All About the Innocent
The Innocent is an eternal optimist who always sees the good in people and in life. Purity is at the heart of every action, and as a result the Innocent believes in redemption and lacks guile. Free of corruption, the Innocent seeks the promise of paradise.
This brand archetype is associated with simple pleasures and wholesomeness. With our busy lifestyles, we are attracted to the focus on simplicity. For prime examples of the Innocent archetype, look no further than Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, Ronald McDonald, Real Simple magazine, and Coca-Cola.
The Innocent in Action
The Innocent archetype is most prevalent with mom-and-pop shops, nonprofit organizations, and churches. Their marketing often appeals to the nostalgia of simpler times and may use muted color palettes and gentle imagery.
The products behind Innocent brands are quite often natural or pure (e.g. cotton, soap, organic foods). The organizational culture and customer service is focused on being truthful, honest, and reliable. Generally not very innovative, these companies stick to what works and is predictable. Pricing tends to be low to moderate.
The Different Levels of the Innocent Archetype
Each of the 12 different archetypes has levels. The lower levels are less mature while higher levels are more developed.
Level 1 of the Innocent brand archetype includes people who feel paradise is their birthright and not having it makes them angry. They are defined by a childlike perspective and traits such as naïvete and narcissism.
Level 2 is the midpoint in the process of achieving innocence that focuses on renewal, reframing, and cleansing. People at this level are still searching for paradise but haven’t quite found it yet. Innocents at level 2 are seeking to reinvent or renew themselves through new beginnings.
Level 3 belongs to the most highly evolved Innocents who believe that people make choices for a simpler, values-driven lifestyle and as a result create their own paradise and sense of spiritual oneness. The belief is that innocence (paradise) comes from within, not from outer experiences.
All in the Family
Within the Innocent family are many different angles of the archetype. The book Archetypes in Branding breaks these nuances down into sub-archetypes (including the primary Innocent archetype) for a total of five.
- Innocent
With an unbridled sense of wonder, the Innocent sees the world as honest and wholesome. This sub-archetype embodies a sense of renewal, inner peace, and nostalgia. It is pure, virtuous, and faultless. The challenge it faces is the tendency to avoid or deny problems.
- Child
Bursting with energy and a positive attitude, the Child is easily amused, entertained, or fascinated. The Child demonstrates a relentless belief in the goodness of humanity and is open to possibilities. Its curious nature tends to bring out the best in others. Challenges exist in that the Child is easily influenced and unable to grow up and assume responsibility.
- Dreamer
With the ability to be swept away by possibilities, the Dreamer communicates abstract ideas with the help of a vivid imagination. Possessing the faith of a child, this brand archetype prefers to live in the paradise of the mind. However, it lacks the structure necessary to execute ideas in the real world.
- Idealist
The Idealist is driven by the belief that the individual can make the world a better place and believes in the possibility of positive change. Motivated by the ideals of harmony and peace, cooperation and collaboration, the Idealist acts as a catalyst for positive change. Unfortunately, the Idealist tends to view the world through rose-colored glasses and chooses not to see potential dangers.
- Muse
As its name implies, the Muse is a source of inspiration and serves as a conduit to knowledge and understanding. Although the Muse excels at motivation, its unfocused energy can sometimes bring chaos.