Would you take advice from just anyone, or would you rather listen to a voice that you know and trust? That’s what effective branding is all about, casting your business as a personality that’s friendly and familiar. And the best way we know how to do that is through the use of archetypes, building on universal patterns and images that already live in the unconscious.

The same way we recognize villains, heroes, lovers and magicians, and know what to expect from them when we encounter them in books and movies, our minds have evolved to recognize and resonate with a certain range of simple, fundamental personalities.

Take a look at our Introduction to Brand Archetypes to learn more.

Leveraging the archetype

When a storyteller introduces a character, we automatically categorize it as one of these familiar archetypes. It’s a powerful strategy our brains use to understand things and people more quickly without having to start from scratch and reinvent the wheel every time we enter a new situation.

Brand Strategy taps into this mental shortcut in order to forge psychological and emotional connections between companies and customers. Products and services, or those who provide them, can adopt one of 12 primary archetypes and instantly find a place in the minds of their clientele.

But in order to succeed, the storyteller needs to begin by understanding the hopes and fears of the audience. After identifying the attitudes and circumstances of its target customers — what they’re passionate about and what they’re longing for — the business should know whether it needs to show up as a father figure (Ruler), a mother figure (Caregiver), a warrior (Hero), a clown (Jester), or something else.

In addition to looking at the needs and desires of the audience, Brand Strategy must also consider the position of the competition. If you’re a healthcare provider and every competitor in your market presents themselves as a Caregiver, then you might need to find another archetypal niche.

As an exercise, you can take a look at the insurance industry and examine the marketing efforts of a few different companies. Offering a nearly identical and otherwise un-exciting product, each provider is desperate to differentiate. Last time I tried this, I was able to identify a whole legion of Caregivers, Rulers, Sages, Heroes, Magicians, Everymans, and Jesters.

Follow the Sage

In our work with natural healing products and alternative healthcare practitioners, we encounter a lot of Sage brands, or brands that should be positioning themselves as Sages. So what does that mean exactly? Who is the Sage?

The embodiment of precious wisdom, the Sage may dwell in a dusty library or atop a remote mountain peak. Committed to the search for truth, this archetype employs reason, logic and research to answer the most challenging questions. While enjoying a rich inner life of contemplation and intellect, the Sage is also eager to share his knowledge and discoveries with others. This valuable ally can act as a teacher, guide and advisor, always capable of clear thinking and good judgment.

No matter what line of business you’re in, you should be an expert in your field. So there’s always room to play the part of the Sage. A brand with this persona needs to display unsurpassed expertise, but without coming across as arrogant or overbearing.

So when are the qualities of wisdom, knowledge and experience the most important?

As we said earlier, the choice of brand archetype really depends on the needs and circumstances of the audience. If your clients are truthseekers, prone to going down rabbit holes researching products and services like yours, then there’s a good chance they would resonate with a Sage brand. If they know more about your industry than you do, you’ll have a hard time earning their trust.

The Mentor

The Sage is a general and easily recognizable archetype, but each archetype has sub-types with more specific and nuanced characteristics. One of the Sage types we frequently come across in healthcare is the Mentor.

More than just a figure of knowledge and wisdom, the Mentor is a skilled teacher and companion. It’s one thing to have gained tremendous wisdom through a lifetime of experience, it’s another to be able to pass that knowledge on and share it with others. The Mentor has mastered his/her field of study, but also has a keen understanding of human nature and knows what other people need to grow and thrive.

For many Sage brands, this sub-type is the most appropriate, because customers need more than just a brainiac. They also need a guide who is sensitive and knows how to communicate.

The Translator

Here at Balanced Brands, we identify as the Translator, a special breed of Sage, most interested in symbolism and communication.

Driven by curiosity and guided by intuition, the Translator possesses a rare ability to find meaning, decipher patterns and unlock mysteries. This nimble-minded archetype combines a thirst for knowledge with a natural ability to communicate those discoveries with the world at large. Spotting connections that others overlook, the Translator can bridge the gaps between cultures, languages and generations. As a brand, the Translator can demonstrate this knack for discernment and communication by providing its audience with clear information and unbiased understanding. By the same token, the Translator might also help clients express their own profound wisdom in a message the rest of the world can easily digest.  

The Shaman

Practitioners who work with more New Age healing modalities, including hypnotherapy, Ayurveda, or Reiki, might find themselves in the role of the Shaman.

The Shaman has the gift of esoteric wisdom. More than just a straight-A student, s/he has the rare ability to move back and forth between the material and the otherworldly planes. Truly distinct, you can imagine this character showing up in memorable garb and speaking in a definitively mystical tone of voice.

Undeniably spiritual, this archetype may not appeal to everyone, but don’t let discourage you. It’s more important to connect with your tribe than to try and please the masses.

Remember: Branding is about making deep and authentic connections, not about hiding your true colors. You could try to tone down your image for more universal appeal, but then you’ll just end up with more leads who take up your time and end up not appreciating your services. The goal of branding is to bring in better quality, not necessarily greater quantity. That’s how you build a loyal clientele who will stick with you for the longterm and tell all their friends about you.

The Detective

Through deductive reasoning and the process of elimination, we have finally arrived at the archetype of the Detective. I could not imagine a more logical conclusion!

Like any Sage type, the Detective is endowed with a sharp mind and a keen intellect. What sets them apart are their insatiable curiosity and their problem-solving instincts. Detectives haven’t just accumulated knowledge through experience, they have natural talent and unstoppable persistence. Research and investigation are this figure’s field of expertise. Intuition is key to getting a good start, but success is achieved through the determination to get to the bottom of things.

Effective branding is all about powerful and memorable communication, both visual and verbal. Think about how you can best serve the needs of your audience, and you will have a good idea of how you need to look and sound. Keep in mind, Brand Persona is not about pretending to be someone you’re not, it’s about shining a spotlight on the elemental aspects of what you have to offer in that special relationship between you and your ideal client.

Wise up and win the day

Ready to get started? Or curious to learn more? The Brand Strategy Workbook will give you a good starting point to answer some questions regarding your brand. And if you have any questions, feel free to reach out for a Discovery call or join our online community. It looks a bit confusing and overwhelming, but if you take it one step at a time, it all makes sense in the end. You got this! 

• Schedule a Discovery Call with Pacha
• Join our brand strategy Facebook Community: Balanced Brands
• Get professionally designed and curated content for your social media channels: Sign up for Social Stream

Dive deeper and take a look at these related articles.

• Wielding the Hero Archetype
• Adopting Brand Personas
• Speaking with Brand Voice