What brand archetype is your business?
Motto: ‘‘Power isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.’’ The established and dominant player in their marketplace, ruler brands take a commanding role, dictating how others behave. Rulers communicate with authority and know how to get things done. They are prominent in the public eye and know that upholding tradition and a dignified appearance can help maintain their place at the top of the pecking order. The qualities of ruler brands are leadership, stability, tradition and responsibility. The Ruler may be right for your brand identity if: - it is a high-status product used by powerful people to enhance their power - it offers a lifetime guarantee - it empowers people to maintain or enhance their grip on power - it has a regulatory or protective function - it is moderately to high priced - it is a market leader that offers a sense of security and stability in a chaotic world Brand Example: Qantas has rules the Australian skies for nearly 100 years in the face of lower cost competition and new challengers.
Motto: “If it can be imagined, it can be created” Creator brands are artistic, innovative and entrepreneurial. They know how to tap into the human imagination and are not afraid of new ideas. Creators are often arbiters of taste and use their unique point of view to pioneer new cultural views. The Creator may be right for your brand identity if: - it promotes self-expression, gives customers choices and options or helps foster innovation. - it is in a creative field like marketing, public relations, the arts, or technological innovation - you want to differentiate it from a "do-it-all" brand that leaves little room for the imagination - your customer has the time to be creative - your organisation has a creative culture Brand Example: For the last 20 years Apple has been a creative powerhouse, re-imagining the way people interact with technology and giving people the tools to express themselves.
Motto: Love thy neighbour as yourself Caregivers are moved by compassion, generosity, and a desire to help others. They draw satisfaction from helping people who are less fortunate, rather than furthering their own progress. The qualities of a caregiver are altruism, compassion, patience, empathy, generosity and self-sacrifice. The Caregiver may be right for your brand identity if: - it supports families or is associated with nurturing - it serves the public sector, e.g. health care, education, aid programs and other care-giving fields - it helps people stay connected with and care about others - it helps people care for themselves - is a non-profit or charitable cause Brand Example: Volvo’s reputation puts the safety of its occupants at the very heart of its brand, unlike its competitors which centre more on the driver’s self image.
Motto: “Passion to perform.” Jesters enjoy life and interaction. They are happiest when bending the rules, which allows them to see things from a fresh perspective and engage in out-of-the box thinking. Jesters remind us to lighten up and live in the moment and often express themselves through bright colors and outrageous imagery. The qualities of a Jester are originality, irreverence, humour and excellent social skills. The Jester may be a good identity for brands: - that give people a sense of belonging - that help people have a good time - that are produced by a fun-loving company - that need to be differentiated from self-important, established brands Brand Example: Air New Zealand has firmly positioned itself as a fun-loving brand, with its safety video briefings delivered by everyone from hobbits to aerobics king Richard Simmons.
Motto: “I only have eyes for you” Lover brands are all about helping people to find pleasure and love. Powered by a constant motivation to attract and nurture relationships, the lover is the most passionate of all the archetypes. Often found in female-orientated industries like cosmetics and high fashion, lover brands are often luxurious and sensuous, or warm and inviting. The qualities of a Lover are passion, appreciation and commitment. The Lover may be a good identity for your brand if: - it helps people belong, find friends or partners - its function is to help people have a good time - it is low to moderately priced - it is produced by a freewheeling, fun-loving organisational structure - it needs to differentiate itself from self-important, overconfident brands Brand Example: Häagen-Dazs goes beyond just being ice cream to make sensuality and indulgence part of the consumption experience.
Motto: “All for one and one for all” The everyman is the archetype of the common man and woman: there are no airs or graces and everyone is accepted. Everyman brands are a solid and reliable bedrock that allow their customers to achieve their objectives, rather than having lofty objectives of their own. The qualities of the everyman are fairness, respect, equity, accountability and personal integrity. The Everyman provides a good identity for brands: - that give people a sense of belonging - with an everyday functionality - with low to moderate prices - produced by a solid company with a down- to-earth organisational culture - That need to be differentiated in a positive way from more elitist brands Brand Example: IKEA offers well designed furniture at prices that are affordable for almost everyone. Their stores and products are no-frills but are efficient and allow people to get on with the business of living their lives, rather than worrying about the latest trends.
Motto: “It can happen!” Magician brands are visionary - they encourage people to look to the future, dream big and see what can be achieved. The magician brands themselves aim to help people achieve their vision - they offer transformational experiences and help people turn ideas into action. Qualities of the Magician are cleverness, charisma, intuition, great perception and the ability to dream big. The Magician could be the right identity for your brand if: - its implicit promise is to transform customers - it is consciousness-expanding - it is user-friendly - it is a very new, contemporary product - it is medium- to high-priced Brand Example: Old Spice - With its extraordinarily successful ‘The man your man could smell like’ campaign, Old Spice promised that it could transform any man into a romantic millionaire jet fighter pilot.
Motto: Rules are meant to be broken Outlaw brands do things radically differently, on purpose. They want to shake things up and challenge the status quo. Outlaws question their surroundings and can bring about change with their new perspective. The qualities of an Outlaw are bravery, leadership, risk taking, honesty, experimentation, boldness and progressive thought. The Outlaw may strengthen your brand's identity if it: - helps customers who feel disenfranchised from society - helps pave the way for revolutionary new attitudes - is low to moderately priced - breaks with industry conventions Brand Example: Virgin - from upending the music industry with Virgin Records to challenging British Airways with Virgin Atlantic, Richard Branson’s companies continually take aim at the established way of doing things.
Motto: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” Hero brands heighten the acheivements of those around them by being competent and courageous. They encourage people to triumph over adversity and fight for what’s right. Qualities of a hero are strength, courage, redemption, faith, stamina and self-sacrifice. The Hero could be good for brands: - that help people be all they can be - that have a clear opponent you want to beat - that help people do tough jobs exceptionally well - that need to be differentiated from competitors who struggle to keep their promises - whose customers see themselves as good, upstanding citizens Brand Example: Nike is the ultimate hero brand - it’s classic tagline ‘Just Do It’ encourages people to overcome any obstacles that may lie in their way, and their sponsorship of top athletes has been extraordinarily successful in imbuing the brand with these characteristics.
Motto: “The truth will set you free.” Sage brands are dedicated to discovering the truth and spreading knowledge. They take pride in intelligence and information and have faith in humankind’s ability to learn and grow, to make smarter decisions. The Sage is a good identity for brands: - that provide expertise or information to customers - that encourage customers to think - that are based on new scientific findings or esoteric knowledge -that want to differentiate themselves from others whose quality or performance is suspect Brand Example: Wired Magazine - presents technology in an engaging way and isn’t afraid to dig deeper and take a stance on bigger issues, like government control and internet impartiality.
Motto: ‘Don’t fence me in’ Explorer brands are seeking a better way. They are looking for experiences to learn and grow: they value freedom, innovation and individual pursuits. The explorer is a good identity for brands that: - help people feel free, nonconformist or pioneering - is rugged and sturdy or for use in the great outdoors or in dangerous settings - help people express their individuality - want to differentiate themselves from other successful but conformist brands - have an explorer culture that creates new and exciting products or experiences Brand Example: North Face - their products promote the idea that you could pack up and head off an adventure to Everest base camp, even if it’s more likely that the biggest trek you will be making is across Woolies car park.
Motto: “Free to be you and me.” Innocent brands come from a world where everything is simple, uncomplicated and good. They give some respite from the pressures of an imperfect modern world and allow us to return to a more carefree time in our lives. Innocent brands all: - provide a relatively simple answer to an identifiable problem. - are associated with goodness, morality, simplicity, nostalgia, or childhood. - have functions associated with cleanliness, health, or virtue - are produced by a company with clean-living values. Brand Example: Nudie smoothies - fresh ingredients, ‘no nasties’ and a sense of childlike wonder and fun throughout their brand.