Why Archetypes Matter to Your Brand
A handy way to understand archetypes is to think of them as different segments of our own psyche. We all have a piece of each of the above-mentioned archetypes in us. When a brand is dominant in a particular archetype, it resonates with that part of our psyche (and at times can even awaken it within us). As a business or brand, it’s all about creating a connection that speaks to your target audience.
These days, there is no product or service that doesn’t face competition. Back when we had a burgeoning industrial economy, companies realized that competitors could duplicate their systems, processes, and products so they quickly learned they had two options: Reduce their prices or give meaning to their products. Guess which one is the better option?

Today we know that without a strongly defined brand, businesses are forced to compete on price alone. It’s no secret that in our global, interconnected economy there is always someone willing to do it cheaper!
People buy for emotional and psychological reasons, so the meaning of your brand is its biggest asset. What your brand means to people is what causes them to buy in, to want to form a relationship with you — and to remain loyal to you.
You Can’t Fake Personality
When I was growing up my family moved several times. I saw each move as an opportunity to “reinvent myself.” I determined that this time, in this new place with people who didn’t know me, I could be something different!
It never worked.
Invariably I always defaulted back to who I really was and I eventually learned that I couldn’t be something I wasn’t deep down in my soul. The same holds true for brands.
Archetypes provide meaning to people to help them connect with your brand. To be effective, the message your brand conveys must be authentic. You cannot just decide one day to add a certain meaning to your brand. You must actually embody that meaning. In other words, you can’t just decide to create a heartwrenching ad so that you will be perceived as a Caregiver – it must be true to your values and actions and how your business is already operating.
Brand archetype theory is not meant to be viewed as a formulaic “instant identity” to solve all your branding problems. Rather, it provides structure and acts as a sounding board to help determine how you can best convey the meaning of your brand to those you are trying to connect with.
Build a Strong Brand
By “strong” I don’t mean overbearing or loud. A strong personality is one that is clearly defined and articulated in everything your business does, not one that clumsily waffles across many personalities, unsure of which one to choose.
More than fifteen years ago, a Young & Rubicam study of over 13,000 brands and 120,000 consumers confirmed that the more profitable brands were also the ones that aligned closely with a single archetype, rather than those who had “confusing” brand archetypes, or identified closely with multiple archetypes.
Your business brand may have a secondary (and perhaps even tertiary) archetype, but how closely it lines up with your primary archetype will impact how your brand is perceived. Align with too many archetypes and you run the risk of having a brand afflicted with multiple personality disorder.
Pop Quiz Time
Take a moment to examine your brand. Are you straying from your primary archetype, and thus losing meaning to the people you want to engage? If so, maybe it’s time to put archetypal branding methods to work for your organization. First, determine which one you are with our helpful (and fun!) brand archetype quiz. Then, once you pinpoint your brand archetype, learn more about it right here on the blog, and subscribe to our email updates for resources and advice on how to make your archetype work for you!