Brand archetypes are universal themes that help businesses create a deeper connection with their target audience. They serve as a roadmap for creating a consistent and authentic brand personality. In content marketing, brand archetypes can play a crucial role in making your message more compelling, memorable, and relatable.
Whether you’re developing a new brand or refreshing your existing one, understanding and using brand archetypes can significantly impact the success of your content marketing efforts. In this guide, we’ll explore the role of brand archetypes in content marketing and present best practices for incorporating them into your strategy.
The twelve brand archetypes
Twelve archetypes are commonly used in branding and marketing, ranging from those that evoke a sense of comfort to others that generate excitement. However, you may find other instances that use a different number. Nevertheless, the role of brand archetypes remains the same. Selecting the appropriate archetype for your brand is crucial to establish a strong connection with your target audience.
Here is a brief overview of each archetype and its aims:
Sage
The Sage archetype represents wisdom and knowledge. Brands that align with the Sage archetype are focused on education, information, and expertise. They aim to provide their customers with knowledge and help them make informed decisions.
Innocent
The Innocent archetype represents purity, innocence, and hope. Brands that align with the Innocent archetype are focused on creating a sense of nostalgia and joy. They aim to evoke feelings of childhood and innocence in their customers.
Explorer
The Explorer archetype represents adventure and discovery. Brands that align with the Explorer archetype are focused on creating a sense of excitement and discovery. They aim to inspire their customers to explore and experience new things.
Caregiver
The Caregiver archetype represents nurturing and compassion. Brands that align with the Caregiver archetype are focused on providing support and helping their customers. They aim to create a sense of comfort and care for their customers.
Lover
The Lover archetype represents passion and desire. Brands that align with the Lover archetype are focused on creating a sense of romance and intimacy. They aim to evoke feelings of love and caring in their customers.
Creator
The Creator archetype represents creativity and originality. Brands that align with the Creator archetype are focused on creating a sense of imagination and creativity. They aim to inspire their customers to create and express themselves.
Hero
The Hero archetype represents bravery and heroism. Brands that align with the Hero archetype are focused on creating a sense of strength and courage. They aim to evoke feelings of heroism and bravery in their customers.
Outlaw
The Outlaw archetype represents going against the grain and breaking the rules. Brands that align with the Outlaw archetype are focused on creating a sense of rebelliousness and non-conformity. They aim to evoke feelings of independence and freedom in their customers.
Jester
The Jester archetype represents humour and playfulness. Brands that align with the Jester archetype are focused on creating a sense of fun and good times. They aim to evoke feelings of happiness and joy in their customers.
Magician
The Magician archetype represents transformation and mystery. Brands that align with the Magician archetype are focused on creating a sense of magic and change. They aim to evoke feelings of wonder and excitement in their customers.
Ruler
The Ruler archetype represents power and control. Brands that align with the Ruler archetype are focused on creating a sense of authority and status. They aim to evoke feelings of strength and confidence in their customers.
Regular Guy/Girl
The Regular Guy/Girl archetype represents authenticity and down to earthness. Brands that align with the Regular Guy/Girl archetype are focused on creating a sense of realism and relatability. They aim to evoke feelings of comfort and familiarity in their customers.
How to determine your brand archetype
Determining your brand archetype helps you understand your brand’s personality, values, and target audience, which in turn, informs all your marketing and branding efforts. Here are some key steps to help you determine your brand archetype.
Identify your brand’s values and personality
Identifying your brand’s values and personality is the first step in determining your brand archetype. To start this process, you need to consider what your brand stands for and what emotions you want to evoke in your customers.
Start by listing your brand’s core beliefs and values. What does your brand represent, and what does it stand for? This could be anything from quality and reliability to creativity and innovation. Then, ensure that these values align with your target audience and what they want and need from your brand. It might seem obvious but ensuring what your brand stands for aligns with your target audience is a crucial step.
Next, consider the personality traits you want to communicate to your target audience. For example, what tone of voice and style do you want to use in your marketing and branding efforts? Are you approachable and friendly, or do you want to be seen as more professional and authoritative?
Consider what emotions you want to evoke in your customers. Do you want them to feel confident and empowered, or do you want them to feel relaxed and pampered? Understanding your brand’s personality and values will help you to create a consistent and memorable brand identity that resonates with the right people.
It’s important to be honest and authentic when identifying your brand’s values and personality. Your customers will quickly see through any false claims or insincere branding efforts.
Research brand archetypes
The twelve archetypes each represent a different set of values, personality traits, and emotions. While these aren’t fixed, there’s a general consensus on what each one represents. However, be sure to remember that this is an internal tool or device, so the most important factor is that it makes sense to those who are going to use it. Here’s a more in-depth look at the twelve archetypes and examples of how each could be used to determine a brand’s content themes:
Outlaw
Human Desire: Liberation
Goal: Break free from the norms
Traits: Wild, disruptive, rebellious
The Outlaw archetype is ideal for brands that want to challenge the status quo and stand out amongst their competitors. Therefore, content marketing strategies for businesses leveraging the Outlaw archetype should focus on abolishing traditional conventions and embracing a rebellious spirit.
Content themes could explore topics like breaking the rules, bucking trends, and pushing boundaries. These themes help to establish a sense of individuality and defiance that connects with audiences seeking something unique and authentic. The content should also focus on inspiring others to take a stand and that being different is not only okay but also something to be celebrated.
Example: Harley Davidson
Slogan: “American by birth, rebel by choice.”
Harley Davidson is the quintessential Outlaw brand. Their content marketing strategies focus on themes of freedom, self-expression, and rebellion. They embrace an attitude of “no rules” and encourage their audience to be bold, fearless, and independent. As a result, the brand’s content pieces are often edgy and daring, which resonates with their target audience, who see themselves as rebels and pioneers. Harley Davidson’s content not only speaks to its audience but also encourages them to be true to themselves and live outside the box.
Innocent
Human Desire: Safety
Goal: To be happy in simplicity
Traits: Positive, optimistic, pure
The Innocent archetype evokes a sense of trust and comfort and is perfect for brands that want to establish an emotional connection with their audience. For businesses adopting the Innocent archetype, content marketing strategies should focus on themes of hope, optimism, and joy.
Content themes can explore topics like celebrating the simple joys of life, finding contentment in the little things, and creating a happier and more positive world. These themes communicate to the audience that they can trust the brand and that it is committed to helping them create a better life.
Example: Dove
Slogan: “Real beauty from real care.”
Dove’s content marketing strategy draws heavily on the Innocent archetype. The brand emphasises the importance of embracing one’s own unique beauty and building self-confidence. Their content pieces often explore self-love, inner strength, and feeling secure in one’s own skin. This resonates strongly with their target audience, who seek validation, acceptance, and assurance that they are beautiful just the way they are. In addition, dove’s content pieces create an atmosphere of safety and positivity that encourages viewers to feel good about themselves and to trust the brand.
Explorer
Human Desire: Freedom
Goal: Fulfilment through new experiences and discoveries
Traits: Adventurous, independent, daring
The Explorer archetype is ideal for brands seeking to motivate their audience to break free from familiar routines and embrace new obstacles. Brands utilising this archetype in their content marketing should concentrate on themes of discovery, curiosity, and imagination.
The focus should be on topics such as daring to try something new, surpassing limitations, and embracing the unknown. These subjects will foster a sense of excitement and adventure, encouraging the audience to seek out new opportunities and find something new to explore.
Example: The North Face
Slogan: “Never Stop Exploring”
The North Face incorporates the Explorer archetype into its content marketing approach, inspiring its target audience to embark on outdoor expeditions and uncover new experiences. The brand emphasises the excitement of adventure, challenging limits, and unearthing the hidden beauty of nature. These themes resonate deeply with those seeking to break away from the monotony of everyday life and seek out new experiences. Through its content, The North Face generates an atmosphere of excitement and endless possibilities, urging viewers to seize the opportunity for adventure.
Sage
Human Desire: Understanding
Goal: To share wisdom and insight
Traits: Wise, analytical, trusted, assured
Brands looking to position themselves as a trusted authority in their industry should consider adopting the Sage archetype. Their content marketing efforts should be centred around knowledge, experience, and insight themes.
The goal is to educate and enlighten their audience by sharing practical advice, imparting valuable lessons, and offering solutions to challenging issues. This approach fosters a sense of trust and credibility, making the brand a go-to resource for industry-related questions and expert advice.
Example: Google/Alphabet
Slogan: “Do the right thing.”
Google fosters a culture of learning and understanding among its users by emphasising the functionality and intricacies of its products and services. The company’s content highlights important issues like problem-solving, offers practical tips, and simplifies complex processes. These topics are highly relevant to its target audience, who are searching for answers and reassurance in their decision-making. Furthermore, by presenting its information in a trustworthy and reliable manner, Google inspires confidence in its brand and encourages its audience to seek its expertise and support.
Ruler
Human Desire: Control
Goal: Create order from chaos
Traits: Respected, authoritative, influential, refined, articulate
The Ruler archetype is suitable for brands wanting to portray a sense of power, control, and authority. Brands utilising this archetype in their content marketing should emphasise their leadership position, dominance, and expertise in their field.
The content should revolve around themes of innovation, strength, and mastery. These themes help establish a feeling of control and dominance, which appeals to audiences who value stability and security. The content should also encourage others to take control of their lives and trust in the brand’s ability to guide them.
Example: Mercedes Benz
Slogan: “The best or nothing.”
The Mercedes Benz brand effectively embodies the Ruler archetype in its content marketing strategy, as exemplified by its slogan, “The best or nothing.” This statement exudes a sense of confidence, innovation, and mastery that is reflected in all of their marketing materials. Mercedes Benz consistently showcases their position as an automotive industry leader, highlighting their engineering expertise and solidifying their status as a trusted authority in the field.
Creator
Human Desire: Innovation
Goal: Create something with meaning and purpose
Traits: Innovative, creative, imaginative, visionary, pioneering, non-conformist
Brands seeking to showcase their innovative and visionary side should embrace the Creator archetype in their marketing efforts. The focus of their content marketing strategies should centre around their unique ideas and artistic flair.
Businesses should incorporate themes such as invention, originality, and imagination into the content to communicate the brand’s individuality and creativity to its target audience. This appeals to those who are seeking fresh and exciting experiences. The content should inspire others to tap into their creative potential and encourage out-of-the-box thinking.
Example: Crayola
Slogan: “The power of creativity.”
This brand embodies the spirit of the Creator archetype with its focus on creativity and vision. Crayola encourages its audience to think outside the box and to let their imaginations run wild. Their content pieces are often bright, bold, and visually stunning, appealing to their target audience’s creative and innovative side. By speaking to and inspiring their audience, Crayola encourages everyone to embrace their creative side and approach life with a unique and imaginative perspective.
Caregiver
Human Desire: Service
Goal: To help and nurture others
Traits: Caring, selfless, generous, protective, comforting
The Caregiver archetype is suitable for brands that aim to communicate a message of empathy, support, and concern for their target audience. Businesses that leverage this archetype in their marketing should concentrate on themes demonstrating the brand’s dedication to aiding and caring for its customers.
Content themes can revolve around nurturing, healing, and protection. These themes help to establish a sense of comfort and security, appealing to audiences in search of comfort and reassurance. The content should also encourage others to act compassionately and emphasise the brand’s goal to impact people’s lives positively.
Example: Johnson & Johnson
Slogan: “For all you love.”
Johnson & Johnson has established a reputation as a compassionate and caring brand. Their content marketing strategies focus on health and wellness themes and promoting a safe and nurturing environment for families. They embrace a message of care and concern for their customers and encourage their audience to prioritise their health and well-being. The brand’s content pieces often showcase the emotional bond between families and their commitment to supporting families through every stage of life.
Hero
Human Desire: Mastery
Goal: Improve the world
Traits: Brave, strong, courageous, inspiring, candid
The Hero archetype is a fitting choice for brands seeking to motivate and empower their audience – that’s why we see it adopted by so many sports companies. Brands that employ the Hero archetype in their content marketing strategies should highlight their positive qualities and values while encouraging their audience to chase their aspirations.
The content should delve into themes such as courage, determination, and altruism, which help to create a sense of direction and motivation that appeals to audiences in search of inspiration. Additionally, the content should celebrate the accomplishments of everyday individuals who have triumphed over challenges and made meaningful contributions to their communities.
Example: Nike
Slogan: “Just Do It”
Nike is a classic Hero brand. Their content marketing strategies focus on determination, resilience, and self-empowerment themes. They encourage their audience to pursue their passions and overcome any challenges that may come their way. The brand’s content often features athletes and everyday people who have pushed their limits and achieved greatness. Nike’s content speaks to its audience and inspires them to take action and achieve their own personal victories.
Magician
Human Desire: Power
Goal: Make dreams come true, make the impossible possible
Traits: Imaginative, idealistic, visionary, charismatic
The Magician archetype is a perfect fit for brands looking to evoke a sense of wonder and amazement in their target audience. Businesses that use this archetype in their content marketing should concentrate on creating a transformative and empowering experience for their customers.
The content themes should revolve around themes such as mystery, illusion, and transformation. These themes aim to establish a sense of magic and awe that connects with customers searching for something unique and exciting. The content should also focus on empowering people to believe in themselves and their capabilities.
Example: Disney
Slogan: “Where Dreams Come True”
Disney has long been associated with the Magician brand archetype, with their content marketing strategies focused on themes of wonder, fantasy, and transformation. By creating a captivating and imaginative experience, Disney evokes a sense of magic in their target audience, taking them on a journey to a world of fantasy. The brand’s content, filled with imaginative and fantastical elements, appeals to its target audience, who seek a break from reality.
Lover
Human Desire: Intimacy
Goal: Foster connection and inspire love
Traits: Passionate, devoted, sensual, romantic, idealistic
The Lover archetype is a fitting approach for brands seeking to establish a solid emotional bond with their target audience. Brands that embrace this archetype should focus on themes of love, romance, and intimacy, as these evoke a sense of tenderness and emotional connection. The content should create a sense of happiness and joy and inspire people to cherish and appreciate their loved ones.
Example: Hallmark
Slogan: “When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best”
Hallmark is an excellent example of the Lover brand archetype in action. The company’s iconic slogan focuses on cultivating deep connections and inspiring people to express their feelings through thoughtful cards and gifts. As a result, their content is often heartwarming and sentimental, evoking happiness and joy. Likewise, hallmark encourages its audience to celebrate their loved ones and cherish special moments, inspiring them to connect with their emotions and express their love and affection.
Jester
Human Desire: Enjoyment
Goal: Bring fun, joy, and lightheartedness
Traits: Playful, humorous, irreverent, witty, lighthearted
The Jester archetype is a great fit for brands that aim to bring a touch of humour and playfulness to their marketing efforts. Brands that employ this archetype in their content marketing should focus on entertaining their audience with lighthearted and humorous topics.
Themes such as playfulness, spontaneity, and comedy can help to establish a fun and energetic brand image that appeals to those seeking a break from the monotony of daily life. The content should also encourage its audience to let their guard down and have a good time, reminding them not to take everything so seriously.
Example: Skittles
Slogan: “Taste the Rainbow”
Skittles is a great example of content marketing that successfully leverages the Jester archetype. Their marketing strategies focus on themes of playfulness and unpredictability, using humour to engage with their audience. Skittles adopts a lighthearted tone in its content, making its brand approachable and fun. The brand’s content is often quirky and entertaining, appealing to its target audience who are seeking a fun and playful escape.
Regular Guy/Girl (or Everyman)
Human Desire: Belonging
Goal: To connect with others
Traits: Relatable, down-to-earth, accessible, supportive, humble
The Everyman archetype is a perfect fit for brands looking to build a personal connection with their audience and offer solutions for common, everyday problems. A brand that utilises the Everyman archetype in its content marketing strategy should concentrate on three key elements: simplicity, practicality, and relatability.
The content should focus on themes such as problem-solving, ease of use, and affordability. These themes create a sense of community and familiarity that appeals to people looking for straightforward solutions to their daily challenges.
Example: Wrangler
Slogan: “For the Ride of Life”
Wrangler is a great example of the Everyman archetype in action. The company’s iconic slogan speaks to its commitment to creating clothing that is both practical and accessible for all. Their content often focuses on simplicity and practicality, offering straightforward solutions to everyday problems. Wrangler also uses its content to show that it understands its target audience, speaking to their needs and challenges in a relatable way. The brand’s content is always down-to-earth and accessible, reminding customers that Wrangler is there to support them in their everyday lives.
Evaluate your target audience
Your target audience is the group of people you are trying to reach and sell to, so it’s crucial to understand what they are looking for in a brand. Here are some simple steps to help you evaluate your target audience:
Demographic information
Gather information about your target audience’s age, gender, location, education level, income, and other relevant demographic data.
Pain points
Identify the problems or challenges your target audience is facing and how your brand can help solve them.
Values and beliefs
Understand your target audience’s values and beliefs and how they influence their buying decisions.
Interests and hobbies
Know what your target audience is interested in and what they enjoy doing in their free time. This information can help you tailor your marketing messages to better resonate with them.
Buying behaviour
Look at your target audience’s purchasing habits and how they make buying decisions.
By evaluating your target audience, you can gain a deeper understanding of what they want and need from your brand. You can then use this information to determine which brand archetype best aligns with your target audience and your brand’s values and personality.
Look at your competition
To determine your brand archetype effectively, it’s important to consider your competition and how they are positioning themselves in the market. Evaluating your competition can provide valuable insights that can inform your brand identity and help you to differentiate yourself from others. Balancing the idea of offering your audience something unique whilst also finding the most effective message is tricky. Taking a step back and thinking about your approach strategically is extremely valuable.
- Research your competitors: Gather information about your competition, including their brand values, personality traits, target audience, and marketing strategies.
- Identify their brand archetype: Determine what archetype each of your competitors aligns with and how they position themselves in the market.
- Analyse their strengths and weaknesses: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each of your competitors, including their target audience, marketing strategies, and brand positioning.
- Study their marketing efforts: Observe how your competitors use their brand archetype in their marketing efforts and gather insights into how you can effectively communicate your brand archetype to your target audience.
- Determine market gaps: Look for spaces in the market and identify how you can differentiate yourself from your competitors. Consider underrepresented archetypes and how you can align with one to stand out.
- Set yourself apart: Use the information gathered from evaluating your competition to determine how you can set your brand apart and create a unique brand identity.
Identify your brand’s unique qualities
Identifying your brand’s unique qualities is crucial in determining your brand archetype. This is because your attributes will set your brand apart from others and help you stand out in a crowded market. Your brand might possess many strengths but which ones to draw upon or emphasise will be different according to your brand archetype. To identify your brand’s unique qualities, consider the following steps:
- Analyse your brand’s history: Look back at your brand’s history and understand its evolution. What has made your brand successful so far, and what sets it apart from others?
- Evaluate your brand’s mission: Consider your brand’s mission statement and what it represents. What are your brand’s core values, and what makes it unique?
- Assess your brand’s offerings: Look at your brand’s products or services and what makes them special. What sets them apart from your competitor’s offerings, and what are your customers looking for in your offerings?
- Consider your brand’s voice: Think about how your brand communicates with its customers. What tone does it use, and what sets it apart from others in the market?
- Evaluate your brand’s customer experience: Consider the customer experience when they interact with your brand. What sets it apart from others, and what do your customers appreciate the most about your brand?
Test your archetype
Testing your brand archetype helps you to validate your assumptions and make any necessary adjustments to your branding strategy. Something that sounds good internally between colleagues might not hit the mark with real customers. To ensure you’re on the right track, make sure you gather first hand data and stress test your ideas.
Here are some ways to test your brand archetype:
- Conduct market research – Use survey tools to gather feedback from your target audience. Ask them questions about your brand’s personality, values, and the emotions they associate with it. This will give you a clear picture of how customers perceive your brand/products/services.
- Run focus groups – Hold focus groups with your target audience to gather in-depth feedback about your brand archetype. Ask participants about their experiences with your brand, what they like and dislike, and what they want to see in the future.
- Survey your customers – Send out surveys to your existing customers to gauge their thoughts and opinions on your brand. Ask them about their experiences with your brand and if they think your archetype accurately represents it.
- Monitor social media – Keep an eye on your brand’s social media presence and see what your audience is saying about you. Look for patterns in their comments and feedback and use that information to make any necessary changes to your branding strategy.
By testing your brand archetype, you can ensure that it is meaningful to your target audience and accurately represents your brand’s personality, values, and target market. This will help you to create a successful and memorable brand identity that will be well received and help you achieve your objectives.
Using brand archetypes in your content marketing strategy
Now that you have identified your brand’s archetype and tested it, you can use it to create content that hits the mark with your target audience. As an SEO agency, we have a vested interest in help our clients create and share excellent quality content. Here are some tips for using brand archetypes in your content marketing strategy:
- Align your content with your brand archetype – Make sure all your content aligns with your brand archetype’s values, personality, and tone. Doing so will help to build a consistent brand identity that your target audience can easily recognise and relate to. Consistency is key!
- Leverage your archetype’s strengths – Each brand archetype has its own strengths, such as creativity, inspiration, trust, or excitement. Use these strengths to create content that appeals to your target audience and supports your overall marketing goals.
- Create emotional connections – Brands that evoke strong emotions are proven to be more memorable and effective. Use your brand archetype to create content that connects with your target audience on an emotional level. For example, if your archetype is the Caregiver, you could create content that educates and informs your target audience about your products or services, helping them to make informed decisions.
- Use visual cues – Visual cues can help to reinforce your brand archetype and bring your content to life. Use images, graphics, and design elements that align with your brand’s personality and values. As above, consistency is key so ensure all elements are in sync and support each other.
- Use storytelling – Storytelling is a powerful tool for creating emotional connections with your target audience. Use your brand archetype to create stories that showcase your brand’s values and personality to connect with your target audience on a deeper level. Stories can take shape in many different ways, from customer or client success stories, your brand’s history or even celebrating staff development journeys.
- Personalise your content – Personalised content is more engaging and relevant to your target audience. Use your brand archetype to create content that speaks directly to your target audience’s needs and interests. For example, if your archetype is the Hero, you could create content highlighting the bravery and courage of your customers who have used your products or services.
- Engage with your audience – Use your content to engage with your target audience and create a two-way conversation. Encourage feedback and interaction through social media, email marketing, and other channels.
- Adapt to your audience – Stay attuned to your target audience and adjust your content marketing strategy accordingly. Keep an eye on what resonates with your audience and make changes to keep your content relevant and engaging. Keep experimenting and testing, using data and feedback to make iterative improvements.
Examples of how different brand archetypes can be used in content marketing
Brand archetypes provide a framework for creating content that resonates with your clients/customers and reinforces your brand’s values and personality. While each archetype is a tool that can wielded in many ways there are common use cases you can take inspiration from. Here are some examples of how different brand archetypes can be used in content marketing:
Sage
The Sage archetype represents wisdom and knowledge. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that educates and informs their audience, such as tutorials, how-to guides, and expert advice. For example, a financial services brand could create content that explains complex financial concepts in simple terms.
Innocent
The Innocent archetype represents purity and trust. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that emphasises the simplicity and reliability of their products or services. For example, a natural skincare brand could create content showcasing its ingredients’ purity and the effectiveness of its products.
Explorer
The Explorer archetype represents adventure and excitement. Brands that align with this archetype can create content encouraging their audience to step out of their comfort zone and explore new possibilities. For example, a travel brand could create content that showcases exotic destinations and encourages its audience to travel.
Caregiver
The Caregiver archetype represents compassion and nurturing. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that focuses on the well-being of their audience. For example, a health and wellness brand could create content that provides tips for healthy living and promotes self-care.
Lover
The Lover archetype represents passion and romance. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that focuses on the emotional benefits of their products or services. For example, a luxury jewellery brand could create content that showcases the emotional significance of its products and the sentimental value they hold.
Hero
The Hero archetype represents courage and bravery. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that showcases their products or services as the solution to their audience’s problems. For example, an outdoor gear brand could create content that showcases its products as the key to overcoming challenging outdoor adventures.
Outlaw
The Outlaw archetype represents rebellion and non-conformity. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that challenges the status quo and encourages their audience to break free from conventional thinking. For example, an alternative energy brand could create content that challenges the traditional energy industry and promotes the benefits of renewable energy.
Jester
The Jester archetype represents playfulness and humour. Brands that align with this archetype can create lighthearted and entertaining content, such as funny videos, memes, and jokes. For example, a snack food brand could create fun and whimsical content, showcasing its products as a source of lighthearted fun.
Magician
The Magician archetype represents transformation and power. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that shows how their products or services can transform their customers’ lives. For example, a tech brand could create content that showcases how its products have revolutionised the industry and changed how people live and work.
Ruler
The Ruler archetype represents ambition and control. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that emphasises leadership and authority. For example, a luxury car brand could create content that showcases its products as a symbol of power and prestige.
Creator
The Creator archetype represents innovation and invention. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that showcases their products or services as a source of inspiration and creativity. For example, a design-focused brand could create content that showcases its products as a tool for creative expression.
Regular Guy/Girl (or Everyman)
The Everyman archetype represents relatability and ordinariness. Brands that align with this archetype can create content that emphasises the mundane aspects of life, connecting with their audience on everyday issues. For example, a lifestyle brand could create content focusing on its audience’s daily tasks and struggles.
Best practices for using brand archetypes in content marketing
When using brand archetypes in your content marketing strategy, it’s vital to follow some best practices to ensure that your content is compelling and resonates with your target audience. To maximise the benefits of this exercise, it’s important to get buy in from across your team and ensure everyone understands what the archetype is, why it has been selected and how to incorporate it in their role. Here are three best practices for using brand archetypes in your content marketing:
Consistency: Ensuring that all of your content aligns with your brand archetype
Consistency is crucial to using brand archetypes in your content marketing strategy. By ensuring that all your content aligns with your brand archetype, you can create a consistent and recognisable brand identity that resonates with your audience.
To achieve consistency in your content marketing, start by defining your brand archetype and developing a clear understanding of the characteristics and values that define it. This will help you create a set of guidelines you can follow to ensure that all of your content is aligned with your archetype.
For example, if your brand archetype is ‘Innocent’, your content should convey simplicity, purity, and optimism. You could use bright colours, playful language, and uplifting messages to create a cheerful and optimistic tone that resonates with your audience. Your website design and imagery should also reflect your archetype, with simple and clean visuals conveying purity and clarity.
It’s crucial to keep your brand archetype in mind when creating all types of content, including blog posts, social media posts, emails, videos, and podcasts. Each piece of content should be consistent in its tone, style, and messaging so that your audience can easily recognise and relate to your brand.
In addition, consistency extends beyond written content to encompass other aspects, such as the topics you cover, the choice of images and design of your channels. These elements should be consistent across the board so that your brand is easily recognisable and memorable.
Consistency doesn’t mean that your content should be boring or repetitive. Your brand archetype should serve as a guiding principle, but there is still room for creativity and innovation within this framework. As long as your content stays true to your brand’s values and personality, you can experiment with different formats, styles, and topics to keep your audience engaged and interested.
Authenticity: Being true to your brand archetype and avoiding gimmicks or feeling “forced”
Authenticity is a crucial element of content marketing, and it’s imperative when using brand archetypes to guide your strategy. In today’s digital landscape, customers are savvy and can quickly identify inauthentic or forced content, which can erode trust and credibility. Getting this wrong will have undesired effects and may cause significant damage to your reputation.
To be authentic, you need to ensure that you’re remaining true to yourselves. Your brand archetype should be a natural fit. While you want an effective strategy, you cannot pretend to be something you’re not.
For example, if your brand archetype is the ‘Explorer’, your content should inspire a sense of adventure, curiosity and discovery. Your content should evoke a feeling of exploration, whether it’s through travel, the discovery of new products, or learning about new cultures. The design and visuals of your content should also reflect this adventurous spirit.
On the other hand, if your brand archetype is ‘Innocent’, your content should evoke a sense of purity, simplicity, and nostalgia. Your content could focus on the values of family, safety, and tradition. Your design and imagery should be wholesome and uncluttered, using warm, bright colours and familiar imagery.
The key to authenticity is to be realistic and avoid the temptation to use archetypes that don’t naturally align with your strengths. Trying to force a brand archetype that doesn’t fit your brand can alienate your audience, create backlash or mistrust. Don’t attempt to manufacture themes or traits – stick to what you know and be genuine.
Customer focus: Using your brand archetype to create content that resonates with your target audience
The ultimate goal of using brand archetypes in content marketing is to create content that your target audience can really identify with. The process of developing a brand archetype will help you hone in one your audience’s values, desires, and pain points. A brand voice that speaks directly to them and addresses their needs is highly effective. Your brand archetype can be a powerful tool that provides direction on how to achieve this, as it helps you to connect with your audience on a more emotional and personal level.
As an example, if your brand archetype is the ‘Hero’, your content should inspire and motivate your audience to take action and overcome their challenges. You could use case studies, success stories, and testimonials to showcase the impact your products or services have had on your customers’ lives. Your messaging should be focused on the positive outcomes your customers can achieve by working with your brand. In doing so, customers should experience a feeling of aspiration, high energy or achievement in every interaction with your brand.
Overall, using brand archetypes in your content marketing strategy can be a highly effective way to create compelling and engaging content that resonates with your audience. By following these best practices, you’ll be on right the lines to produce content that is more consistent, authentic, and customer-focused.
Conclusion
To summarise, brand archetypes are an effective method to produce a consistent and recognisable brand identity that reflects core values and personality that your target audience can relate to. By using archetypes to guide your content strategy, you can create content that resonates with your target audience and builds a strong emotional connection.
If you haven’t already incorporated brand archetypes into your content marketing strategy, we encourage you to explore this approach and see how it can help to strengthen your brand’s identity. By following the best practices outlined in this article, you can create authentic, customer-focused content, which will help build a lasting and meaningful relationship with your audience.
If you’d like to learn more about brand archetypes, our team would be happy to discuss any points from this article. Please get in touch with any questions!