Brand Archetype Suggester

The 12 brand archetypes, in modern form

Carl Jung described universal personality patterns that show up across cultures. Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson adapted them to marketing in The Hero and the Outlaw, and ever since they have been the standard tool to define a brand's voice. There are 12 archetypes. Your brand should have one dominant.

• Hero — pushes through obstacles. e.g. Nike.
• Caregiver — protects and nurtures. e.g. Johnson & Johnson, Volvo.
• Explorer — seeks freedom and new horizons. e.g. Patagonia, Jeep.
• Sage — shares knowledge. e.g. Google, The Economist.
• Creator — celebrates originality. e.g. Lego, Adobe.
• Lover — connects through aesthetics and pleasure. e.g. Chanel.
• Jester — entertains and breaks rigidity. e.g. M&M's, Old Spice.
• Innocent — promises simplicity and goodness. e.g. Coca-Cola, Dove.
• Visionary / Innovator — transforms reality. e.g. Apple, Tesla.
• Outlaw — breaks established rules. e.g. Harley-Davidson, Diesel.
• Ruler — projects authority and status. e.g. Rolex, Mercedes-Benz.
• Everyman — celebrates the day-to-day and belonging. e.g. IKEA, Levi's.

How to pick yours (without going obvious)

The most common mistake is picking the archetype you want to be, not the one your customer actually perceives. Run these three checks before locking in:

1. Ask 5 customers: "If our brand were a person at a party, who would they be?". The repeated words point to the real archetype.
2. Look at your competition. If everyone plays the Sage card (most common in B2B), shifting toward Jester or Outlaw can differentiate you without changing the product.
3. Print your home page and underline the adjectives. Are they consistent with one archetype, or do they hop between three?

How to actually apply the archetype

• Voice and tone: a one-page editorial guide with words to use and words to avoid.
• Palette and typography: the Ruler uses serifs and gold; the Jester uses round sans-serifs and bright colors.
• Product and tier naming: names like Starter, Growth, Scale or Enterprise work for almost any archetype and are sturdier than forced metaphors.
• Customer support: how you reply to an angry email tells the customer your archetype more than any campaign.

Combining two without dilution

Strong brands usually have a primary archetype (70-80%) and a secondary one (20-30%). Apple is Visionary primary and Creator secondary. Patagonia is Explorer primary and Caregiver secondary. The rule: if you have to pick more than two, you're not picking, you're describing. Force the call.