Customers buy from certain brands because they are cheap, or because they offer quality products. However, some brands increase their prices, change the quality of their products and yet, they remain customer favorites.
This would not have been possible if it weren’t for branding.
It is not so much the quality that weighs in the most into a customer’s purchasing decision.
Instead, it’s the emotions they feel towards a brand.
Therefore, at the very essence of any good brand strategy lies brand identity shaped by storytelling.
If customers take a look at your brand and there is nothing in your messaging they can identify with as individuals, they will forget you as soon as a cheaper competitor enters the stage.
However, if you employ Jungian archetypes to your brand identity, you won’t just make them buy.
You will win them over.
Shaping Brand Identity with Jungian Archetypes
It was the twentieth century when Carl Jung, a famous psychologist, realized that humans followed certain patterns of behavior that could be observed in a greater segment of the populace.
He named these seemingly stereotypical behaviors and motivational factors archetypes to better understand them.
Some embodied the archetype of the Hero. They were ones who sunk their teeth into every challenge on their path and came out victorious.
Meanwhile, others dedicated themselves to the pursuit of knowledge as the Sage archetype incarnate.
And just as individuals can relate to the motivational factors that drove archetypal actions, so can companies.
Quod Erat Demonstrandum: utilizing brand archetypes is a way for companies to form deeper connections with their customers.
And when these connections are formed, customers become more loyal, having understood a certain brand’s “why.”
There are 12 archetypes used to shape brand identities in a way that allows their customers to relate to them on a deeply personal level:
- The Sage
- The Lover
- The Hero
- The Everyman
- The Creator
- The Ruler
- The Caregiver
- The Outlaw
- The Explorer
- The Magician
- The Jester
- The Innocent
These archetypes are oft used for branding strategies. That’s because they define how a certain audience should be spoken to, and how they should be motivated to buy.
Some brands embody one stereotype, whereas others embody multiple.
However, those who wish to speak to audiences driven by the need to create embody the Creator brand archetype.
RELATED: Stop Thinking Like a Creative; Start Thinking Like an Entrepreneur
The Creator Brand Identity
Businesses which embody the Creator brand archetype seek to innovate and change the world through creation.
They are inspired and inspiring. Often, they offer their customers new perspectives.
Consider Lego, with which many of us have played as children. Lego encouraged innovation and creation. Its messaging was carefully crafted to allow every child (and a handful of adults) to feel capable of shaping new worlds and stories.
The Creator brand cannot be separate from storytelling. Behind innovation, there is a strong desire to create and to tell a story.
Often, Creator brands allow their customers to tell their own stories.
YouTube and Pinterest are other examples of Creator brands. They give their users the power to create something, with the subtext being:
“Your creations have the power to change the world.”
As a result, their products are made in a way that supports their brand development and brand strategy.
Often, they are called zealots, overly passionate: Icarians of their generation.
However, Creator brands know how to bring out the best in their customers.
Who Trusts the Creator?
The Creator brands are trusted by customers with similar characteristics, which is, after all, the purpose of utilizing Jungian archetypes for brand strategy.
Their customers want to acquire new skills as well as create something that will leave the world speechless. They are passionate, and they are encouraged by the Creator brands to nurture their passions.
Often, customers who identify with the Creator archetype forgo the conventions and limitations of the world around them.
Thus, the Creator brand offers them a refuge in which they have all the tools they need to make their visions come true.
Customers value authenticity in both messaging and advertising. They enjoy experiments, and “changing the world” narratives.
How to Use the Creator Brand Archetype
Businesses who want to embody the Creator archetype should:
- Use descriptive language with vivid metaphors
- Inspire with their content, be that with inspirational social media content or blog posts with thought-provoking (oft contrarian) premises
- Create vibrant experiences
- Employ experimental methods of advertising and marketing
Finally, Creator brands must give their customers the tools of making their own visions come true.
While the Creator may seem volatile, it is ultimately in the service of its customers.
Thus, every message must be crafted with the visionary on the other side of the screen in mind.
After all, Creator brand identity revolves around passion and creation.
It is only natural for the brands to encourage their customers to do the same, with the help of their tools.
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