This is a handbook designed for brand strategists to make sense of the chaos that surrounds brands by leveraging Archetypes to define why brands exist — and why anyone should care.
This understanding has the power to inspire marketing ideas that solve real human problems not just marketing problems.
4. This is a handbook designed for brand strategists
to make sense of the chaos that surrounds brands
by leveraging Archetypes to define why
brands exist — and why anyone should care.
This understanding has the power to inspire
marketing ideas that solve real human problems
not just marketing problems.
5.
6. INTANGIBLE
LOVER SOVEREIGNREBEL SAGEINNOCENT EXPLORER MAGICIANHERO JESTERCITIZEN CAREGIVER
Brand Archetypes
(aka brand strategy)
Captures what a brand means. Identifies the reason why you exist in the world
and why anyone should care (i.e. Brand Purpose). Defines what your brand offers
tc consumers (i.e. Positioning). Includes who you are through core values.
CREATOR
7. Brand Actions
(aka the work aka creative aka marketing)
Translates brand meaning into behaviors. What a brand says and does.
Everything a brand does says something, so anything that influences what people think, feel or
do in response to their experience or interaction with a brand is considered a marketing effort.
Includes advertising, stunts, product innovations, company culture, customer service, mobile
apps, etc.
TANGIBLE
INTANGIBLE
Brand Archetypes
(aka brand strategy)
Captures what a brand means. Identifies the reason why you exist in the world
and why anyone should care (i.e. Brand Purpose). Defines what your brand offers
tc consumers (i.e. Positioning). Includes who you are through core values.
LOVER SOVEREIGNREBEL SAGEINNOCENT EXPLORER MAGICIANHERO JESTERCITIZEN CAREGIVER CREATOR
12. Brand purpose, mission or ideal = The WHY.
“Airbnb Finds Its Mission How a
Rebranding Transformed the
Company”
“How Ideals Power Growth and
Profit at the World’s Greatest
Companies”
“Lessons on profit,
purpose, and
good business…”
“Emotions…A better way to drive growth
and profitability”
“How Great Leaders Inspire
Everyone
To Take Action”
13. We select products for what
they do functionally.
We select brands for what they mean.
Brands create meaning when they
focus on making people’s lives better.
14. We select products for what
they do functionally.
We select brands for what they mean.
Brands create meaning when they
focus on making people’s lives better.
15. Brand purpose defines the reason
why a company exists in the world.
And why anyone should care.
16. Brand purpose defines the reason
why a company exists in the world.
And why anyone should care.
19. These 12 desires are hardwired
into our DNA.1
Hardwired as in possibly genetically
encoded patterns or instinctual
blueprints of knowing
1Source: Based on the work of Carol S. Pearson, author of Awakening The Heroes Within
2Source: “Archetypes in Branding: A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists” by Margaret Hartwell & Joshua C. Chen
20. These 12 desires are hardwired
into our DNA.1
Hardwired as in possibly genetically
encoded patterns or instinctual
blueprints of knowing
1Source: Based on the work of Carol S. Pearson, author of Awakening The Heroes Within
2Source: “Archetypes in Branding: A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists” by Margaret Hartwell & Joshua C. Chen
Desires:
Safety
Belonging
Mastery
Service
Freedom
Intimacy
Liberation
Originality
Understanding
Enjoyment
Power
Control
21. These 12 desires are hardwired
into our DNA.1
Hardwired as in possibly genetically
encoded patterns or instinctual
blueprints of knowing
1Source: Based on the work of Carol S. Pearson, author of Awakening The Heroes Within
2Source: “Archetypes in Branding: A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists” by Margaret Hartwell & Joshua C. Chen
Desires:
Safety
Belonging
Mastery
Service
Freedom
Intimacy
Liberation
Originality
Understanding
Enjoyment
Power
Control
These deep-seated desires are also
known as ARCHETYPES...
“Universally shared symbols that
connect the conscious mind with
the subconscious meanings,
concepts, moods and desires
that...are ‘inherently expressive…
of common human needs, instincts
and potentials.’”2
22. These 12 desires are hardwired
into our DNA.1
Hardwired as in possibly genetically
encoded patterns or instinctual
blueprints of knowing
1Source: Based on the work of Carol S. Pearson, author of Awakening The Heroes Within
2Source: “Archetypes in Branding: A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists” by Margaret Hartwell & Joshua C. Chen
Desires:
Safety
Belonging
Mastery
Service
Freedom
Intimacy
Liberation
Originality
Understanding
Enjoyment
Power
Control
ARCHETYPES:
INNOCENT
CITIZEN
HERO
CAREGIVER
EXPLORER
LOVER
REBEL
CREATOR
SAGE
JESTER
MAGICIAN
SOVEREIGN
23. 12 Fundamental Archetypes form
the foundation of our behavior.
Archetypes help us make sense of
our lives and navigate our world.
25. Safety
(INNOCENT)
Freedom
(EXPLORER)
Understanding
(SAGE)
Desire to remain in safety and be happy by
doing simple, good things. Helps us look on
the bright side and feel renewed.
Desire to escape the routine of life by going in
search of new and exciting experiences. We
end up discovering who we really are. Helps us
maintain our independence.
Desire to understand the world through
knowledge, wisdom and truth. Helps us do
smart, clever things.
LEARNING/
FREEDOM
26. Belonging
(CITIZEN)
Intimacy
(LOVER)
Enjoyment
(JESTER)
Desire to belong, fit in and connect with others
by doing normal ordinary things. Helps us be
ok just as we are.
Desire to form deep, intimate connections by
becoming more attractive in every way.
Helps us find and give love.
Desire to kick back, relax and have a good
time with others. Helps us escape
the boredom of life.
PEOPLE/
BELONGING
27. Desire to improve our lives and/or
the world around us through sheer
will. Helps us rise to everyday challenges and
act courageously.
Desire to challenge the status quo
by destroying what is not working.
Helps us break the rules.
Desire to make our dreams come
true by channeling our power to
create possibilities. Helps us
transform and change our lives.
Mastery
(HERO)
Liberation
(REBEL)
Power
(MAGICIAN)
RESULTS/
MASTERY
28. Desire to help others in need
through acts of kindness.
Helps us care for others.
Desire to make something with
our own hands that has enduring
value. Self expression. Helps us
do creative, imaginative things.
Desire for stability and to
feel in charge of our lives.
Helps us make everyday more
sensible and predictable.
Service
(CAREGIVER)
Originality
(CREATOR)
Control
(SOVEREIGN)
STABILITY/
STRUCTURE
37. Emotions are impulses to act
Source: Goleman, Daniel (2012-01-11). Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition (p. 6). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
“All emotions are, in essence,
impulses to act, the instant plans
for handling life that evolution has
instilled in us. The very root of the
word emotion is motere, the Latin
verb “to move,” plus the prefix “e-”
to connote “move away,”
suggesting that a tendency to act
is implicit in every emotion.”*
38. Emotions are impulses to act
E-motions create motion
“All emotions are, in essence,
impulses to act, the instant plans
for handling life that evolution has
instilled in us. The very root of the
word emotion is motere, the Latin
verb “to move,” plus the prefix “e-”
to connote “move away,”
suggesting that a tendency to act
is implicit in every emotion.”*
Source: Goleman, Daniel (2012-01-11). Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition (p. 6). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
47. Archetypal stories transmit culture.
(i.e. all the knowledge and
values shared by a society)
Source: https://www.powerthesaurus.org/culture/definitions
53. SOVEREIGN
Desire for stability and to feel in charge of our lives.
Helps us make everyday more sensible and predictable.
54. HERO
Desire to improve our lives and/or the world around us through sheer will.
Helps us rise to everyday challenges and act courageously.
55. Recurring Archetypal stories in entertainment
Desire for stability and to
feel in charge of our lives.
Helps us make everyday more
sensible and predictable.
Desire to improve our lives and/or
the world around us through sheer
will. Helps us rise to everyday challenges and act
courageously.
Desire to make our dreams come
true by channeling our power to
create possibilities. Helps us
transform and change our lives.
Desire to challenge the
status quo by destroying
what is not working.
Helps us break the rules.
SOVEREIGN HERO MAGICIAN REBEL
56. Recurring Archetypal stories in marketing
Desire for stability and to
feel in charge of our lives.
Helps us make everyday more
sensible and predictable.
Desire to improve our lives and/or
the world around us through sheer
will. Helps us rise to everyday challenges and act
courageously.
Desire to make our dreams come
true by channeling our power to
create possibilities. Helps us
transform and change our lives.
Desire to challenge the
status quo by destroying
what is not working.
Helps us break the rules.
SOVEREIGN HERO MAGICIAN REBEL
71. IS:
The WHY
Motivation
Deep well of meaning
Values & behaviors
Lives in service
Cultural mission
IS NOT:
The WHAT or The HOW
Personality traits
Obvious product performance
Tone
Looks to sell
Commercial proposition
Archetypes are not “personality” or “tone”
73. Adidas fully activates CREATOR
Business
Strategy
Product
Strategy
Product
Innovation
.com
Origin
Story
Brand
Strategy
Social
Media
Content &
Advertising Desire to make something with our own hands
that has enduring value. Self expression.
Helps us do creative, imaginative things.
Originality
(CREATOR)
75. CREATOR / Adidas
Brand
Strategy
Creativity: "We believe we are the creator brand.
Why are we the original sports brand? Because our founder
Adi Dassler ... was a cobbler," said Liedtke. "And he invented
the sporting-goods industry. He created the industry that we
now play in.
So 'creator' as a positioning is not just rich to
who we are today in a very crowded marketplace;
it's authentic to who we've always been.
80. CREATOR / Adidas
Business
Strategy
‘Creating the New’ is the headline for our next five-year strategic business plan.
We’re all ‘creating the new’ – because we believe that through sport,
we have the power to change lives
91. 4Cs framework
There is no substitute for gathering key input, which will act as the “raw material”
for an Archetypal Audit.
The 4Cs is a framework for conducting a rigorous audit of 4 fundamental areas of
interest on any given project, which are the following:
1) Culture (Where is the world headed? What will will amplify our ideas?)
2) Category (What are the conventions? What is the white space?)
3) Company (What’s the brand’s edge?)
4) Consumer (What do people want? What do they need?)
92. 4Cs framework
CULTURE (Where is the world headed?) CATEGORY (What is the white space?)
Write 3-5 Insights:
What deep understanding can help unlock the
challenge at hand? Where is the tension?
What could be a competitive advantage?
3-5 Insights
Write 1 Truth:
What is the "meta-insight" or relationship between each of
the 3-5 insights rolled up into the single most important truth?
1 Truth
COMPANY (What can we own?) CONSUMER (What do people want?)
3-5 Insights 3-5 Insights
1 Truth 1 Truth
93. 4Cs // E*TRADE example
Click for full E*TRADE 4Cs Discovery Report
94. When looking for a brand’s edge, make sure
to do a deep dive into what a brand does.
The brand actions it takes.
95. 4Cs // E*TRADE example
Click for full E*TRADE 4Cs Discovery Report
EXPLORER
96. 4Cs and the next exercise are
often done in tandem...
104. Cultural Enemy
(dragon that needs to be slain)
Protagonist
(called upon to
slay the dragon)
Special Weapon
(I.e. the ‘sword’ to help
slay the dragon)
STRATEGIC STORY FRAMEWORK
Moral of the Story
Archetypal Connection
107. SOVEREIGN
WYNN RESORT
& CASINO
ULTIMATE PRIVILEGE
AND RESPONSIBILITY
TO DELIVER THE
“GOLD STANDARD” IN
LUXURY.
THE MOST
DISCERNING
DEMAND THE
ABSOLUTE BEST OF
THE BEST —
AS IF BY DIVINE RIGHT.
NOT ALL AWARDS
ARE EQUAL
AAA 5 DIAMONDS ARE
IMPRESSIVE, FORBES 5
STARS ARE FOR
ROYALTY.
Special Weapon
(I.e. the ‘sword’ to help
slay the dragon)
WYNN HELPS SLAY FALSE EQUIVALENCY
Protagonist
(called upon to
slay the dragon)
THE HIGHEST
HONOR IS TO LIVE
IN SERVICE
Cultural Enemy
(dragon that needs to be slain)
Moral of the Story
Archetypal Connection
109. EXPLORER /
ADVENTURER
THE
COSMOPOLITAN
THE CURE TO
“COMMON VEGAS”,
AN EXCITING
UNSCRIPTED
EXPERIENCE.
CURIOUS
CLASS
SEEK OUT THE NEW
AND UNKNOWN FOR
THE THRILL OF IT.
EXPECTED
EXPERIENCES
KNOWN FOR, “WHAT
HAPPENS IN VEGAS…”,
LAS VEGAS IS MORE
“EXPECTED” THAN
EVER.
Special Weapon
(I.e. the ‘sword’ to help
slay the dragon)
THE COSMOPOLITAN HELPS SLAY PREDICTABILITY
Protagonist
(called upon to
slay the dragon)
DISCOVER
EXPERIENCES
WORTH WRITING
HOME ABOUT
Cultural Enemy
(dragon that needs to be slain)
Moral of the Story
Archetypal Connection
111. BELLAGIO HOTEL
& CASINO
A TIMELESS,
ROMANTIC
MASTERPIECE MADE
TO STIR THE SOUL.
LOVERS
OF LIFE
HUNGER TO FILL UP
ON ALL OF LIFE’S TRUE
PLEASURES TO FEEL
MORE FULLY ALIVE.
INSATIABLE
HEDONISM
LAS VEGAS OVER-REVS
ON PURSUING AN
INSATIABLE HEDONISM
WITH RECKLESS
ABANDON AND
SYNTHETIC MEANS.
Special Weapon
(I.e. the ‘sword’ to help
slay the dragon)
BELLAGIO HELPS SLAY SYNTHETIC ECSTASY
Protagonist
(called upon to
slay the dragon)
ELEVATION OF
THE GOOD LIFE
TO AN ART FORM
Cultural Enemy
(dragon that needs to be slain)
Moral of the Story
LOVER /
ROMANTIC
Archetypal Connection
113. 1 more to example to cement the idea
based on an innovative law firm
114. ARCHAISM
BIG LAW’S
TRADITIONAL &
ENTRENCHED WAYS
OF WORKING ARE
OUTMODED IN A
DYNAMIC WORLD.
Special Weapon
(I.e. the ‘sword’ to help
slay the dragon)
WHAT'S THE DRAMATIC TENSION?
Protagonist
(called upon to
slay the dragon)
Flashpoint was Great Recession
More cooks in the G.C. kitchen
Cultural Enemy
(dragon that needs to be slain)
Moral of the Story
Archetypal Connection
115. GENERAL
COUNSELS
THE FRUSTRATED
FINANCIERS SETTLING
FOR WHAT IS KNOWN,
BUT PRESSURED TO
DELIVER EVEN
GREATER VALUE.
ARCHAISM
BIG LAW’S
TRADITIONAL &
ENTRENCHED WAYS
OF WORKING ARE
OUTMODED IN A
DYNAMIC WORLD.
Special Weapon
(I.e. the ‘sword’ to help
slay the dragon)
WHO IS THE HERO?
Protagonist
(called upon to
slay the dragon)
Do more with less
See where the money is going
Contribute to broader business goals
Flashpoint was Great Recession
More cooks in the G.C. kitchen
Cultural Enemy
(dragon that needs to be slain)
Moral of the Story
Archetypal Connection
116. INNOVATIVE
LAW FIRM X
FEARLESS
EXPERIMENTERS
DRIVEN TO FIND THE
MOST VIABLE ROUTES
TO DELIVER LEGAL
SERVICES IN THE 21ST
CENTURY & BEYOND.
GENERAL
COUNSELS
THE FRUSTRATED
FINANCIERS SETTLING
FOR WHAT IS KNOWN,
BUT PRESSURED TO
DELIVER EVEN
GREATER VALUE.
ARCHAISM
BIG LAW’S
TRADITIONAL &
ENTRENCHED WAYS
OF WORKING ARE
OUTMODED IN A
DYNAMIC WORLD.
Special Weapon
(I.e. the ‘sword’ to help
slay the dragon)
WHAT WILL HELP SAVE THE DAY?
Protagonist
(called upon to
slay the dragon)
Do more with less
See where the money is going
Contribute to broader business goals
People
Process
Platform
Flashpoint was Great Recession
More cooks in the G.C. kitchen
Must be a better way
Lead by example
Cultural Enemy
(dragon that needs to be slain)
Moral of the Story
Archetypal Connection
117. INNOVATIVE
LAW FIRM X
FEARLESS
EXPERIMENTERS
DRIVEN TO FIND THE
MOST VIABLE ROUTES
TO DELIVER LEGAL
SERVICES IN THE 21ST
CENTURY & BEYOND.
GENERAL
COUNSELS
THE FRUSTRATED
FINANCIERS SETTLING
FOR WHAT IS KNOWN,
BUT PRESSURED TO
DELIVER EVEN
GREATER VALUE.
ARCHAISM
BIG LAW’S
TRADITIONAL &
ENTRENCHED WAYS
OF WORKING ARE
OUTMODED IN A
DYNAMIC WORLD.
Special Weapon
(I.e. the ‘sword’ to help
slay the dragon)
WHAT’S AT THE HEART OF THE STORY?
Protagonist
(called upon to
slay the dragon)
Do more with less
See where the money is going
Contribute to broader business goals
Must be a better way
Lead by example
Flashpoint was Great Recession
More cooks in the G.C. kitchen
Cultural Enemy
(dragon that needs to be slain)
People
Process
Platform
FEAR LESS
FINDS A BETTER
WAY FORWARD
Moral of the Story
EXPLORER /
PIONEER
Archetypal Connection
118. INNOVATIVE
LAW FIRM X
FEARLESS
EXPERIMENTERS
DRIVEN TO FIND THE
MOST VIABLE ROUTES
TO DELIVER LEGAL
SERVICES IN THE 21ST
CENTURY & BEYOND.
GENERAL
COUNSELS
THE FRUSTRATED
FINANCIERS SETTLING
FOR WHAT IS KNOWN,
BUT PRESSURED TO
DELIVER EVEN
GREATER VALUE.
ARCHAISM
BIG LAW’S
TRADITIONAL &
ENTRENCHED WAYS
OF WORKING ARE
OUTMODED IN A
DYNAMIC WORLD.
Special Weapon
(I.e. the ‘sword’ to help
slay the dragon)
LAW FIRM X HELPS SLAY ARCHAISM
Protagonist
(called upon to
slay the dragon)
Do more with less
See where the money is going
Contribute to broader business goals
Must be a better way
Lead by example
Flashpoint was Great Recession
More cooks in the G.C. kitchen
Cultural Enemy
(dragon that needs to be slain)
People
Process
Platform
EXPLORER /
PIONEER
FEAR LESS
FINDS A BETTER
WAY FORWARD
Moral of the Story
Archetypal Connection