Brand archetypes are employed by some of the most loved companies in the world. Brand archetypes aim to strengthen a brand’s story and are a fantastic way to leave an enduring impression on potential customers. Utilizing an archetype in your brand’s story helps to arouse emotion and generate personal connections between your brand and your target audience.

Read on to learn how to use brand archetypes to connect emotionally with your audience the way that the top branding agencies in Dubai do.

1. Understand the different brand archetypes. 

Today, 12 core archetypes are used in modern branding. All of these archetypes endure as they embody values, attributes, and urges that are essential to human nature. Through an archetype, you can take your sales pitches and value propositions and translate them into a character that people recognize. 

The 12 brand archetypes and their brand voice are:

  • The Hero (honest, candid, and brave)
  • The Magician (mystical, informed, and reassuring)
  • The Rebel Outlaw (disruptive, rebellious, and combative)
  • The Explorer (exciting, fearless, and daring)
  • The Sage (knowledgeable, assured, and guiding)
  • The Innocent (optimistic, honest, and humble)
  • The Creator (inspirational, daring, and provocative)
  • The Ruler (commanding, refined, and articulate)
  • The Caregiver (caring, warm, and reassuring)
  • The Everyman (friendly, humble, and authentic)
  • The Jester (fun-loving, playful, and optimistic)
  • The Lover (sensual, empathetic, and soothing)

Identifying your brand archetype will help develop your brand’s personality in a manner that is relatable to your target market. This is because archetypes help you to differentiate yourself from the competition by honing in on what makes your brand unique. 

Your archetype will also assist you in setting the tone for brand experiences and for tapping into your consumer’s desires. Keep in mind that your archetype isn’t a literal description of what your brand does or offers; instead, it is a description of how you interact with your target audience. 

2. Communicate as your brand archetype. 

Powerful brands consistently convey value and meaning – this is what makes them stand out from the crowd. Therefore, to ensure that you are providing a clear and coherent message, all the words and copy that are associated with your brand need to be written through the mouth of your archetype. You create a brand identity through the culmination of every touchpoint that transpires between the brand and consumer. 

Consequently, a simple email must use language that aligns with your brand’s archetype. The last thing you want to do is to be writing generic copy (there is nothing more boring), but you also don’t want to be composing an email marketing campaign that sounds nothing like your brand. This will quickly lead to confusion about who your brand is which, in turn, leads to a lack of trust and loyalty. 

If you are still figuring out how to communicate your brand archetype, try on the personality for size. Test a few different options with your target audience and see what brings the best results. 

3. Appeal to your archetype’s consumer. 

At the end of the day, you don’t need everyone to connect with your brand’s archetype; you just need the right people to recognize and relate to it. Therefore, once you have determined your brand’s archetype, you then want to ensure that you are appealing to your archetype’s consumer. This is crucial because archetypes convey meaning to customers that enable them to relate to a brand as if it were a real person. 

For example, if you are trying to appeal to a Creator target audience, then you recognize that these individuals exhibit their taste and quality standards by the items they purchase. What they consume (as with anything else for these individuals) is a means of self-expression. On the other hand, if you want to appeal to a Hero target audience, then you need to recognize that their core desire is to prove worth through challenging action. 

To truly appeal to your archetype’s consumers, you need to know what they desire and what they fear, as well as what motivates them and what holds them back. You need to understand the promise you are making to them through your archetype and your strategy for fulfilling that promise. 

Final Thoughts

Deciding on an archetype is an exciting yet daunting task that every brand should go through. Unfortunately, too many brands overlook this crucial step and, therefore, are missing out on the opportunity to truly connect emotionally with their audience. By opting to work with a trusted brand strategy agency in Dubai, you can be assured that you are taking the right steps to select the appropriate archetype for your company. More than that, a branding agency such as Yellow Branding can work with you on your brand strategy as well as any advertising, digital marketing, copywriting, or website development needs you have. You are thus ensuring that your brand personality  is consistent across all touchpoints.