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The 12 Archetypes of Your Brand Personality

Writer's picture: Beatriz RuppiniBeatriz Ruppini

Have you ever caught yourself watching a commercial or seeing an advertisement and recognising a brand instantly, before even seeing any signature colours, logos or slogans? You probably did, and that is all thanks to the personality of the brand. From tone of voice to the mood, we recognise a brand’s personality like we would recognise a human’s personality, and we may or may not like and relate to it. The archetypes provide a guideline for us to make a connection with the brand, which makes them an essential tool.


The concept of personality archetypes was officially introduced in 1940 by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, even though there are records of Plato, during ancient Greece times, exploring this concept. They represent an individual’s behavioral patterns beyond language or culture. Personality archetypes are something that everyone can understand, recognise, and relate to, subconsciously. We are born with that understanding.


Your brand probably falls under a brand archetype too. And that is why you should worry about them. Connecting to your customers on an emotional level can give you a massive advantage over your competition. People will care about your brand and trust you if they understand and relate to your values and the way you interact with them. Getting to know under which archetype you fall and investing on that narrative will help attract the right people for you. These people are most likely to be loyal to your brand and you’ll be building a wonderful community along the way.


The idea works the same for brands as it does for an individual’s personality. They are important because they convey meaning. Assigning a personality to your brand allows customers to relate and build emotional connections to products, services and brands themselves. They derive from Jung’s original list of human personalities and are the following:


1. Creator – Innovators who wish to create visionary products and aim to inspire others to think outside of the box and use their products to express themselves with the help of what they sell. One example of a “creator” brand is Apple.

2. Sage – Leaders and learners, the sages aim to inspire and facilitate the never-ending search for knowledge and encourage their customers to pursue a greater understanding of the world. Some good examples of Sages are The Discovery Channel and TED.

3. Caregiver – With the main goal of helping others, the caregiver brands want their customers to feel protected and encourage them to help others too. Usually, Caregiver brands are charities or specialize in nursing sectors.

4. Jester – Laughter, fun and entertainment are the goals of the Jester, as the name suggests. These brands have a playful, positive and often humorous front, such as Old Spice and M&Ms

5. Innocent – Peace and love is the optimistic message transmitted by this archetype. They aim to spread joy and their products are usually associated with those feelings, as is the case with Dove and Coca Cola for example.

6. Magician – They aim to turn dreams into reality. These brands feel truly magical, as if what they offer us transports us to a fantasy. They sell magical moments more than they sell a physical product. Disney and Polaroid are good examples here.

7. Ruler – Their dominant personality controls others with the intent of having their loyalty. But they are also very reliable. Some examples are luxury brands such as Rolls Royce and Rplex.

8. Hero – With an almost flawless sense of right and wrong, the hero will always be there to motivate and encourage you on your path. They are there to aid you and guide you to success, often celebrating hard work and encouraging challenges. You can clearly see that in sportive brands, usually, like Nike and Adidas.

9. The Everyman – Also called the Regular Guy, this relatable archetype is there to connect with you and make you feel welcome and seen. Customers feel like they can fully trust the everyman brand for its character and sense of community. Think, for example, of Ikea and Levis!

10. Rebel or Outlaw – Revolution, change and fight guide the rebel. Risk taking is encouraged in this small communities they usually build. Some examples are Harley-Davidson and Diesel.

11. Explorer – The aim here is independence, and the search for freedom through a path filled with excitement, adventure and fulfillment. NASA, The North Face, National Geographic… all great examples of Explorers.

12. Lovers – The desire for intimacy and romance and passion motivates the lovers. They sell products that reflect that idea and may help the customers to reach it, like Victoria’s Secret.

Which one of these best describes your brand? Does knowing each personality more in depth helps you with your identity?





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