What are archetypes and why should your brand have one

There are 12 marketing archetypes, created based on human desires such as safety, power, and belonging. The term archetype was coined by Carl Jung, with the intention of grouping people based on their behaviors and personalities.

The idea behind identifying an archetype for your brand is to improve the art of storytelling. Just like people have personalities and different values and morals, brands need specific elements to create authentic and persuasive connections to the audience. It builds your brand's narrative and create an emotional connection between your business and the target audience. They have the ability to shape a brand's personality, purpose, essence, and message you're trying to convey. Archetypes help you create the inherent distinct power of your brand.

The 12 archetypes are:

1. The outlaw;

2. The magician;

3. The hero;

4. The lover;

5. The jester;

6. The everyman;

7. The caregiver;

8. The ruler;

9. The creator;

10. The innocent;

11. The sage;

12. The explorer.

Companies that have a well defined personality are able to efficiently maintain consistency in their posts, communication style, grow trust in the public's eye, and position themselves much better in the market when it comes to decision making and strategy.

You went out with friends over the weekend and went to crowded bar. You saw a lot of people but after the night is over, it's likely you will not remember anyone's faces in particular. There is, although, someone you and your friends distinctively remember due to their loud personality and the fact that this man is always wearing the same expressive outfits and hanging out at the same places. An individual with a stronger personality, consistency in their actions, or have something that makes them standout will clearly be noticed by a greater number of people. The same happens with brands: those with consistent and remarkable characteristics will be much more successful than those who don't leverage the archetype system.

The archetype framework builds emotive brands. You should be focusing on connecting to your audience on a deeper level, because that's how you build brand loyalty: with a consistent and authentic message.