| name | brand-archetype-selection |
| description | Provides Jungian brand archetype frameworks, the 12 archetypes with profiles, the 70/30 primary/secondary rule, archetype combinations, and selection templates. Auto-activates during brand archetype selection, emotional positioning, and brand personality work. Use when discussing brand archetypes, Jungian archetypes, 12 archetypes, Hero, Outlaw, Magician, Creator, Lover, Jester, Everyman, Caregiver, Ruler, Sage, Explorer, Innocent, 70/30 rule, Mark-Pearson, or archetype combinations. |
Brand Archetype Selection Framework
Quick reference for selecting brand archetypes using the Mark-Pearson methodology and Jungian psychology.
"Archetypes are the heartbeat of a brand because they convey a meaning that makes customers relate to a product as if it actually were alive in some way." — Margaret Mark & Carol Pearson
Psychological Foundations
Why Archetypes Work
Carl Jung proposed that beyond our personal unconscious lies a collective unconscious—a shared psychological inheritance containing archetypes: universal symbols, themes, and characters that appear across all human societies.
Key Insights:
- Subconscious Pattern Recognition: Our brains respond to archetypal stories as deeply familiar
- The 95% Rule: According to Harvard Professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of purchasing decisions are made subconsciously
- Mirror Neuron Response: When encountering clear archetypal expression, our mirror neurons fire as if we were embodying that archetype ourselves
- Archetypes bypass the intellectual mind and produce feelings that lead to brand loyalty
The Business Case
A six-year Young & Rubicam study found that brands most clearly aligned with a single archetype were the most profitable.
The 70/30 Rule (Core Methodology)
Primary Archetype (70%): Your core personality that represents the majority of your brand. Any less and your personality will be confusing—you'll struggle to connect through familiarity.
Secondary "Influencer" Archetype (30%): Left to spend on differentiation. This is where you stand out from competitors who share your primary archetype.
Strategic Choice
- Align with industry expectation (safety, meets customer expectations)
- Go against the grain (differentiation opportunity, but riskier)
The Four Motivation Quadrants
The 12 archetypes are organized into four fundamental human motivations:
| Quadrant | Motivation | Archetypes |
|---|---|---|
| Stability & Control | Providing structure to the world | Innocent, Everyman, Ruler, Caregiver |
| Independence & Fulfillment | The yearning for paradise | Hero, Outlaw, Explorer, Sage |
| Mastery & Risk | Leaving a thumbprint on the world | Magician, Creator |
| Belonging & Enjoyment | No one is an island | Lover, Jester |
The 12 Archetypes Quick Reference
| Archetype | Motto | Core Desire | Greatest Fear | Gift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innocent | "Free to be you and me" | Happiness, paradise | Punishment for wrongdoing | Faith, optimism |
| Everyman | "All are created equal" | Belonging, connection | Being rejected, left out | Realism, empathy |
| Hero | "Where there's a will, there's a way" | Prove worth through courage | Weakness, vulnerability | Competence, courage |
| Outlaw | "Rules are made to be broken" | Revolution, freedom | Powerlessness, being ordinary | Radical freedom |
| Explorer | "Don't fence me in" | Freedom to discover oneself | Getting trapped, conformity | Autonomy, ambition |
| Creator | "If you can imagine it, it can be created" | Create enduring value | Mediocre vision/execution | Creativity, imagination |
| Ruler | "Power isn't everything. It's the only thing." | Control | Chaos, being overthrown | Responsibility, leadership |
| Magician | "I make things happen" | Transform reality | Unintended consequences | Finding win-win solutions |
| Lover | "You're the only one" | Intimacy, experience | Being alone, unwanted | Passion, commitment |
| Caregiver | "Love your neighbor as yourself" | Protect and care for others | Selfishness, ingratitude | Compassion, generosity |
| Sage | "The truth will set you free" | Discover the truth | Being duped, ignorance | Wisdom |
| Jester | "You only live once" | Live in the moment | Being bored or boring | Joy |
R-O-A-D Map Framework (Kaye Putnam)
R - Review your brand values, audience, and competitive landscape O - Observe how each archetype feels when applied to your brand A - Align with your business goals and ideal client D - Decide on primary (dominant) and secondary (influencer) archetypes
Industry Default Archetypes
| Industry | Default Archetype | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Caregiver | Expected; breaking from this is risky but differentiating |
| Finance | Sage or Ruler | Trust and expertise expected |
| Technology | Creator or Magician | Innovation and transformation |
| Luxury | Ruler or Lover | Status and desire |
| Outdoor/Adventure | Explorer | Freedom and discovery |
| Sports/Fitness | Hero | Achievement and overcoming |
| Entertainment | Jester or Magician | Fun and transformation |
| Food (comfort) | Caregiver or Everyman | Nourishment and belonging |
Archetype Combinations
Complementary (These Work Well)
| Primary | Secondary | Effect | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruler | Creator | Authority with innovation | Chanel |
| Outlaw | Explorer | Rebellion with adventure | Roxy |
| Everyman | Lover | Welcoming with emotional depth | Airbnb |
| Sage | Magician | Wisdom with transformation | TED |
| Hero | Caregiver | Strength with compassion | Healthcare brands |
| Creator | Sage | Innovation with expertise | Adobe |
| Explorer | Outlaw | Adventure with counter-culture | Patagonia |
Problematic (Use with Caution)
| Combination | Conflict |
|---|---|
| Jester + Ruler | Playfulness vs. authority |
| Innocent + Outlaw | Purity vs. rebellion |
| Sage + Jester | Wisdom vs. playfulness |
| Ruler + Everyman | Exclusivity vs. accessibility |
| Caregiver + Outlaw | Nurturing vs. disruption |
Customer Journey Archetype Strategy
Different archetypes can be relevant at different stages:
| Stage | Archetype Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Differentiating archetype | Rebel energy to stand out |
| Sales | Expertise archetype | Sage energy to build trust |
| Support | Comfort archetype | Caregiver energy to nurture |
Apple Example: Creator in product development, Outlaw in awareness marketing, Sage when teaching customers, Caregiver when providing support.
Common Mistakes & Anti-Patterns
| # | Mistake | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trying to Be Everything (too many archetypes) | Commit to one primary; use secondary sparingly |
| 2 | Inconsistent Application | Every touchpoint must reflect archetype |
| 3 | Ignoring Your Audience | Must align with customer expectations and desires |
| 4 | Overused Without Differentiation | Add secondary archetype for uniqueness |
| 5 | Ignoring Shadow Sides | Understand and mitigate archetype weaknesses |
| 6 | Making It Too Rigid | Allow room for growth and adaptation |
| 7 | Cultural Blindness | Vet archetypes for target cultural context |
Shadow Sides (Weaknesses to Avoid)
| Archetype | Shadow Side | What to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Innocent | Naive, in denial | Seeming out of touch with reality |
| Everyman | Bland, forgettable | No distinctive point of view |
| Hero | Arrogant, aggressive | Putting others down, being preachy |
| Outlaw | Destructive, alienating | Rebellion without purpose |
| Explorer | Aimless, flaky | Unable to commit or be relied upon |
| Creator | Perfectionist, impractical | Dismissive of execution details |
| Ruler | Tyrannical, elitist | Appearing arrogant or inaccessible |
| Magician | Manipulative, over-promising | Smoke and mirrors, undeliverable claims |
| Lover | Obsessive, shallow | Desperate for approval, purely superficial |
| Caregiver | Martyring, smothering | Making customers feel incompetent |
| Sage | Condescending, disconnected | Talking down, ivory-tower thinking |
| Jester | Irresponsible, offensive | Humor that punches down, inability to be serious |
Selection Validation Tests
Apply these tests before finalizing archetype selection:
| Test | Question | Pass Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Authenticity Test | Does this feel true to the founder/brand? | Resonates deeply, not forced |
| Audience Test | Does this archetype resonate with our customers? | Matches their emotional needs |
| Differentiation Test | Does this stand out from competitors? | Not the same as direct competitors |
| Consistency Test | Can we express this across all touchpoints? | Translates to voice, visuals, experience |
| Longevity Test | Will this still fit in 5-10 years? | Not tied to trends, core to identity |
| Shadow Test | Can we avoid the archetype's dark side? | Have plan to mitigate weaknesses |
Differentiating Within an Archetype
When competitors share your archetype:
- Add a secondary archetype for unique flavor
- Go deeper into sub-archetypes — find unique angle within archetype
- Own specific territories — causes, aesthetics, customer segments
- Develop unique voice within archetype — Nike vs. FedEx are both Hero
Key Principles
From Mark & Pearson
- "Archetypes are the heartbeat of a brand"
- Discover the "soul" of your brand through archetypal analysis
- Express that soul in ways that tap into universal stories
- Achieve iconic brand identity that withstands time
From Neumeier
- "A brand is not what you say it is. It's what they say it is."
- Focus on differentiation and "onliness"
- Archetypes are one tool in the toolkit, not the entire strategy
Core Truths
- Archetypes are shortcuts to meaning — they accelerate emotional connection
- Consistency compounds — consistent expression builds trust (up to 23% revenue increase)
- Primary archetype clarity beats complexity — one clear archetype outperforms blends
- Archetypes must be authentic — forcing misalignment creates dissonance
- Differentiation happens at the edges — same archetype, different expression
Templates
See reference/templates.md for:
- Archetype Selection Worksheet
- Archetype Profile Template
- Competitive Archetype Mapping Template
- Archetype Combination Validation Template
- Archetype Expression Guide Template
- Quick Reference Card Template
- Full Archetype Documentation Template
When to Apply This Knowledge
During Competitive Analysis
- Map competitors to archetypes
- Identify archetype gaps in market
- Find differentiation opportunities
During Archetype Selection
- Review all 12 archetypes against brand values
- Apply the 70/30 rule for primary/secondary
- Validate combinations are complementary
During Archetype Validation
- Run all 6 validation tests
- Check against common mistakes
- Assess shadow side mitigation
During Final Documentation
- Include complete archetype profiles
- Document expression guidelines
- Provide quick reference card