berg. Get your brand personality analysis and learn how to leverage your results for more traffic. Fill out our contact form today and begin using a comprehensive archetype-based marketing strategy for traffic that converts.
Know who you are. Attract the audience you want.
Each of the twelve archetypes has a unique vocabulary, style, color pallet, typeface, and photo selection that speaks to others of the same ilk, as well as to complementary archetypes.
When you begin to understand your archetype, you can start reaching out more effectively to your–yes, this is a little woo, but stay with us here– soulmate customers. Here’s what we mean.
If you always have enjoyed breaking the rules, pushing boundaries, and operating outside of the box, you’re likely an Outlaw. The business you run should embrace those same values at every level of operation and messaging.
When you do this effectively, it’s like using a megaphone to call out to other outlaws (and related archetypes) who may be attracted to your products, services, and brand.
Also Read : How to Discover Your Brand Voice and Use it for Content that Converts
Here’s how one famous company expertly uses its archetype.
A classic example of an outlaw brand is Harley Davidson.
Everyone sees the Harley Davidson logo and gets a visual of a leather-clad, wallet-on-a-chain, dusty motorcyclist cruising noisily into the sunset on a dirt road in the desert.
You’re seeing that right now, aren’t you? Yeah, us too. We’re staring wistfully off into the distance, actually, wishing we were on that big iconic bike.
And, for some of those people, that desert rider is who they want to be. Harley Davidson gives life to this dream for all who see their logo just because their motorcycles exist.
That’s real power. You can have that influence too when you know who you are as a brand and business.
Your customers can self-select with archetype identification.
Harley Davidson’s customers self-select easily, based on fierce brand identification with the outlaw archetype. There is little ambiguity in the motorcycle world about Harleys. You’re either a die-hard Harley rider or adamantly not a Harley customer.
Harley Davidson can market all day long to their fellow outlaws, jesters, and explorers (related archetypes). Then, they watch their audience grow, and their sales increase.
Harley Davidson is not worried about converting the people who don’t identify with them into buyers. Their only concern is to keep inviting in new customers who align with the outlaw or related archetypes.
They do this with select verbiage, typeface, color schemes, and imagery.
Now do you understand the concept of a brand archetype and how important it is to your success as a business owner?
Here’s the full list of archetypes, as defined by Carl Jung–the famous Swiss psychiatrist. You’ll likely begin catching onto your possible archetypes as you read.
Stay with us, though; there’s more to nailing your archetype than reading a description.
The Sage
Sages are truth-seekers with high education and awareness. They are not easily fooled. These wise and intelligent people know that knowledge is power. They speak softly and carry a big encyclopedia.
Though Sages are mentally sharp and analytically superior, they can get stuck in “analysis paralysis” and sometimes miss important opportunities or crucial decisions.
Sages collect all the information available about everything. Some stones are better left unturned, but it can be a challenge to pull the philosopher away from the knowledge quarry.
Marketing strategy:
- Inform your audience.
- Arm them with case studies, research, video demos, and business ops transparency.
- Research your competition and have concrete, fact-based answers to sales objections or competitive comparisons.
- Come out with the most reliable data, no matter how much your customers research your competition.
Big brand example: Quora “The Best Answer to Any Question”
The Innocent
All these young and free humans want is happiness and simplicity. They are enchanting in their naivete but can get a little annoying if they float off into the ethereal clouds for too long.
Innocents fear punishment for the wrong action and strive to do things correctly.
They seek out simple solutions that will bring them back to a happy equilibrium quickly and efficiently. Both owners and customers are faithful and optimistic.
Faith and optimism are vital in business ownership to keep pressing on in the face of challenge. These qualities also breed brand loyalty in customers.
Marketing strategy:
- Showcase how your products and services bring simplicity, belonging, and happiness to your audience.
- Position your products as a fool-proof way to “get something right every time.”
Big brand example: Dove “You are More Beautiful Than You Think”
Also Read : 5 Reasons You Should Outsource Your Evergreen Business Content
The Explorer
This intrepid personality hates fences. Explorers are experiencers. They continually seek out virgin territory on all fronts. Explorers are non-conformists, always moving toward people, places, and things they’ve never seen or tried.
Explorers want to feel fulfilled and authentic in every aspect of their lives. Though their thirst for adventure and everything new can be intoxicating, explorers risk wandering with no direction.
Explorer characteristics include self-management, authenticity at all costs, and courage.
Marketing strategy:
- Position your products and services as a fantastic destination for wanderers–something unique to find at the end of the rainbow.
- Provide tools, support, and understanding or camaraderie for the never-ending journey of the explorer.
- Set your business apart as different from the norm–out of the ordinary.
Big brand example: REI “Out There”
The Ruler
Rulers want power, power, and more power. Rulers can easily slip into despotism without reality checks from their teams, close friends, and family. Delegation can be difficult for Rulers, but they also shine as natural leaders and role models at their best.
Rulers want security and order and are driven to create prosperity in their families, communities, and workplaces.
Marketing strategy:
- Establish or align your business with prestige brands.
- Provide lifetime guarantees and organizing tools to help rulers maintain their power role.
- Set yourself apart from the “regular” product or service–not everyone is “qualified” to own your products.
Big brand example: Mont Blanc “A Story to Tell”
The Creator
Creators are visionaries and makers. They want more than anything else to bring their ideas to life in cultural movements as well as things.
Creators are often talented artisans with superior skills, whether in craft beer, sculpture, or tool and dye. Despite their practice and desire to produce the “new,” creators can get stuck in perfectionism or in systems that don’t work in marketing their creations effectively.
Marketing strategy:
- Give Creators several options when advertising your products. A one-size-fits-all approach will tank with Creators.
- Creators are the quintessential DIY-ers. If your product requires assembly, you might be a perfect fit for the Explorer archetype.
- Emphasize how your product helps your customer tap into their creative prowess.
Big brand example: Pinterest
The Caregiver
Business owners who create or sell products that help others may be caregivers as well as CEOs. Caregivers are all about service. They take the phrase “love thy neighbor” to another level.
Caregivers are generous, compassionate, and altruistic. Don’t confuse them with Innocents, because caregivers can have rough edges just like the rest of us. The dark side of caregiving is burnout, martyrdom, and exploitation.
Caregivers sometimes need reminders to care for themselves as much as they do for others. Anything that smacks of selfishness rubs a caregiver the wrong way.
Marketing strategy:
- Create a community around your brand.
- Offer a competitive edge to your customers (i.e., watch out for them as part of your brand family).
- Sell products and services that enhance care or ease for customers.
- Support and partner with nonprofits and tell your customers about your charitable initiatives.
Big brand example: Johnson & Johnson “130 Years of Caring”
The Magician
Magicians want to understand the workings of the Universe, make things happen, and turn dreams into reality. These wizards can make challenges appear simple, and they want everyone to win.
Sometimes to achieve their goals, magicians can also become manipulative or under-handed.
At their best, magicians will create a vision and see it through to a sparkling finale designed to “wow” their audience.
The obvious keyword for a Magician is TRANSFORMATION.
Marketing strategy:
- Use spirituality, new-age, and other “woo” messages to appeal to magicians.
- Offer products and services that promise and deliver a transformative experience.
- Set prestige price-points to work with wizards.
Big brand example: Polaroid “The Photograph, Reimagined”
The Hero
Strength, courage, mastery, competence, and perseverance are what govern the Hero at her core. Her biggest fears are vulnerability and the perception of weakness.
Heroes want to make the world a better place, can be superior leaders or collaborators, but can sometimes fall prey to arrogance. Heroes, when stressed, may believe the lie that they are the only ones who can do it right. They may have a hard time relaxing into peacetime between battles.
Marketing strategies:
- Establish yourself as the “good guy” against your competition.
- Provide products and services that get the job done.
- Position your brand as a scrappy underdog.
Big brand example: FedEx “The World on Time”
The Outlaw
As we detailed before with Harley Davidson, outlaws are the rule-breakers of society. They like living outside the norm and going rogue with ideas, practices, and operations. They embrace the daring and eat conformity for lunch.
Outlaws can also be seen as radicals and may take their talent for disruption too far into crime or anarchy. These rebels want freedom at all costs and abhor feeling powerless.
Marketing strategies:
- Your brand should break the box of your industry.
- Preserve nostalgic ideals as well as embracing a revolutionary attitude and stance with your products.
- Set price points from low to medium to appeal to outlaws.
Big brand example: Harley Davidson “All for Freedom, Freedom for All”
The Lover
Intimacy, physical beauty, attraction, relationships, fellowship, commitment, and passion are front and center for the Lover. These humans want you to know how much you matter to them and how they might turn themselves inside out to make sure you know it.
Lovers throw all of their energy into the people and projects that captivate them. High devotion is a talent in many arenas. However, the Lover crashes when he sacrifices himself too much for the affirmation or happiness of his beloved.
These gregarious people fear solitude and rejection and will do nearly anything to avoid being lonely.
Marketing strategy:
- Center your brand messaging around good times and belonging.
- Invite everyone in with no exclusivity over-tones.
- Provide a fun, and care-free brand atmosphere.
- Low and medium price points work best with Lover archetypes.
Big brand example: Chanel– “Inevitable”
The Jester
Jesters and Magicians are not the same. Where the magician is driven toward transformation and wizardry, the jester is the comedy relief when life gets too heavy.
Jesters encourage us to laugh and stop taking everything so seriously. They live for jokes, pranks, and the bliss of idle time.
These characters can sometimes drive us crazy when we need to get things done. However, we need them in our world to remind us to enjoy ourselves and lighten up.
Jesters are talented joy-bringers to any situation, but can slip into indolence when they are at their worst.
Marketing strategy:
- Embrace an accepting, “come and join us” narrative in your branding.
- Emphasize fun.
- Set yourself apart from stodgy, boring products.
- Create products and services that lighten up the lives of your customers.
Big brand example: M&M Candy “Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hand”
The Every (Wo)man
Also known as the Regular Joe or Jane, they are fine with fitting in, thank you very much. They know their values, they know where to place themselves in society, and they want everyone to get along.
Every-People are talented truth-tellers. They respond to facts and lack pretense. They take the world as it is, embrace or create change slowly, and keep getting things done. Our society works because of these practical humans.
Every-People fear being left out or rejected from their comfortable and familiar role in life. Because they enjoy the familiarity and belonging so much, they can lose their own identity to that of the group.
Marketing strategy:
- Emphasize the functionality of your products.
- Position yourself as a home-grown choice with traditional values.
- Moderate pricing with periodic savings offers will go over well with this crowd.
Big brand example: Levi Jeans “Quality Never Goes Out of Style”
Discover and leverage your brand archetype with Romain Berg.
Now that you’re familiar with all the archetypes, you’ll want to discover your unique brand personality. We bet you’ve been able to eliminate a few types already that don’t fit your business.
However, nailing down your primary and supporting archetypes is not as easy as it may seem–partner today with Romain Berg. Our comprehensive archetype marketing strategy begins with a free personality report using our leading-edge, proprietary AI software.
Our archetype specialist breaks down your personality analysis with you and clarifies your archetype. Our team can then create specifically targeted content for your website, combined with our superior digital marketing strategy.
We invite your soulmate customers to purchase your products or services with web copy, blog articles, and social media optimized in your brand voice.
At Romain Berg, our comprehensive services result in traffic that converts. Fill out our contact form and take advantage of our free archetype analysis offer today.
