Brand Archetypes and Mental Wellness…Is There A Connection?

by F Yeah! Creative | May 10, 2023 | Brand Archetypes

How Knowing Your Brand Archetype And Living In Your Authenticity Can Help Maintain A Healthy Mental State As A Small Business Owner.

You may wonder how what we’re about to say relates to branding, and it might not make sense at first, but stick with us because we promise there’s a logical flow and purpose. Cool? Cool.

Ok, so by now, we’re sure you are aware of the importance of and affects of mental health in our lives. Simply existing in this world can be daunting at times, and then mixing in the chaos that entrepreneurship can bring can test the resolve of even the strongest among us. Getting fit, mentally, can truly be a game changer for you, both personally, and on the business front as well.

Your mental wellness matters to your personal quality of life, and therefore, as a business owner/partner, your wellness (or unwellness – likely not a real word, but we’re going with it) naturally translates over into what you do professionally. Simply put, better you = better business.

Mental wellness is an essential aspect of any successful business, and understanding your business/brand’s unique essence and natural constitution (archetype) is can greatly contribute to the overall emotional health of your organization. Exploring how brand archetypes relate to mental wellness, this blog post will examine the concept of brand archetypes and their importance in forming an organization’s identity.

We believe it’s all connected, and know that if you can show up as the best, and most authentic version of you, then so can your brand. Let’s dive in, shall we?

First, we’ll delve into what brand archetypes are and their significance in shaping a company’s identity. Next, we’ll discuss strategies for identifying your own brand archetype and how it can impact both you and your customers’ emotional well-being.

To conclude, we will explore the advantages of recognizing your brand archetype in terms of formulating an engaging narrative that resonates with your intended demographic. By understanding these concepts, you can create a mentally healthy environment for yourself as a small service-based business owner looking to level up.

What are Brand Archetypes?

Have you ever wondered why certain brands feel like a natural fit for you? What is it that drives you towards those particular brands? Why do you feel so strongly about them compared to other brands that remain vague or unconnected?

Well, it’s not a logical attraction…but rather a psychological connection. 95% of us make decisions about brands subconsciously, not rationally. It’s all thanks to brand archetypes, which are universally recognized symbols or characters that embody specific traits and values. These archetypes help businesses create an emotional connection with their audience, making them more relatable and memorable.

Visualize your brand as a protagonist in an unforgettable narrative, and its character determined by the usage of archetypes. That’s where brand archetypes come into the picture. These timeless personas help define your brand’s identity and create a connection with your audience on a deeper level.

Inspired by psychologist Carl Jung’s theory of collective unconscious, brand archetypes represent universal themes that evoke emotions and drive human behavior. There are 12 main archetypes, each with its own unique characteristics:

The Innocent
The Explorer
The Sage
The Hero
The Outlaw/Rebel
The Magician/Wizard
The Regular Guy/Gal (a.k.a Everyman)
The Lover/Romantic
The Jester
The Caregiver/The Nurturer
The Creator/Artist
The Ruler

Archetypes can help you create a consistent brand image and message across all your marketing channels. By understanding your brand’s archetype, you can tailor your content and visuals to appeal to your target audience’s emotions and desires.

Ready to discover your brand’s archetype?

Grasping the significance of brand archetypes is vital for fashioning a memorable and victorious corporate image. Identifying a particular archetype can aid in formulating an individualized narrative that resonates with the desired demographic.

Identifying Your Brand Archetype

Are you ready to unveil your brand’s true identity? Let’s explore some key characteristics of each archetype:

1.) The INNOCENT (a.k.a. The Dreamer): Represents wholesomeness, optimism, and simplicity.

Brands that embody this archetype include Coca-Cola, Dove, Aveeno, Nintendo Wii, Ivory, and Volkswagen.

2.) The EXPLORER (a.k.a. The Seeker or the Wanderer): Represents adventure, independence, and freedom.

Brands that embody this archetype include Jeep, The North Face, Patagonia, Lonely Planet, and Starbucks.

3.) The SAGE (a.k.a. The Scholar or The Teacher): Represents wisdom, intelligence, and guided expertise.

Brands that embody this archetype include Google, TED, Google, BBC, University of Oxford, National Geographic, and Rosetta Stone.

4.) The HERO (a.k.a. The Warrior or The Superhero): Represents courage, strong-will, mastery, and determination.

Brands that embody this archetype include Nike, Apple, Adidas, FedEx, U.S. Army, and Gatorade.

5.) The OUTLAW/REBEL (a.k.a. The Revolutionary): Represents non-conformity, revolution, and change.

Brands that embody this archetype include Harley-Davidson, Virgin, Diesel, MTV, and Levi Strauss & Co.

6.) The MAGICIAN (a.k.a. The Visionary): Represents transformation, imagination, innovation (and thinking outside the box), and spirituality.

Brands that embody this archetype include Disney, Apple, Dyson, Coca-Cola, Google, and Oculus.

7.) The REGULAR GUY/GAL (a.k.a Everyman): Represents friendliness, relatability, and sincerity.

Brands that embody this archetype include IKEA, Target, Coors, Levi’s, and The Home Depot.

8.) The LOVER (a.k.a. The Romantic): Represents intimacy, passion, and commitment.

Brands that embody this archetype include Godiva, Victoria’s Secret, Chanel, Zales, and J’adore Dior.

9.) The JESTER (a.k.a. The Comedian): Represents playfulness, humor, and irreverence.

Brands that embody this archetype include M&M’s, Old Spice, Dollar Shave Club, Skittles, and Ben & Jerry’s.

10.) The CAREGIVER (a.k.a. The Nurturer): Represents compassion, altruism, and kindness.

Brands that embody this archetype include Unicef, WWF, Toms, Nivea, Johnson & Johnson, Campbell’s, Volvo, and Marriott.

11.) The CREATOR/ARTIST: Represents inspiration, innovation, originality.

Brands that embody this archetype include Lego, Apple, Adobe, Crayola, Pixar, Pinterest, and YouTube.

12.) The RULER (a.k.a. The King or The Leader): Represents high standards, successful, and a desire for power and control.

Brands that embody this archetype include Louis Vuitton, Mercedes Benz, Rolex, Rolls-Royce, British Airways, Microsoft, and American Express.

Now that you have a basic overview of brand archetypes, it’s time to determine which one fits your business best. But fear not, dear reader. This process is as exciting as discovering your Hogwarts house (minus the Sorting Hat).

Follow these simple steps and let the magic unfold:

Analyze your core values: Begin by identifying what drives and motivates your business. What are its guiding principles? Reflect on this question and make a list of keywords that resonate with you.
Explore the different archetypes: Familiarize yourself with all twelve brand archetypes (The Hero, The Outlaw, The Magician…). Read their descriptions carefully and consider how each archetype might align with your core values.
Narrow down the options: As you review each archetype, eliminate those that don’t fit well with your brand’s personality or mission. You’ll likely end up with two or three contenders vying for supremacy in this battle royale.
Selecting “The One”: Finally, pick an archetype that feels like a natural extension of who you are as a small service-based business owner – something genuine and authentic to represent both yourself and your company.

A helpful tip: Don’t be afraid to mix elements from different archetypes if it feels right for you. After all, we’re complex beings capable of embodying multiple traits simultaneously – just ask any Gemini.

Once you’ve identified yours, it’ll feel like putting on an outfit tailored just for you – comfortable yet empowering!

Gaining a comprehension of your brand archetype can offer insight into how to craft an impactful, successful persona that appeals to your desired demographic. With this knowledge in hand, let’s move on to exploring the benefits of knowing your brand archetype.

***We are working on creating a handy downloadable reference guide on Identifying Your Archetypes & How To Use Them In Your Branding. Stay tuned for updates when it’s ready for download.***

Benefits of Knowing Your Brand Archetype

Unlocking the power of your brand archetype is like discovering a secret sauce that makes everything taste better. It’s a game-changer for small service-based business owners looking to level up and maintain their mental wellness. Let’s dive into some key benefits:

Better Customer Connection: When you align with an archetype, you’re tapping into universal themes that resonate with people on a deep level. This helps create emotional connections with customers, making them more likely to engage and stick around.
Cohesive Brand Identity: A clear understanding of your brand’s personality allows for consistent messaging across all channels – from logo design to social media posts – creating a unified experience for customers.
Easier Decision Making: With your archetype as a guiding light, it becomes simpler to make choices about marketing strategies, visuals, and even hiring decisions that are in line with your brand values.
Mental Wellness Boost: Living authentically through your brand can reduce stress levels by eliminating the need for constant reinvention or trying to be something you’re not (spoiler alert: authenticity feels good.).

By understanding your brand archetype, you can leverage it to create a more meaningful and powerful connection with your audience. Formulating a narrative for your brand is the subsequent phase in devising an efficient branding plan that connects with customers.

Crafting Your Brand Story

Now that you’ve identified your brand archetype(s), it’s time to weave a captivating brand story that resonates with your audience and showcases your authenticity. A well-crafted narrative can create an emotional connection, increase customer loyalty, and ultimately help maintain a healthy mental state as a business owner.

A. Define Your Core Values

Your brand’s core values are the foundation of your story. They should align with the chosen archetype and represent what truly matters to you as a business owner. Consider what motivates you, the impact you want to make on others, and why customers should select your brand over competitors.

B. Create Compelling Characters

Incorporate characters into your narrative who embody the essence of your brand archetype – whether they’re real or fictional. For example, if you identify with the Explorer Archetype, share stories about adventurous individuals who have overcome challenges while seeking new experiences.

C. Develop an Engaging Plotline

Showcase growth: Share milestones in both personal development and company achievements that highlight progress towards goals aligned with your archetype.
Tackle obstacles: Describe how overcoming setbacks has shaped both yourself as a business owner and the direction of your company.
Evoke emotion: Use vivid language that stirs emotions in readers by tapping into their desires or fears related to their own life journey.

The key is consistency – ensure every aspect of branding (from logo design to social media content) reflects this carefully crafted story for maximum impact.

Crafting your brand story is an essential step in developing a successful business. Your brand’s mental wellness is the next key factor to consider as you work on building and sustaining your business for the long-term.

What is mental wellness?

Mental wellness refers to the state of being mentally and emotionally healthy. It involves taking care of your emotional well-being, which can have a positive impact on your overall physical health. This includes getting quality sleep, regular exercise, and meeting people to maintain social connectedness. Mental wellness also involves recognizing and addressing mental illness when it arises.

What are the 5 concepts of mental wellness?

The five key concepts of mental wellness include self-awareness, emotional intelligence, resilience, mindfulness, and social connectedness. These elements contribute to overall well-being by promoting positive thoughts and emotions, healthy relationships with others, effective coping strategies for stressors in life, and a strong sense of personal identity.

Your Brand’s Mental Wellness

As a small business owner, your mental health is crucial to the success of your business and brand. Embracing and living in accordance with your natural aptitudes and outlooks, and your brand archetype can help maintain a healthy mental state while running your business. Let’s explore how this works.

A Sense of Purpose and Direction

Knowing which archetype(s) represent your brand gives you clarity on its core values, mission, and vision. This sense of purpose makes decision-making easier by providing a guiding framework for all aspects of the business – from marketing strategies to product development (source). With clear direction, stress levels decrease as uncertainty fades away.

Authenticity Breeds Confidence

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde. Living authentically according to your brand archetype fosters confidence in both yourself and customers alike (source). By being true to your own identity, it’s simpler to communicate with customers and create dependable connections that guarantee sustained commitment.

Mental Resilience Through Consistency

Incorporating the principles behind your chosen archetype into every aspect of the business ensures consistency across all touchpoints – from customer interactions to internal processes (source). This consistency helps build mental resilience, as it eliminates the need to constantly reinvent the wheel and reduces decision fatigue.

Conclusion

Understanding your brand archetype is crucial for small service-based business owners looking to succeed in both business and personal growth. By determining your brand archetype, you can create an engaging narrative that distinguishes you from other businesses while simultaneously contributing to your mental well-being by providing clarity and purpose. This not only benefits your business but also contributes to your mental wellness by giving you clarity and direction.

Knowing how to take care of yourself mentally and emotionally is just as important as physical health. By understanding the potency of branding and narration, you can construct a venture that is in harmony with your identity and things which are significant to you, while alluring clients who have analogous principles.

If you’re ready to take the next step in crafting a powerful brand story that supports both your business goals and mental wellness, let’s work together! F Yeah! Creative would love to help you see yourself for the amazing human you are. You are badass! Your brand should be too.