What if you could shortcut the way your audience perceives you?
It’s all due to the magic of brand archetypes (and if you are new to them, I am giving you a short 101 below).
Let’s face it – most conversations about the topic brand archetypes sound like a marketing bingo card. Nike the Hero. Apple the Magician. IKEA the Everyman. I get it. They’re textbook.
But what if I told you that the most interesting brands aren’t the ones following the obvious way of embodying these archetypes?
And if you are like “Fab I do not even know what the heck a brand archetype is” then let me give you the recap.
Brand archetypes were defined by legendary Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist Carl Jung. They are personas that reflect all aspects of a brand, including its behaviours, values, tone of voice, and unique selling points.
Some of the most unexpected archetype fits come from brands you’d never peg as “rebellious” or “pure-hearted”… and yet, they’ve built entire identities around those vibes.
So today, I’m going beyond the usual suspects. I’ve picked out three brands that are quietly (or not-so-quietly) owning their archetype in surprising ways.
Whether you’re building a brand from scratch or refining your tone of voice, these examples might just get you thinking differently about your own identity.
Let’s dive in.