Archetypes in Branding:
A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists
Margaret Pott Hartwell and Joshua C. Chen
HOW Books
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Contents
Title Page
Special Offers
Foreword
1 Setting the Stage
2 Standing on Shoulders
3 Divided by a Common Language
4 An Invitation to Play
5 Every Archetype Creates Meaning
Activist
Adventurer
Advocate
Alchemist
Ambassador
Angel
Artist
Athlete
Caregiver
Child
Citizen
Clown
Companion
Creator
Detective
Dreamer
Engineer
Entertainer
Entrepreneur
Everyman
Explorer
Gambler
Generalist
Guardian
Healer
Hedonist
Hero
Idealist
Innocent
Innovator
Jester
Judge
Liberator
Lover
Magician
Matchmaker
Maverick
Mentor
Muse
Networker
Patriarch
Pioneer
Provocateur
Rebel
Reformer
Rescuer
Romantic
Ruler
Sage
Samaritan
Scientist
Seeker
Servant
Shaman
Shapeshifter
Sovereign
Storyteller
Translator
Visionary
Warrior
6 Read Tonight. Use Tomorrow.
7 Real-World Applications
Additional information
References
Notes
Resources Section
Acknowledgements
Archetype Deck of Cards
Foreword
By Jay Ogilvy
Cofounder, Global Business Network
People have personalities. Brands have personalities. If you want to
do good business by building a successful brand, you need to be
skillful about matching your market with your brand. This book will
help you to build and exercise that skill.
Both for brands and for people, we need good maps for charting
their highways and byways. Until very recently, most of the maps
we’ve been using have been less than adequate. Economists assume
a “rational man” who “maximizes utility” with every purchase
decision as if we each had to tap keys on our calculators before our
next download from iTunes.
We know better.
Many of our purchase decisions are guided less by maximizing
utility than by optimizing pleasure, or heightening intensity, or
satisfying a sense of irony or … We feel our ways into our purchases
more than we think our ways there. But what maps do we have for
our feelings? Where are the highways and byways?
Psychologists hold the charts. But psychology, like economics, has
gone through some changes. Just as economists have had to
supplement some of their old hyperrational charts with a new field
of behavioral economics that gets closer to the ways real people
think and feel, so psychologists have come to see that the charts
handed down by Freud don’t quite do the trick.
In Freud’s ego psychology, the ego does its best to mediate
between the irrational urges of the id and the moralistic constraints
of the superego. “Where id was, let ego be,” said Freud. Master
those impulses. Meet and tame those repressed urges. Well, maybe.
Or maybe you want to channel some of those urges and impulses
along the highways and byways of playful games. Or work. Or the
simple joys of companionship. Or love.
Life consists of more than getting and spending, or simple
calculations toward those ends. Life is richer than that, and
businesspeople who are sensitive to that richness will do a better
job of satisfying their customers than the bean counters calculating
marginal utilities.
Archetypal psychology builds on Freud, but it offers a much richer
set of charts for the human psyche. Just as behavioral economics
takes us closer to life as really lived, so archetypal psychology takes
us deeper into the dynamics of our feelings as they are really felt
not as instincts or as drives, but with the human texture of myths
and stories. The archetypes are symbolized by personalities like you
and me, not by abstract principles. We recognize the archetypes.
They are familiar, part of the human family. They speak to us.
In this book, you will be familiarized with the archetypes. But
more important, you will be assisted in using these archetypes to
make sense of your brand, even as you use the very same archetypes
to make sense of your customers.
Further, rather than being subjected to a boring monologue from
which you are supposed to derive the knowledge necessary to
calculate your brand message, you will be invited to play, to interact,
to get involved in a conversation.
In a form that is consistent with its content, this kit or package
does for the conventional book what a good archetypal psychologist
will do for the clinical hour: make it less cerebral, more holistic; less
asymmetrical - doctor over patient, author over reader - and more
participatory.
Archetypes in Branding will invite you into a game whose moves
involve the inner reaches of the soul. This package does not claim
answers to life’s deepest mysteries. But it certainly provides good
tools for plumbing those mysteries. Use these tools and they will
provoke good questions; they will evoke vivid images; they will
stimulate the kind of conversation that will match your market to
your brand.
CHAPTER O NE
Setting the Stage
An old Sufi folktale tells of a renowned trickster who for years
stymied a tenacious border inspector as he frequently crossed into
Persia on his donkey. In spite of numerous searches, the trickster
was never found to be carrying anything but straw. The fruitless
inspections went on for years. When finally the inspector retired,
his mind still ruminated on this trickster, who he believed had
evaded him. One day the inspector spotted the trickster sitting idly
in the marketplace. He approached him and pleaded, “Won’t you
please tell me what you’ve been smuggling? I’ll never rest in peace
until I know.” The trickster, being a kind man, did not wish the
inspector to spend the rest of his days in torment and so replied, “I
was smuggling donkeys.”
As creative strategists, we, the authors, sought the overlooked
“donkeys” that could answer some of our most essential questions:
What tools can we use to facilitate greater authenticity and meaning
in our brand work? How can we encourage greater cultural uptake
for a brand, both internally and externally? What’s the most basic
and therefore universal way to align and integrate the myriad
aspects of a brand? How do we move the conversation from the
cognitive to the intuitive? It was from this place of questioning and
exploring that we started applying the concepts of archetypes to the
creative strategy work we do. Like the donkeys in the folktale,
archetypes - the signs, symbols and themes of our lives - were right
under our noses, hidden in plain sight.
Our exploration led to this important discovery:
In an age in which many people crave a deeper sense of
connection to their work and want business to demonstrate greater
integrity and accountability, the creative and mindful attention to
archetypes can facilitate a more authentic, holistic and human way
of being in business.
We are not Jungian experts but creative generalists with an
appreciation of the rich store of useful information housed within
the archetypal system. As witnesses and observers of society and
culture, we seek multiple ways of understanding people and how
they make choices. We subscribe to the practice of interdisciplinary
cross-pollination. Our methods have shown the validity and
applicability of Archetypes in Branding. Similar findings have been
documented by advertising giant Young & Rubicam. Their research
exploring the connection between economic performance and
archetypes shows that “brands associated with archetypal identities
positively and profoundly influence the real asset valuation of their
companies.”1
WHAT ARE ARCHETYPES AND HOW CAN THEY
HELP?
Archetypes embody the universal stories and journeys that all
human beings share: the story of the Alchemist within the fairy tale
of Rumpelstiltskin, the Hero’s journey in Shakespeare’s Henry V,
the story of the Lovers in Nick Bantock’s Griffin and Sabine, the
archetypal depiction of the Child in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The
Little Prince and the story of the Ruler King Arthur in Camelot, to
name but a few.
Archetypes also represent how we manifest the roles we play
within those universal stories, the lessons we learn and the paths
we choose to walk. They evoke our imaginations, our dreams and
our aspirations. They can mirror our deepest fears and reveal our
noblest intentions. They are universally shared symbols that
connect the conscious mind with the subconscious meanings,
concepts, moods and desires that Joseph Campbell says are
“inherently expressive … of common human needs, instincts, and
potentials.”2 Of particular interest to our work is the unlimited
potential that archetypes offer for expanding how we see,
understand and affect our relationships - the foundation on which
business, and by extension, branding, is built.
Traditionally, marketing has sought to understand users, and
subsequently build relationships with them, by using various
classifications and categories called demographics. Given the
complexity of our information network, this has now evolved to
psychographics, ethnographics and such things, but these
classifications are primarily understood in our left brain, the
cognitive realm. As a result of this cognitive orientation, the
intuitive and instinctual can be lost. The risk of a primarily cognitive
approach to branding and marketing is the undermining of the
creative spark - and, possibly by extension, the business and brand’s
humanity.
In his popular work A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink claims that
“how cerebral hemispheres operate does yield a powerful metaphor
for how individuals and organizations navigate.”3 Some have greater
comfort with logical, sequential reasoning, while others are more
comfortable with holistic, intuitive and nonlinear reasoning. In
Right Hand, Left Hand: The Origins of Asymmetry in Brains,
Bodies, Atoms and Culture, Chris McManus succinctly summarizes
the strengths of each hemisphere: “The left hemisphere knows how
to handle logic and the right hemisphere knows about the world.”4
While archetypes don’t directly address the hemispherical divide,
applying archetypes to the exploration of people and relationships
allows increased access to our right brains, the creative and intuitive
realm.
We offer this book, Archetypes in Branding, and the
accompanying deck of cards as a new means for collaborating on
branding and communications projects. Beyond the linear, logical
aptitudes of the left brain, currently employed with such rigor in
branding and business, lives the possibility of an integrated
approach that equally honors the characteristics of the right
hemisphere - the “simultaneous, metaphorical, aesthetic, and
contextual.”5 As Pink asserts, the approach that goes beyond binary,
reductionist thinking to include the right-brain aptitudes of
“artistry, empathy, taking the long view, and pursuing the
transcendent will increasingly determine who soars and who
stumbles.” Archetypes in Branding enables users to explore
business and branding issues using the right side of their brains.
This tool offers a practical way to apply the power of archetypes to
creatively and intuitively resolve brand inconsistencies and enhance
trust with users. We have used archetypes with clients for
marketing, branding, design and communications strategies and
outputs that authentically integrate clients’ most important values
and visions. Where you take it is yet to be imagined.
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have
created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
Albert Einstein
Who is this tool for?
Designed for creatives (creative directors, copywriters, art
directors, designers, photographers, storytellers, artists) and
strategists (entrepreneurs, business leaders, planners,
marketers, organizational development professionals) to
balance the business and creative aspects of their work, these
cards can help bridge the gap that often is found between the
cognitive and intuitive aspects of the brain. They function best
as a companion tool that accompanies research, plans and
initiatives to achieve more powerful, resonant and integrated
results.
CHAPTER TW O
Standing on Shoulders
Albert Einstein said, “I have no special talent. I am only
passionately curious.” While that statement might be debatable,
curiosity is undeniably in our DNA. Passionate curiosity is what led
to the tool you hold now. It stands on the shoulders of many
curious and innovative thinkers, philosophers, psychologists and
marketing practitioners.
GROUNDED IN PSYCHOLOGY
The concept of archetypes took root in the field of psychology. First,
Sigmund Freud posited the concept of the subconscious mind upon
which psychoanalysis was built. Then Carl Jung advanced the
concept into what is known as the collective unconscious - that
shared place that is not of this physical world but is always present
and everywhere - where the inherited experiences of the human
race, or archetypes, reside. The Gale Dictionary of Psychoanalysis1
adds, “For Jung and his adherents … the archetype has been seen as
the source of healing and as the guide to potential wholeness of the
individual.” Furthering Freud and Jung’s work in analytical
psychology, James Hillman and others developed a school of
thought called archetypal psychology.
The parallels between archetypes and mythology will not be lost
on some readers. Calling mythology the “textbook of the
archetypes,” Jung claims, “the whole of mythology could be taken as
a sort of projection of the collective unconscious.”2 Edith Hamilton,
author of Mythology and arguably one of the great classicists,
asserts that the role of mythology is “to show us the way the human
race thought and felt untold ages ago … when the imagination was
vividly alive and not checked by the reason ….”3 And so it is with
archetypes. They cast light into the recesses of our understanding of
our motivations and ourselves.
Capturing the most overarching extension of archetypes from
psychology, an electronic medical dictionary defines archetypes as
“the ideas, modes of thought, and patterns of reaction that are
typical of all humanity and represent the wisdom of the ages. They
appear in personified or symbolized form in dreams and visions and
in mythology, legends, religion, fairy tales, and art.”4
FOLLOWING THE BREAD CRUMBS
The authors’ understanding of archetypes unfolded organically over
the course of about five years. Rather serendipitously, Margaret
reencountered Jung’s work via the writings of Jean Shinoda Bolen,
M.D., and began using her book, Goddesses in Everywoman, to
apply the power of myth to her personal life. This resulted in
Margaret gaining considerable insights and direction that ultimately
led to the genesis of this toolkit. Shinoda Bolen declares that
becoming aware of the forces that influence us can support our
gaining the power that knowledge provides.5 Finding herself
curiously called to continue exploring archetypes, Margaret
revisited Joseph Campbell’s The Hero With a Thousand Faces and
The Power of Myth, James Hillman’s Archetypal Psychology and
Edith Hamilton’s Mythology.
The discovery of Caroline Myss’s seminal and profound work,
Sacred Contracts, and accompanying archetype cards provided the
“aha” moment to apply archetypes in our work at Chen Design
Associates. We tested their use with our clients and soon realized
the power of their application. We also realized that to expand the
use of archetypes in our work we needed a deck that offered a more
universally applicable business approach. This led us to Carol S.
Pearson and Margaret Mark’s work, The Hero and the Outlaw,
which offers a robust analytical and cognitive approach anchored in
brand building.
While applying archetypes to branding was not a new concept, it
was new to us. And we were increasingly convinced of its merit - if
only a more user-friendly approach could be found. The
psychological/New Thought approach dominant in Myss’s work
prompted the question, “What’s it going to do for my bottom line?”
while the cognitive, analytical approach dominant in Pearson and
Mark’s work triggered, “There’s got to be a quicker and easier way.”
Continuing the exploration of this tool, we then found the
application of archetypes being used in branding in the pioneering
work of Clotaire Rapaille, The Culture Code, which overlays cultures
with archetypal imprints. Childhood obsessions with Tolkien’s
books, Star Wars movies, L. Frank Baum’s Oz series, C.S. Lewis’s
Narnia series and of course J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series
suddenly made sense. Studying theater and Shakespeare converged.
Next, Tom Kelley’s The Ten Faces of Innovation, Clarissa Pinkola
Estes’s Women Who Run With the Wolves and Bruce Tallman’s
Archetypes for Spiritual Direction jumped off the shelves as if to
affirm we were on the right track. All roads did indeed lead home home to the archetypal stories present within the collective
unconscious.
We have found that the archetypal filter helps people take
responsibility for the underpinnings of their motivations and offers
evolving insights into themselves and their work. Using it, we can
engage in business and branding in a way that truly accounts for our
shared humanity. We agree with Pearson and Mark that the
phenomenon of applying archetypal knowledge and wisdom to
brands is “not about ‘borrowing’ meaning in an ephemeral
advertising campaign, but rather becoming a consistent and
enduring expression of meaning.”6
We are humbled to all, named and unnamed, who have forged
this path before us. We are grateful to add to the growing
application of archetypes to support the flourishing of authentic and
sustainable businesses.
CHAPTER THREE
Divided by a Common Language
“Words are good, but there is something better. The best is not to be explained by words.
In the end, one returns to a wordless beholding.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Communication is not only a function of the skills known as
vocabulary and grammar and our interpretations of our sensory
input but also of socially accepted definitions and protocols.
Communication also happens in the collective unconscious,
triggered by archetypal patterns.
While dictionaries give us the definitions of words, they fall short
when it comes to meaning, because meaning depends on the unique
experiences and beliefs of all the players in an exchange: the
speaker, the listener, the environment, the situational context and
the intention.
And so language as a communication tool is fraught with
complexity and challenge. Going beyond the cognitive minefield, we
were led to wonder what kind of language might we need in order to
bring sensory communication to life? How could we activate the
communication that occurs in the sensory realm - in gesture, in
scent, in emotional resonance and many others?1 What we were
searching for was where meaning is made.
Jung’s assertion that archetypes “are pieces of life itself - images
that are integrally connected to the individual by the bridge of
emotions”2 intrigued us. If archetypes existed in this space between
individuals and emotions, could they also be the bridge between the
analytical and the creative and between the cognitive and intuitive?
And, by extension, could they also be a tool and process for bridging
the gap between the right and left brain hemispheres?
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ARCHETYPES AND
BRAND
As both a face and a function, archetypes can reveal how a brand
shows up in the world, how it is motivated and what triggers it. Very
simply, archetypes can facilitate the understanding of a brand and
why it attracts certain customers. We agree with Mark and
Pearson’s following assertion: “Archetypes are strange attractors of
consciousness. You attract customers when your brand is congruent
with an archetype that is either dominant or emerging in their
consciousness.”3
An archetypal approach to branding will help humanize the
process of being in business in general, and branding in particular,
by enabling greater humanity within all stakeholder relationships.
While archetypal stories have enormous impact in marketing and
communications, there is also commensurate value in observing
how archetypes function within business and leadership style and,
subsequently, how they affect the authenticity and trust of a brand
and its outreach efforts. This toolkit offers an intuitive approach for
greater authenticity and success in brand creation and
management - and most other aspects of being in business as well.
AN EXPANDED DEFINITION OF ARCHETYPES
Going a bit deeper, we think it’s worth including some of the
experts’ definitions of archetype:
“Archetype [är’-kĭ-tīp’]: a symbol, theme, setting, or character-type that recurs in different
times and places in myth, literature, folklore, dreams, and rituals so frequently or
prominently as to suggest (to certain speculative psychologists and critics) that it
embodies some essential element of ‘universal’ human experience.”
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms
“An archetype is a universally familiar character or situation that transcends time, place,
culture, gender and age. It represents an eternal truth.”
Jon Howard-Spink
“Forms or images of a collective nature which occur practically all over the earth as
constituents of myths and at the same time as individual products of unconscious origin.”
Carl Jung, Psychology and Religion
In Personality and Personal Growth, Robert Frager and James
Fadiman4 offer a mental map of how archetypes organize our
psychological material, stating that archetypes “are somewhat like
dry stream beds whose shapes determine the characteristics of a
river once water begins flowing through them.” As carriers of
energy, when an archetype is activated, a flood of experience is
released. As for practical application of archetypes, Frager and
Fadiman also assert that “all creativity has an archetypal element.”
We agree.
DEFINING BRAND
With this foundation, brand enters the equation.
For the purposes of this toolkit, we like Noah Hawley’s
description of brand: “Part art, part science, ‘brand’ is the difference
between a bottle of soda and a bottle of Coke, the intangible yet
visceral impact of a person’s subjective experience with the product
- the personal memories and cultural associations that orbit around
it.”5
To varying degrees and for various reasons, people are in
relationship with brands. In human relationships, people come to
know who you are by how you behave, not by how you say you
behave. We are evaluated and understood by our actions, not
necessarily by our intentions. How people are in relationships feeds
into part of how Marty Neumeier, author of The Brand Gap defines
brand: “The brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what they say it is.”
Archetypes can facilitate brand relationships by aligning what the
brand says it is, what it does and how it is perceived and known.
BEYOND IMITATION
In partnering to meet various business challenges, we often have to
wade through traditional MBA-speak. If we’re lucky, we receive
brand pyramids and wheels filled with relevant adjectives and other
brand references, multipage documents on brand assets and equity,
spreadsheets of data on buying patterns, market research and
segmentations. Sometimes we get a business plan. Sometimes we
just get questions: “Aren’t you supposed to define my brand? Isn’t
that why we hired you? Have you looked at our website?” And
sometimes we are called on to support a new brand and business
from scratch.
While business plans, websites and traditional marketing tools
and research are all helpful, sometimes they can also create
limitations. Humanity’s desire for certainty leads us to categorize,
analyze and box up the components of a brand. But business, and
brand as its essence and culture, is actually an ever-changing
organism within an ever-changing ecosystem that refuses to be
constrained. As an accounting balance sheet is representative of a
moment in time, so too are brand definitions, marketing plans and
demographics. By their nature they are incomplete.
So how do we capture the organic, affecting and affected,
continuously learning and growing aspects of a brand? How do we
create or uncover brand meaning? What constitutes real meaning in
a brand is very similar to how we understand each other as human
beings. What do I feel as a result of an encounter with you? How do
I know what you are about? Are you trustworthy? These questions
and more are inherent within archetypes.
ARCHETYPES NOT STEREOTYPES
Archetypes lack the dehumanizing factors of stereotypes,
representing instead a full spectrum of characteristics that can
manifest both positively and negatively. Stereotypes limit choice
while archetypes empower choice. A stereotypical emotional
experience comes to mind. While we don’t contest the genius of
Steven Spielberg’s work and contribution to society, we’re relieved
he has lightened up on the stereotypical music used in his early
work to ensure the audience felt what he wanted them to feel. His
archetypal stories have always been enough to elicit the audience’s
reaction without being cued to prescriptive emotion. Or consider the
mother who actively supports her child’s participation in athletics.
Describing this woman archetypally as the Caregiver provokes an
entirely different vision - a whole person with a full spectrum of
characteristics - than does the stereotypic label of “soccer mom.”
Stereotypes break down understanding, yet their allure can be
addictive because they provide quick ways of making sense of our
complicated world. They are those speedy, generalized judgments
that trivialize the richness of our diversity and demean the
individual. Where stereotypes are like cartoons that offer a
simplistic experience, archetypes are more like poems that add
depth and richness to experience.
We encourage you, therefore, to take the high road and revel in
your own discomfort in not having all the answers, in not being in
control, in not being certain. Resist the desire to get prescriptive
with archetypes, and use them instead as compass points and
guides. Their power exists in the fabric that connects all of
humanity. They live on the emotional and intuitive level; try to
make them cognitive, or use them as labels, and they become
stereotypes. If you scoop up two handfuls of sand at the beach, it’s
amazing how much you can contain when you hold the grains
loosely. Try to tighten them down and they slip through your
fingers.
TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
Businesses, corporations and brands are not people. But people
comprise and create them. How the people within a business are
thinking, feeling, intending and acting defines how the business
behaves as a whole. This is an important distinction in light of how
much brand work draws on psychology and personification - and it
implies that using archetypes as a brand tool comes with certain
responsibilities.
Branding and all its related disciplines - marketing, naming,
advertising, design - must acknowledge the responsibility of its
enchanting tendencies. If we accept that the archetypal landscape
contains the most broad and diverse stories shared by all of
humanity, then the mandate for mindful application should be selfevident. Archetypal stories ignite emotional responses that run the
full gamut. And so it follows that the user of archetypes has a
responsibility to hold as paramount the greatest common good. It
should be remembered that using the rationalization of “it’s just
business” is tantamount to Cruella de Vil’s assistant in 101
Dalmatians saying, “What kind of sycophant would you like me to
be?” If you’re going to use archetypes to guide your business,
develop your brand and sell stuff, we urge you to keep your values
close at hand.
AUTHENTICITY NOT MANIPULATION
We often attribute certain human characteristics to a brand in order
to understand and clarify how it affects the relationship with its
users, but a brand actually represents the perception of the
collective characteristics of all the people involved. A brand can be a
natural extension of the values (and archetypes) of the creators of
its business, or it can behave disingenuously to fulfill its own
agenda regardless of true cost. It can act as an adolescent and try to
manipulate its customers and target audiences, or it can responsibly
parse its choices against the greater collective good.
Archetypes are a powerful tool that when accompanied by
accountability and compassion can increase the greater common
good. As you apply them to your business and brand, we encourage
you to use the Archetypes in Branding tool to challenge your
assumptions of right and wrong, to consciously do no harm and to
honor a long-term, integrated bottom-line perspective.
We invite you to declare your commitments on our website and
become part of a community that can imagine a world of “growth
without inequality, wealth without plunder, work without
exploitation, future without fear”6 using archetypes and archetypal
stories for good: www.archetypesinbranding.com.
CHAPTER FO UR
An Invitation to Play
Remember 1984? No, not George Orwell’s dystopian novel about
life in the totalitarian province of Oceania. We’re thinking of Apple
Computer’s “Big Brother is Watching” Macintosh debut ad.
Chances are you either remember or are familiar with Ridley
Scott’s iconic sixty‑second spot, which aired during the 1984 Super
Bowl. It’s probably one of the most studied commercials in U.S.
marketing. To refresh your memory, it opens on an ominous blackand-white scene of robot-like people in some sort of indoctrination
process. A woman athlete runs into the auditorium pursued by riot
police/storm troopers. She hurls a large hammer into the screen,
which explodes in a bright light and whoosh of air. The voice-over
declares, “On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce
Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like 1984.” Archetype
in play: The Hero.
And from the 1990s, perhaps you recall McCann-Erickson’s ad
campaign that depicted an ongoing soap opera between a man and
woman in an urban apartment setting using Taster’s Choice Gold
Blend coffee as the catalyst for relationship? Archetype in play:
The Lover.
Every year at Easter time, Cadbury releases a riff of a longstanding commercial concept for the Cadbury Creme Egg that
features a bunny that clucks like a chicken. This campaign is highly
memorable because of its simple humor and sense of play with the
unexpected. Archetype in play: The Clown.
Sterling Brands’ recent refresh for Celestial Seasonings herb tea
packaging harkens to a magical combination of sensory and
symbolic imagery representing natural ingredients and states of
being that evoke various transformational moments. Archetype in
play: The Alchemist.
IBM’s one-hundred-year anniversary became a celebration of
accomplishments. VSA Partners created one hundred icons that
showcased their one hundred years of innovation. Archetype in
play: The Innovator.
Volkswagen has been demonstrating the consistent and
successful use of a specific archetype in its campaign stories for
decades. Case-in-point is DDB Stockholm’s 2009 Rolighetsterorin,
or The Fun Theory campaign. In one stunt, a staircase in a
Stockholm subway station was converted into functional piano keys
to encourage people to take the stairs rather than the escalator. The
theory is that by simply making daily activities more fun, people will
change their behaviors, and ultimately their willingness to drive
environmentally friendly cars. “Piano Staircase” embodies the
archetypal essence that has come to be synonymous with
Volkswagen’s brand. Archetype in play: The Child.
Mexican food restaurant Chipotle’s two-minute 20-second
commercial debuted at the 2012 Grammys and practically stole the
show. As a commentary on the modern industrial food chain, the
short animated film Back to the Start1 features Willie Nelson
covering Coldplay’s “The Scientist.” The film demonstrates the
values of the brand and harkens to a time when life and work
seemed more simple and more rewarding. The film is a result of
Chipotle founder Steve Ells’s passionate efforts to source food on a
more sustainable and ethical basis. Archetype in play: The
Citizen (secondary Innocent).
These are but seven representatives in a vast sea of examples
demonstrating the power of archetypes applied in design,
communications and advertising. Why do they work? Because
archetypes create shortcuts to meaning. This has huge implications
for brands: Instant emotional impact and visual depiction of an
archetype occurring in the mind of the viewer/user creates instant
affinity. Well-deployed archetypes are easily recognizable in most
cultures and personify the brand essence to support strategic
initiatives without creative inhibition. Archetypes can therefore
become a shorthand for testing brand authenticity. How would the
[insert your brand archetype] talk, behave or be in relationship?
A BRIDGE BETWEEN STRATEGY AND
MANIFESTATION
Archetypes cross the divide between the imagination and the
cognitive realm because they are the water we swim in, so to speak.
We invite you to jump in and swim. You don’t have to be training
for an Olympic 400m freestyle event to get in the water and feel the
ease of tapping into a creative force greater than yourself.
Please play with the cards. Explore what the image side
instinctively communicates to you without looking at the
descriptions on the text side. Become familiar with your own
predispositions toward the implied story of the card, or its colors or
style. An easy litmus test to know if you’re in your head is when you
are no longer enjoying the process but rather searching for the right
answer. There are no right or wrong answers with this tool. Get out
of your head, say hello to your creativity and imagination and
breathe some life into your brand/business.
CHAPTER FI VE
Every Archetype Creates Meaning
An anthropologist decided to take up fishing. As he pulled up his
first catch, he asked the fish, “When did you first become aware of
the water you were swimming in?” The fish gasped for breath and
said, “Uhhhh, just now?”
And so it is with culture. Consciously understanding the water we
swim in takes courage, effort and application. As creatives and
strategists in business, it is part of our job to study human nature at
its most basic level. Culture is our teacher in this study. Art, science,
religion, design, literature, architecture, film, music, poetry,
mythology, history, politics and ritual all illuminate our humanity.
Archetypes come to life in culture. “Archetypal images signal the
fulfillment of basic human desires and motivations, and release
deep emotions and yearnings.”1 Archetypes move us toward the
imagination that Hillman describes as “the poetic basis of the
mind.” It is in the imagination that the ability to see and know what
is possible is born.
Edgar Schein’s simple but powerful model (fig. 5.01) defines
Three Levels of Culture2 that can help orient where archetypes
come to life. If we think about an organization as an iceberg, the
underlying assumptions are under the water level, unseen and
unconscious, but driving the values and the actions above.
Archetypes are also active under the water level, and like other
underlying assumptions, influence all that is above.
To enhance your understanding of the card deck, we’ve included a
bit of context about their development - how the archetypes were
selected, organized and designed - as well as an explanation of the
significance of the elements within the layout of the archetype
description pages.
SELECTION
We intentionally excluded archetypes that represent the shadow or
dark aspects of humanity. We didn’t see the value in promoting
archetypes such as the Vampire, the Saboteur, the Victim, the
Beggar or the Thief to help brands catalyze their operations, culture
and communications.
Instead we chose a spectrum of sixty archetypes that we felt
would incentivize business to more holistic and authentic ways of
being in the world. Our list is not meant to be conclusive or
comprehensive. In fact, if you find a gap, we will have been
successful. You will have drawn from your own archetypal well.
The expanded descriptions of each archetype are not intended to
be precise definitions or labels. They are meant to evoke imagery
and story and to open up a conversation about the meaning and
attachments of an archetype within the context you wish to apply it.
You will see crossovers within the descriptions. These are indicative
of the many nuances present in the interpretation of language. For
more rigorous applications of archetypal theory, you may be
interested in exploring assessments like the Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator, the Enneagram or the Keirsey Temperament Sorter.
A quick note about naming and gender. Archetypes are inherently
genderless. While they may represent qualities that are commonly
considered to be masculine or feminine, this does not limit their
application with the labels of male or female. In two cases we opted
for names that contain a gender reference given their universal
recognition: Everyman in the Citizen Family and Patriarch in the
Ruler Family.3
ORGANIZATION
The cards are organized into twelve families of five archetypes each,
with a goal to facilitate different ways of using them. The cards can
be used individually, by subset of twelve fundamental archetypes or
by family (fig. 5.02). You can use them in a box, with a fox, in a
house or with a mouse. You can use them here and there or
anywhere!4
Each family has a fundamental archetype that encompasses
qualities of the entire family. As a family sharing a surname might
have a dominant archetypal theme, the fundamental archetype
functions in both this familial role and in its own unique story. The
remaining four members of the family retain similarities to the
fundamental archetype but represent pivots that make them
distinct. Again we acknowledge the subjectivity inherent in family
groups. Many others before us have sorted differently, applying
various psychological models and taxonomies. Perhaps there are
many “right” ways. Perhaps the point isn’t to do it “right.”
For ease of reference, the archetypes are listed alphabetically in
the book, and a family listing is included after the expanded
descriptions.
DESIGN
Each of the cards is designed from a myriad of symbols, images,
metaphors and reference points. The assemblage is intended to be
cross-cultural and cross gender and to account for a general basis of
humanism. Our team worked from a master table of archetypal
characteristics to create representations intended to spark intuitive
understanding.
Unlike traditional card decks, Archetypes in Branding is a twosided deck reflecting the right and left hemispheres of our brains:
the intuitive, creative, sensory image side and the cognitive,
analytical, logical text side. In working with the deck, we
recommend beginning with the front, or image, side of the cards to
track initial tendencies, predispositions and preferences. Trust that
you already have an innate understanding of each of the archetypes
given the shared collective unconscious. Whether you can verbalize
why you are drawn to a specific archetype is less important than the
feeling you have about it.
The back, or information-based, side of the cards offers a different
layer of understanding that activates our more cognitive capacities.
There you’ll find an overview of each archetype’s strengths and
challenges, along with a brief description of the archetype (fig.
5.03).
To aid in organization, each archetypal family has a specific color
as well as a unique icon. Additionally, the fundamental archetypes
of each family are highlighted in yellow for quick identification.
This signposting should help you separate the cards in various ways,
as desired. For example, for a new brand you may want to start the
conversation with the twelve fundamental archetypes and later
explore the other members of the families deemed most
appropriate.
DESCRIPTIVE ELEMENTS
In order to provide an expanded description as well as offer some
examples, each archetype has its own page in the book. In an
attempt to limit copycat behavior, we tread lightly on the specific
examples of the archetypes as seen in advertising and business. It is
less important to know what others have done and how it has
looked than to authentically identify and commit to a unique and
appropriate archetypal expression for your brand. The examples
draw from film, literature, philosophy, science, both non- and forprofit business, institutions and cultural icons. In addition to
generally recognizable examples, they are intended to offer the user
direction for further research.
The family color palettes, yellow-highlighted fundamental
archetypes and iconography create multiple reference points for
each of the expanded archetype descriptions in the book.
In chapter 6, we discuss how you can jump in to use the cards,
and chapter 7 features three real-world examples of how we have
incorporated archetypes into our work.
Archetype
Activist
“Only those who risk going too far can possibly know how far they can really go.”
- T.S. Eliot
This archetype is defined by its intentional efforts to affect
social, environmental, economic or political change. A champion
of various causes, the Activist seeks to persuade people to
wake up and change their behavior. The Activist is motivated by
wanting to do some good in the world and to radically transform
the conventional order. Driven to truly experience change, this
archetype deploys a range of tools that enable action for
achieving results. Working within various areas of value to
society, the Activist possesses a strong belief in the power of
the collective.
The spirit of the Activist is connected to several powerful
historical images: Suffragists in front of Wilson’s White House
(1917); the lone protester in front of the tanks in Tiananmen
Square, Beijing, China (1989); the Battle in Seattle against the
WTO meeting (1999) and the UC Davis students being peppersprayed as part of Occupy Wall Street (2011). Willing to take a
stand, the Activist initiates a universal refusal to obey what is
wrong and awakens a vision for what is right. Brimming with
new ideas for change and problem solving, the Activist can
ignite a revolution.
Blatantly critical of old paradigms, this archetype thrives on
the high that comes from winning against all odds. The Activist
is an outgoing, communicative, ingenious, persuasive,
motivating, invigorating and tireless fighter. Passionate and
disposed toward sharing the responsibilities and rewards with
others, today’s Activist is equipped with the digital tools and
people power to effect change.
Examples
Susan B. Anthony. Gloria Steinem. Rainforest Action Network.
CREDO Mobile. Sea Shepherd. Greenpeace. Occupy Wall
Street.
Archetype
Adventurer
“When the old mapmakers got to the edge of the world, they used to write, ‘Beyond this
place there be dragons.’”
- Barclay Cole in Out of Africa
The Adventurer is an intrepid traveler whose quest for meaning
is characterized by bold, dynamic, risky and adrenaline-charged
challenges. Thriving on the unknown, the Adventurer is in
constant motion, seeking the thrill of pushing past limitations.
This archetype is highly focused, organized and daring and
relies on its wits. Seeking the extraordinary in every experience,
the Adventurer doesn’t ask “Why?” but rather asks “Why not?”
Like the Seeker, the Adventurer may journey internally and/or
externally. The difference lies in the higher degree of excitement
or out-of-the-ordinary experiences that are sought. The
Adventurer has a deep-seated need to tangibly feel and
experience the realness of life. Limits are tested by challenging
them head on.
The Adventurer is in tenacious pursuit of the next thrill that
will awaken the senses and accepts that discomfort and conflict
are part of the journey. With a highly-set calibration for fear, the
Adventurer appears to others as able to laugh in the face of
danger. The pull of the unknown is so strong as to call the
Adventurer to take extraordinary risk. Ultimately, this archetype
is after the thrill of simply being alive and the development of a
perspective gained from the accumulation of real-world
experiences.
Examples
Nellie Bly. The Odyssey. Han Solo (Star Wars). Jonny Quest.
James Bond. Indiana Jones. National Outdoor Leadership
School (NOLS). Clif Bar. REI.
Archetype
Advocate
“We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge
designed to attack our civilization.”
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Advocate supports and promotes social change, with a
sense of purpose that is tied to championing the rights of others
and to improving humanity and our institutions. This archetype
is compelled to transform social issues and empower people to
use their voices for a cause that may be unpopular, obscured or
that others don’t want to address. Meaning is tethered in the
satisfaction that comes from adding value to society on a large
scale and to having large-scale influence in support of the
collective common good.
The Advocate is dedicated to what Ram Dass calls
“compassion in action.” This archetype activates empowerment
and change by bringing people on side, inspiring them to a
greater calling and defending those who are not yet able to
advocate on their own behalf. Sometimes associated with legal
or political systems, the Advocate often focuses on a specific
hot-button issue that captures and directs people’s hearts and
minds. But as a metaphor, this archetype can also represent
the energy required to fuel leadership or organizational
development in a broad sense.
This archetype typically has developed organizational skills
and resilience in the face of resistance and has found a public
expression of its voice. Possessing a certain ingenuity to effect
change, the Advocate is quite resourceful while maintaining high
levels of integrity and responsibility. The Advocate is a witness
to a higher truth or principle and is willing to go the distance to
manifest passion for righting wrongs, not for personal gain but
for the benefit of others.
Examples
Elizabeth Warren. Michael Pollan. Harvey Milk. Erin Brockovich.
Silkwood. Acumen Fund. CREDO Mobile.
Archetype
Alchemist
“Marvelous things will happen.”
- Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach
The Alchemist is a change agent. Skilled at converting one kind
of matter into another and interpreting symbols, the Alchemist
can turn negatives into positives, muck into miracles and fear
into courage.
Sharing qualities with the Magician and Scientist, the
Alchemist is differentiated by the acts of transmutation and
transformation - literally and analogously turning base elements
into precious metals. Associated with nineteenth-century
occultism and drawing on ancient traditions, the Alchemist is
considered to be spiritual, mystical and mythological. This
archetype has the highest and purest longing to understand
spiritual forces. This longing attracts an immensely powerful
light of a very high vibration into the heart of the Alchemist.
The Alchemist possesses a unique blend of the scientific and
the spiritual and is motivated by the potential to create a new
vision of the world. Believing anything is possible, from eternal
life to a universal cure for disease, the Alchemist seeks
personal purification, perfection and transformation. This
archetype tries to live in accordance with basic patterns of the
universe so that magical transformations can result.
The Alchemist possesses a tireless, patient and persevering
will to explore the unconscious processes of life. By facing
these internal and external processes, a kind of transcendence
from ignorance, pain and ugliness is sought.
Examples
Nostradamus. Isaac Newton. Rumpelstiltskin. The Very Hungry
Caterpillar. “The Wild Swans” (Hans Christian Andersen). MAC
cosmetics.
Archetype
Ambassador
“If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships - the
ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace.”
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Motivated by the desire to bring people together to see disputes
resolved, the Ambassador adeptly navigates organizational
complexity, astutely reads people and situations and promotes
long-range thinking. This archetype values continuity, harmony
and stability. Essentially a diplomat, the Ambassador has a
30,000-foot view of the problems faced by an increasingly flat
world.
The Ambassador is a public relations expert, trained listener
and sensitive mediator. Known to have an easy manner
characterized by charm, persuasion, tolerance, patience, skill,
good judgment, multilingualism and peace making, the
Ambassador is strategic in identifying common ground and
guiding others toward that place. Relying on empathy, quick wit
and finely tuned analytical skills, the Ambassador understands
the need to build consensus with power brokers. Equal parts
brain and bravado, the Ambassador usually comes to power as
a result of the support of a large group of decision makers.
Committed to systems thinking, the Ambassador does not
yield to the whims of special interest groups that would threaten
the greater common good. The Ambassador is generally
forthright, direct, grounded and powerful. Driven by a personal
code of integrity, this archetype seeks to balance competing
interests and agendas in every situation.
Examples
Nelson Mandela. Pocahontas. Oprah Winfrey. Jake Sully
(Avatar). Brooks Brothers.
Archetype
Angel
“May the sun bring you new energy by day. May the moon softly restore you by night.
May the rain wash away your worries. May the breeze blow new strength into your
being. May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your
life.”
- Apache Blessing
Acknowledging something bigger than itself, the Angel is
associated with the spiritual plane. The Angel is a servant of
higher realms, providing aid and comfort, guidance and
instruction, love and humanity. Brightened by hope, the Angel is
known to laugh a lot, radiate joy and possess a core of
sweetness and purity. The Angel can be a luminous guide to
help others to change their lives toward greater truth,
acceptance, mercy and connection to spirit. The Angel can be a
guide back to our essential selves and to what has been called
“the oneness.”
This archetype is involved in manifesting miracles,
transforming meanness, restoring belonging, channeling grace
and lifting heavy spirits. The Angel is wise but still presents as
youthful, playful and exuberant. With a strong sense of purpose
and unlimited capacity for forgiveness, the Angel believes that
everyone has the power to achieve their highest potential and
works to clear that path of understanding and manifestation.
Driven by a deep respect for all beings, including flora and
fauna and planet, the Angel believes in destiny, infinite
compassion and forgiveness. Retribution and success at
another’s expense are foreign concepts to the Angel, who is, in
essence, a kind of servant offering inspiration and light in an
often dark world.
Examples
Mother Teresa. Princess Diana. Fairy Godmother (Grimm
Brothers). Glinda (The Wizard of Oz). Clarence (It’s a
Wonderful Life). American Red Cross.
Archetype
Artist
““From the heart it has sprung, and to the heart it shall penetrate.”
- Ludwig van Beethoven
The Artist has the capacity to make the ordinary into the
extraordinary. Able to form the passion of expression into
physical shape, the Artist sees beauty in everything, from the
grandest expression to the smallest idea. The Artist can be a bit
of a loner, preferring not to compromise on a vision.
Characterized by boundless curiosity, playfulness, deep emotion
and access to a rich source of inspiration, the Artist makes
visible that which might not be seen. This archetype is known to
challenge, dispute and reframe society’s most revered
concepts.
The Artist’s work ignites insights, reveals hidden layers of
meaning and supports the realization that there is more to life
than what can be seen or touched. Believing in the uniqueness
of interpretation and representation, the Artist accepts that all
art, from music to dance to language, is an abstraction.
Possessing an intense motivation and deep psychological and
emotional needs to manifest the power of expression, the Artist
sees, experiences and interprets life by using and going beyond
all five senses. With a need to create what moves others
emotionally or physically, the Artist is driven to achieve personal
liberty and satisfaction by mixing work and lifestyle.
Examples
Julia Child. Georgia O’Keeffe. Daniel Day-Lewis. Meryl Streep.
Barbra Streisand. Pollock. MoMA. Crayola. Dolce & Gabbana.
Archetype
Athlete
“Repression is not the way to virtue. When people restrain themselves out of fear, their
lives are by necessity diminished. Only through freely chosen discipline can life be
enjoyed and still kept within the bounds of reason.”
- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The Athlete makes great efforts to achieve physical strength,
agility and endurance combined with mental acuity, discipline
and focus. Morality, character and ethics play a large role in
attaining the highly trained human body. Striving to be higher,
faster, stronger, longer, better, the Athlete is relentless in the
pursuit of a goal. In advancing the limitations of the human
form, the Athlete is a model for challenging conventional
wisdom, for aspiring to the highest potentials, for achieving
visions of perfection and performance and for the exploration of
power.
There is no mandatory connection to sports or external
competition within the Athlete. There is however a passion for
achievement, for integration of the mind and body, for pushing
limits and boundaries. While all the archetypes are symbolic in
their application, the Athlete requires even deeper metaphorical
interpretation. The Athlete represents superior health, peak
performance, disciplined practice and strength of character.
Through focused and committed practice, the Athlete gains
dominion over the self, tames the monkey mind and
experiences what Csikszentmihalyi calls the state of “flow” in
which we become “completely involved in an activity for its own
sake.” This state can be a gateway to feelings of productive
harmony and connection between self and humanity. For the
Athlete, the body isn’t the focus, nor is winning per se. It’s
about the ability to perform, to have the freedom to choose
without limitation.
Examples
Michael Jordan. Olga Korbut. Mikhail Baryshnikov. Mia Hamm.
Babe Ruth. Lance Armstrong. Billy Jean King. Joe DiMaggio.
Accenture. Adidas.
Fundamental Archetype
Caregiver
“Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved. It leaves all the other secondary
effects to take care of themselves. Love, therefore, is its own reward.”
- Thomas Merton
The one-word description for the Caregiver is altruism: the
unselfish concern and/or devotion to nurture and care for
others. This archetype is motivated to serve and to provide
reassurance, advice, a listening ear and an open heart to
support the welfare of others. The Caregiver is compassionate,
generous, efficient, self-sacrificing, patient, highly competent
and an excellent multitasker. Able to find the silver lining in any
cloud, the Caregiver remains calm in a crisis, makes friends
with everyone and radiates the lightness of optimism.
The Caregiver archetype can be self-directed and can
represent self-care in the form of self-acceptance. The
Caregiver often gives with no expectation of anything in return,
finding meaning in improving the lives of others. This archetype
disputes conventional economic thought that the incentives of
self-interest reign supreme.
The Caregiver believes that it is its responsibility to help
others, but this archetype is also motivated to nurture because
the action affirms both a sense of self and a particular
worldview. The Caregiver wants to live in a world where people
take care of one another, a world in which the sense of
community provides comfort and confidence, a world without
abandonment and aloneness. In first seeking to help others with
compassion and generosity, the Caregiver finds satisfaction and
meaning in making a difference, however seemingly small, to
support others toward greater ease, empowerment and love.
By offering care, this archetype fulfills some basic human needs
- empathy, connection and love.
Examples
Mother Nature. George Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life). Robin
Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire. Mary Poppins. Dove. Amnesty
International. Allstate Insurance.
Archetype
Child
“To be young, really young, takes a very long time.”
- Pablo Picasso
Enjoying all that life has to offer, the Child reawakens the
autonomic joys of play and curiosity. The Child is the guardian
of innocence, possessing an affinity for the bonds of friendship
with people and animals alike. Energetically, the Child embodies
playfulness, lightness, freedom and the expectation of wonder.
This archetype demonstrates a relentless belief in the goodness
of humanity and uses the power of imagination to see the
possibility for fun in everything. A joy to be around, the Child
tends to bring out the best in others.
Like the metaphor of a mighty oak living within the acorn,
C.G. Jung describes the Child as “potential future” and
identifies it as a core universal archetype. The Child presents its
energies in many widely ranging forms but all congregate
around the core issues of responsibility, interdependency and
individuation. The Child archetype triggers beliefs around family,
security and possibility.
Existing as a reminder that age is largely a mental and
societal construct, the Child remains eternally youthful.
Characterized by an open mind-set, nothing inhibits the Child’s
passion and enjoyment of life’s playground. Through creativity,
laughter and light, the Child personifies hope and the promise of
new beginnings.
Examples
Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes). Linus (Peanuts). Pooh (A.A. Milne).
Raymond Babbitt (Rain Man). Anne Frank. Shirley Temple.
Nintendo Wii. Volkswagen.
Fundamental Archetype
Citizen
“Give me a place to stand and a lever long enough and I will move the world.”
- Archimedes, 220 BC
The Citizen is driven by a deeply instilled sense of personal
integrity, fairness, equity and responsibility to the community.
Meaning is found in the personal sense of alignment between
beliefs and action. The Citizen fulfills purpose through service,
stewardship, contribution and moral leadership. Having the
courage to stand on principle, the Citizen possesses great
energy and optimism balanced with pacing and pragmatism.
Willing to put others ahead of self, this archetype’s identity is
shaped by the experience of being a peer rather than a subject
or ruler. A continuous learner, the Citizen believes in and works
to manifest values that are higher than profit or individual gain.
In Rights of Man, Thomas Paine writes, “My country is the
world and my religion is to do good.” The Citizen is motivated by
this broad perspective: as one people, our humanity depends
on positive action for the whole, and upon the celebration and
respect of differences regardless of race, religion, gender or
creed.
The Citizen finds freedom within responsibility. Able to put
aside pointless partisanship, this archetype is neither an
ideologue nor a martyr but rather a conscious change agent
believing in the power of sacrifice and innovation to practically
tackle today’s realities. Seeing the value in the collective, the
Citizen is a systems thinker who trusts in the inherent good of
human beings to contribute positively to society.
Examples
John F. Kennedy. Rosa Parks. Willem Dafoe in Mississippi
Burning. TimeBanks USA. Habitat for Humanity. Panera Cares.
Chipotle. TOMS Shoes. Team in Training.
Archetype
Clown
“My report card always said, ‘Jim finishes first and then disrupts the other students.’”
- Jim Carrey
The Clown wears a mask that covers its true emotions and that
allows for the emotional distance needed to break taboos and
explore social absurdity. Using humor, the Clown’s mask
creates a sense of safety, giving permission for boundaries and
social norms to be crossed.
The Clown represents amusement, freedom and whimsical
engagement. Making others laugh creates a sense of harmony
and provides catharsis for the Clown. A simpleminded
archetype, the Clown is wise, prescient and daring within its
innocence. The Clown invites us into the potent world of feeling,
maneuvering emotions like playthings. This archetype tends to
overdramatize, exaggerate and border on the ludicrous as a
means of connecting with the audience. The Clown can
manifest in both the lead and “the straight man” roles, serving
to set up the humor or joke to land with greater impact.
Often self-deprecating, the Clown is distinguished from the
Jester by operating on an everyday, everyman level, rather than
an elevated realm or strata. Sharing qualities with the
Entertainer, the Clown requires an audience to feel fulfilled. The
Clown creates meaning by the feedback received from others.
Examples
Commedia dell’Arte. Charlie Chaplin. Lucille Ball. Jim Carrey.
Gracie Allen (George Burns’s “straight man”). Ralph Kramden
(The Honeymooners). Ben & Jerry’s. Jack in the Box. Cadbury
Creme Egg.
Archetype
Companion
“The most I can do for my friend is simply to be his friend. I have no wealth to bestow
on him. If he knows that I am happy in loving him, he will want no other reward. Is not
friendship divine in this?”
- Henry David Thoreau
The Companion is a trusted support who can be relied upon to
lend a helping hand. This archetype holds a deep respect for
each person’s value and inherent worth and shows it by offering
assistance, order and a sense of belonging. Typically goodnatured, the Companion is a comrade through the ups and
downs of life.
The Companion is essentially a friend and confidante, offering
help and listening without measure or judgment. Generally
platonic in nature, this archetype provides emotional rather than
sexual support by fostering a sense of camaraderie, belonging
and acceptance.
Calling to mind the Greek word for help, voithia, which literally
means “to take hold together with one,” the Companion is
fulfilled by shared experience and explores life and self through
unselfish relationships. This archetype is guided by the
emotional benefits of sharing a true bond with another and
literally “companions” others intellectually, emotionally and
spiritually.
The Companion may also challenge tradition, encouraging
family, friends and co-workers to explore new ideas and
unconventional ways of doing things in pursuit of their highest
calling. Further, this archetype enables freedom, expression
and achievement in others by being the wind beneath their
wings.
Examples
Lassie. Thelma & Louise. Anne Sullivan. Twelve Apostles (New
Testament). Guide Dogs of America. Kiva.org. Zagat.
Fundamental Archetype
Creator
“I am always doing things I can’t do - that’s how I get to do them.”
- Pablo Picasso
The Creator has a passionate need for self-expression, to be a
cultural pioneer. Creating offers a means of dealing with how
out of control the world seems. The Creator is highly
imaginative, with a developed sense of the aesthetic. This
archetype often appears in environments that are reflective of
good taste and a unique point of view. On a quest to create
things and expressions of lasting value, the Creator constantly
seeks to acquire new skills.
The Creator notices and acts upon the need for innovation,
invention and reinterpretation. Believing in the value of inner
expression, the Creator is dedicated, hardworking and
achievement oriented. This archetype’s self-esteem and
confidence are anchored in the practice of creative expression,
which also provides an antidote for existential depression.
Sometimes seen as elitist or eccentric, people can be
challenged to understand the volume of the Creator’s inner
critic, misunderstanding how fragile and vulnerable the
Creator’s self-confidence can be.
Creating transmutes the need to find meaning in life into the
power to make meaning. Trusting in inspiration, the Creator
pursues those moments when ideas flow effortlessly and
creativity is a cherished companion but learns to practice
patience when the channel doesn’t feel quite so open. Believing
wholeheartedly in the creative process, the Creator quests for
immortality through creative work.
Examples
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. I.M. Pei. Charles and Ray Eames.
Martha Graham. Dame Judi Dench. Edward de Bono (lateral
thinking). Walt Disney. Adobe. LEGO. Pinterest. Etsy.
Archetype
Detective
“There is nothing so dangerous for anyone who has something to hide as conversation!
A human being cannot resist the opportunity to reveal himself and express his
personality, which conversation gives him. Every time he will give himself away.”
- Agatha Christie
The Detective is a tireless bloodhound who, at the symbolic
level, ventures into the deep psychological recesses where the
answers to people’s behavior live. Possessing an inordinate
amount of nerve, the Detective is tough, stubborn and
sometimes a bit intimidating while seeking answers to the
mysteries of why people do what they do.
Motivated by the desire to overcome fallibility, the Detective is
prone to second-guessing, double- and triple-checking, always
seeking revelation that is true and substantiated. While deeply
intuitive, knowing is not enough for the Detective; empirical
evidence must be found.
The Detective is both a skilled investigator and a sleuth,
intuiting clues and analyzing input. With a keen sixth sense, the
Detective can rely on luck and wits with general success.
Guided by a need to uncover and understand, the Detective is
satisfied by finding and fitting together the puzzle pieces of life
so that knowledge and truth are served.
Examples
Naomi Wolf. L.A. Confidential. Monk. Sherlock Holmes. Get
Smart. Sam Spade (The Maltese Falcon). Hercule Poirot
(Agatha Christie). Perry Mason. Nancy Drew. The Da Vinci
Code (Dan Brown). Philip Marlowe.
Archetype
Dreamer
“Life is like a finger, pointing to the Moon. If you look at the finger … you will miss all the
heavenly glory.”
- Bruce Lee to a pupil in Enter the Dragon
Possessing a vivid and powerful imagination, the Dreamer is a
master at drifting into the highest altitudes of pure potential.
Preferring to live in the Utopia of the mind, this archetype can
be swept away with the emotions and possibilities of ideas
without ever needing to make anything concrete. The Dreamer
has nothing to prove and does not require external
acknowledgment. A fount of ideas, the Dreamer is clever,
unorthodox, inventive, expressive and intoxicating to be around.
The Dreamer can inspire others to dig into their own
imaginations to define their callings and find their gifts.
To understand the Dreamer is to understand the rich and
constantly developing landscape of the inner vision of ideas. It
may seem that this archetype needs nothing more than clever
ideas and concepts to be fulfilled. Experiencing life through
symbols and signs, the Dreamer communicates ideas abstractly
and with absolute passion and fervor.
This archetype has the faith of a child, believing that the mere
act of jumping will present the requisite net. The Dreamer’s
mind is unrestrained by the imposition of the world’s limitations
and this freedom is a cornerstone of the Dreamer’s core
strength. The drive to express this energy is greater than the
need to do anything with it.
Examples
Cassandra (Greek mythology). Ellie (UP). Field of Dreams.
Facebook. Ode Magazine. Anthropologie.
Archetype
Engineer
“Our species needs, and deserves, a citizenry with minds wide awake and a basic
understanding of how the world works.”
- Carl Sagan
The Engineer is curious and looks to find solutions to everyday
problems. Satisfaction is found by exploring how things work.
Known to have a knack for fixing things and solving problems,
the Engineer is results driven and delivery oriented. Eminently
practical, this archetype converts creative energy into practical
expression and manifests a talent for addressing issues ranging
from everyday dilemmas to large-scale visions. At its core, the
Engineer is a systems specialist.
This archetype is interested in patterns and demonstrates the
value of a structured approach to problem solving. It prefers to
work methodically, to stay calm and to avoid intuitive leaps. The
Engineer is a good team player who places high value on
collective work that is focused toward an outcome, and it is
satisfied by adding a specific piece to the whole. The Engineer
is internally motivated, often unsung and behind the scenes.
The Engineer demonstrates a devotion to making things work
and is characterized as orderly, strategic, patient, sensible,
honest, grounded, reliable and practical. While remaining
accountable, the Engineer does not carry around the weight of
the world, accepting instead that things take time and that the
world is messy and complicated.
Examples
Alexander Calder. Bill Gates. Howard Roark (The
Fountainhead). Dyson. Applied Materials.
Archetype
Entertainer
“It seems plausible that folly and fools, like religion and magic, meet some deeply
rooted needs in human society.”
- Peter Berger
The Entertainer is a fun-loving performer. Using various tactics humor, artistry, intellect, shock - the Entertainer is a people
lover. This archetype seeks almost constant stimulation, lives in
the moment and is drawn to sensory pleasure. Highly
adaptable, observant and intuitive, the Entertainer is a student
of humanity and, by extension, all of the arts. The Entertainer
provokes emotional engagement and, as a consequence, can
awaken sleeping consciousness.
Like the Idealist, the Entertainer tracks to the Keirsey
Temperament Sorter. Described as an informative artisan, the
Entertainer is motivated to create impact through improvisation
and expressive deployment of tactics designed to elicit
reactions and attract attention.
People tend to adore the Entertainer, counting on this
archetype to provide needed relief from the grind and burdens
of daily life. The Entertainer offers a sense of distance and
escape from reality by activating possibility and perspective.
Possessing a restless energy, the Entertainer lives out loud and
is a tireless practitioner in pursuit of mastery over various
techniques and pursuits.
Examples
Frank Sinatra. Lily Tomlin. Mike Myers. Elvis Presley. Louis
Armstrong. Vaudevillians. Saturday Night Live. Nickelodeon.
Jose Cuervo. Pandora Radio.
Archetype
Entrepreneur
“There is a knack to flying. You must throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- E.E. Cummings
At the core of the entrepreneur is the doing and creating of
what has not been done before. By tapping into imagination,
innovation is made manifest. The entrepreneur dreams up
ideas and commits to turn them into reality.
Known as an idea generator, the Entrepreneur is typically
quite achievement oriented. This archetype presents as
ambitious, self-assured and decisive, with strong desires to
compete, assert, direct, obtain information and differentiate
from the crowd. Behaviors stem from an “outside-in”
perspective that seeks opportunities that can be satisfied,
improved or leveraged. The Entrepreneur does not take
direction well, is fiercely independent and has been called
“Type-A” because of its adrenaline addiction.
The Entrepreneur is driven by a sense of accomplishment
and manifest destiny. Highly resilient, this archetype is willing to
learn from mistakes. Within the determination to succeed, the
Entrepreneur embraces an attitude of “fail faster.” The
Entrepreneur makes and keeps commitments, thrives on the
adrenaline of risk and challenge and refuses naysayers. The
Entrepreneur hears “impossible” as a challenge and believes
that all that is necessary to succeed is a great idea and the
courage and discipline to bring it to fruition.
Examples
Richard Branson. Baby Boom. Tesla Motors. Hewlett-Packard.
Sapphire Energy (algae biofuel). Y Combinator (startup
incubator). Crossing the Chasm (Geoffrey A. Moore). The Four
Steps to the Epiphany (Steven Blank). Fast Company.
Archetype
Everyman
“Ring the bells that still can ring; forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in
everything; that’s how the light gets in.”
- Leonard Cohen
Driven by a need to feel a sense of belonging, the Everyman
believes that everyone matters equally, regardless of status,
age, ethnicity or creed. Like a good neighbor, the Everyman
seeks to do the right thing, with no need for heroics or
adventure. This archetype understands that joy can be found in
what may be called ordinary or normal, and sees the virtue in
the appreciation of each moment for its own sake. Presenting
little artifice, the Everyman is practical, down-to-earth,
accessible, dependable, kind and in general can be described
as “real.”
Distinct from concepts connoting social division (commoner,
common people, masses), the Everyman represents the
universal, unpretentious experience of being a member of the
human race - the bitter, the sweet and the depths of both joy
and sorrow. This archetype believes that underneath the
trappings of society is a shared core of humanity that is
grounded, unselfish and friendly.
Possessing a charming sincerity, Everyman embodies the
acronym WYSIWYG - “what you see is what you get” - and has
a casual approach to life, preferring to be understated,
nonthreatening and helpful to all.
Examples
Rachael Ray. Cheers. Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to
Washington. Ron Weasley (Harry Potter). Arthur Dent (The
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy). Jack Lucas in The Fisher
King. Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed. MetLife
Insurance. Muji. Trader Joe’s. AAA. Craigslist.
Fundamental Archetype
Explorer
“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive
where we started and know the place for the first time.”
- T.S. Eliot
The Explorer is motivated by a powerful craving for new
experiences and will do almost anything to avoid boredom and
entrapment, even if it means not knowing what might be coming
next. Innovative and ambitious, the Explorer seeks different
perspectives and expanded horizons. The Explorer is known to
push boundaries and delight in unexpected discoveries,
embracing a “no limit” philosophy.
At the core of this archetype is the urge to hit the open road.
Highly individualistic, the Explorer demonstrates a “live and let
live” attitude. This archetype is generally ahead of mainstream
thinking. It marches to the beat of a different drummer, one that
resonates with youth and accompanies transition times that
signify freedom, such as leaving for college. The Explorer gains
self-understanding by discovering the reflected self in the
external world. Ultimately the Explorer strives to be authentically
true to the self, while reconciling a way to still belong to a
broader community.
Understanding that there are no limits to becoming and no
end to learning, the Explorer cultivates experiences to stretch
and grow, opportunities to step out of the routine of daily
existence and to be comfortable at a seemingly constant edge.
The Explorer is independent and self-directed and enjoys
individualistic pursuits. Inherently a nonconformist, the Explorer
values freedom and innovation. Meaning is derived from
experientially discovering the world and the subsequent ability
to align those outer realities with inner needs.
Examples
John Muir. Huckleberry Finn. Star Trek. Starbucks. PBS.
Patagonia. Global Exchange.
Archetype
Gambler
“If you can’t spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker.”
- Mike McDermott, Rounders
With a disproportionately high tolerance for risk taking, the
Gambler is constantly weighing the odds of any venture. Willing
to bet with money, emotions, reputation and even the truth, the
Gambler thrives on the thrill of risk and adventure, knowing that
chance can yield great reward. The heightened experience of
having much more at stake focuses the mind and directs the
energies of this archetype.
The Gambler is astute, charming and socially adept, and it
relies on gut instinct in spite of unsure outcomes. Seeking the
self-control and knowledge necessary to watch for the edge of
addiction, the Gambler thinks in terms of risk and return,
calculating upsides and downsides, then going with instinct.
Seeking multiple ways and means to beat the odds, the
Gambler’s behavior can be viewed as an attempt to attain more
than what ordinary actions would yield. The Gambler is prone to
the dramatic, experiencing wins as more than reward but as a
kind of dominion over time and, by extension, death. Often
walking under a lucky star, the Gambler tends to be
superstitious and prefers shortcuts to hard work. This
archetype’s relationship with luck and chance is complicated
and can reveal a false sense of power regarding how much of
life can be controlled.
Examples
Wild Bill Hickok. Fyodor Dostoevsky. Lando Calrissian (Star
Wars). The TV show Survivor. The Sting. The Color of Money.
E*TRADE.
Archetype
Generalist
“When it’s over, I want to say: All my life I was a bride married to amazement. I was the
bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.”
- Mary Oliver
Enchanted by the diversity of great stimuli available from
culture, science and the arts, the Generalist possesses an
underlying belief that life is a ready treasure trove of
experiences. “So little time, so many [fill in the blank]” is a
common phrase for this archetype. The fascination and
curiosity with a wide breadth of knowledge creates a sense of
urgency in the Generalist to enjoy the next place, person or
thing to learn about, sense and explore. This archetype
possesses an undercurrent of hunger for life.
Capable of success across diverse domains, the Generalist,
also known as the Renaissance Person, may passionately
engage in multiple interests without the pejorative aspect of a
dilettante. More like the connoisseur thriving on being wellrounded and aspiring for competence in many areas, the
Generalist can fill gaps, promote orthogonal thinking and
awaken unseen connections. In the positive expression, the
Generalist may also be called T-shaped if a dominant interest
creates the vertical to ground the breadth of skills. In the
negative, this archetype can be considered a dabbler, never
able to actually deliver on anything.
The Generalist may fuel the discovery of true passion from
the smorgasbord of life. The underlying belief is that the
simplest and most true benefits of experience come in making
the attempt and not in achieving perfection. Breadth does not
equate to superficiality but to an expansive understanding of
how the world operates.
Examples
Hypatia of Alexandria. Catherine de’ Medici. Leonardo Da Vinci.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Whole Earth Catalog. Sony.
General Electric. GOOD magazine. Puttylike.com.
Archetype
Guardian
“To live in this world, you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold
it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to
let it go, to let it go.”
- Mary Oliver
The Guardian finds identity and fulfillment by defending,
protecting or caring for others. This archetype is the keeper of
traditions, legacy and values. The Guardian safeguards the
collective, is a steward of the family or community and is
motivated to directly nurture and protect aspects of humanity
and the planet.
Seeking to offer a firm hand to strategically guide and form a
path toward the greater good, the Guardian is a bottomless well
of compassion for the bittersweetness of life. Powerful and selfsacrificing, the Guardian is a multifaceted manager, offering
safety, respecting privacy and promoting accountability and
liability in service to protecting others from harm. Leading by
example, the Guardian sets boundaries and seeks to enable
safe risk taking.
Generally good at communication, both listening and
speaking, the Guardian possesses a clear vision of collective
empowerment, responsibility and walking the talk. With fierce
unconditional love and a commitment to consistent reevaluation
of appropriate boundaries, the Guardian is motivated to
support, facilitate and protect the self-actualization of the
individual.
Examples
Noah (Bible). Eleanor Roosevelt. Cecile Richards (women’s
health). Edna Spalding (Places in the Heart). Roberto Benigni in
Life Is Beautiful. National Organization for Women. World
Wildlife Fund. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. UNICEF.
Seventh Generation.
Archetype
Healer
“The practice of healing lies in the heart. If your heart is false, the Physician within you
will be false.”
- Paracelsus
The Healer is essentially a conduit toward wholeness. Acting as
a catalyst in which nature is the ultimate healer, this archetype
does not do the healing but creates the conditions, beliefs and
structure for healing to happen. Sensitive and empathic to
people’s emotions, the Healer has an intuitive and learned
capacity for transforming pain into restoration.
Desiring to restore the experience of wellness, the Healer
respects the role of belief and inspiration in effecting an
integration of the mind, body, emotions and spirit. The Healer
possesses a powerful vision of ease and health, and it focuses
on the positive, the complete and the well aspects of the world.
Knowing that the potential for wellness is greater than illness,
the Healer is a beacon of hope.
The Healer is patient with complicated situations but can be
impatient with details and mundane tasks. Open to new ideas
and new information, the Healer is an excellent communicator
and is committed to continuous learning and experience. Driven
by a passion to heal conflict, the Healer works on many levels
to facilitate, allow and channel the necessary energy to bring
about change in any system - large or small, macro or micro,
collective or individual, spiritual or physical, other or self.
Examples
Albert Schweitzer. Edgar Cayce. Gandhi. Carolyn Myss. Brian
Weiss. Louise Hay. Dead Man Walking. Wall•E. Alcoholics
Anonymous. Band‑Aid. Betty Ford Center.
Archetype
Hedonist
“I want to learn what life is for. I don’t want much, I just want more. Ask what I want, and
I will sing. I want everything, everything.”
- Lyrics from “Everything,” A Star is Born
The Hedonist seeks to find the good things in life. Motivated by
a massive appetite for all that is pleasurable, the Hedonist
indulges in the sensual and the sexual. Meaning is found in the
expression of the physical joy of being human. Heightened
senses and desires guide the Hedonist toward experiences that
are rich with stimuli and pleasure.
To fully embrace the rich characteristics of this archetype,
others must release society’s interpretation of the Hedonist
being extremely self-indulgent. The Hedonist does not
necessarily use the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain
as the only guiding system. There is an important difference
between maximizing pleasure and optimizing pleasure. The
term epicurean demonstrates this distinction. In the positive
manifestation, the Hedonist represents optimizing pleasure and
the manifestation of creative energy. As the capacity to
experience pleasure is a key component to health and wellness,
so too is knowing what one wants out of life and how to deeply
appreciate beauty. The degree of yearning and hunger present
in this archetype is reflective of the pull for physical ecstasy as
a proxy for spiritual transformation. The Hedonist activates and
gives rise to the resolve of these important elements of being
human.
With an attractive personality, the Hedonist is generally
uncomplicated, independent, witty and generous, and it
celebrates living in the moment. The Hedonist is an important
reminder that we need not be afraid of the seduction and
control issues often associated with pleasure.
Examples
Dionysus. Pan. Hugh Hefner. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife &
Her Lover. Like Water for Chocolate. City of Las Vegas. Burning
Man. W Hotel.
Fundamental Archetype
Hero
“We have not even to risk the adventure alone for the heroes of all time have gone
before us. The labyrinth is thoroughly known. We have only to follow the thread of the
hero’s path. And where we had thought to find an abomination, we shall find a god. And
where we had thought to slay another, we shall slay ourselves. And where we had
thought to travel outward, we shall come to the center of our own existence. And where
we had thought to be alone we shall be with all the world.”
- Joseph Campbell
The Hero acts to redeem society by overcoming great odds in
service to successfully completing extraordinary acts of
strength, courage and goodness. The Hero is admired by those
who appreciate the self-sacrifice, stamina and courage required
to triumph over adversity and evil.
The Hero has relatively few distinguishing personality traits
and can present in many different forms with many different
faces. As a continuous learner, the Hero seeks to understand
the inner life force and fullest expression of self, while coping
with difficulty, meeting strange fates and facing shifting
challenges. The essence of the Hero lies in the sacrifice
required and the price paid to achieve the goal of
transformation. Motivated to acquire wisdom, the Hero often
endures separation and loneliness.
For many reasons, the Hero, as an archetype, takes on a
meta position in the collective unconscious, possessing traits
that resonate within almost every human being. The Hero’s
journey is considered a universal story of the path from the ego
and the self to a new identity. One phase of the Hero’s journey
is commonly referred to as “the dark night of the soul,” which
precedes the transformation to the new life.
Examples
Odysseus. Hercules. Luke Skywalker (Star Wars). Bilbo
Baggins (The Hobbit). Simba (The Lion King). Harry Potter. U.S.
Army. Nike.
Archetype
Idealist
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t
assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of
the sea.”
- Antoine de Saint-ExupÉry
The Idealist is driven by the unshakable knowledge that a better
world is possible, and this archetype inspires others to seek it
as well. Believing that the essential nature of reality is defined
by our consciousness, the Idealist is inspired by the prospect of
true communion and equality. Motivated by the concepts of
harmony and peace, the Idealist is enthusiastic, altruistic,
cooperative and respectful. It takes great satisfaction in the
well-being of others and is a catalyst for positive change. The
Idealist focuses on the way life could be rather than accepting
what it is.
Described at length by David Keirsey, the Idealist correlates
with NF personality types (intuitive-feeling) in the Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator5. This archetype’s communication can
sometimes appear abstract, but the Idealist is driven by the
quest for deeper self-knowledge and wisdom that transcends
both the material world and the ego. Deeply attached to
personal authenticity, the Idealist places trust in intuition,
values, personal ethics, diplomatic integration and mutuality.
As a nonconformist, the Idealist has a nose for hypocrisy and
sees the limitations of the system or ideologies quite clearly.
The Idealist is not an uncompromising ideologue but is
committed to a vision for the greater common good, placing
high value on social justice, compassion and spiritual growth.
The Idealist revels in debunking popular myths and exposing
underlying assumptions that limit the system.
Examples
Abraham Lincoln. Alice Paul (suffragist). Abraham Maslow.
Erica Jong (Fear of Flying). John Lennon. L. Hunter Lovins
(Natural Capitalism). Flik (A Bug’s Life). Wilbur (Charlotte’s
Web). GoodGuide.
Fundamental Archetype
Innocent
“The illusions of childhood are necessary experiences: a child should not be denied a
balloon just because an adult knows that sooner or later it will burst.”
- Marcelene Cox
The Innocent is pure, virtuous and faultless, free from the
responsibility of having done anything hurtful or wrong. Having
little knowledge or experience of the world, the Innocent
demonstrates great trust and optimism, as well as an unbridled
sense of wonder.
Possessing a wholesome sense of untainted genius, the
Innocent sees the potential for sacred beauty in everything. The
eternal optimist, this archetype’s glass is always half full. The
Innocent lacks guile and corruption and seeks the promise of
paradise.
Triggering nostalgia for simpler times, this archetype’s
qualities are endearing to others, eliciting the desire to help,
support and protect the Innocent. Interactions with this
archetype are clean, honest, uncensurable and unsullied by
suspicion, cynicism or manipulation. The Innocent finds joy and
meaning in simple pleasures, bringing to life the adage, “Don’t
worry; be happy.” Many levels exist within this archetype since it
is typically activated at the beginning and end of life when
perspective is less cluttered.
Sometimes criticized for being naïve or ignorant of the ways
of the world, the Innocent has no hidden motives, loves freely
and without condition, knows how to trust and forgive. In its
most powerful expression, the Innocent embodies a sense of
oneness and renewal, representing inner peace and
acceptance.
Examples
Forrest Gump. Dorothy (The Wizard of Oz). Scout (To Kill a
Mockingbird). Littlefoot (The Land Before Time). Peter Sellers in
Being There. Annie’s Homegrown Inc. Method (home and
personal care products).
Archetype
Innovator
““I have not failed. I have merely found ten thousand ways that won’t work.”
- Thomas Edison
The Innovator thrives on change and would rather ask “Why
Not?” than “Why?” Taking wild and frequent risks, the Innovator
makes unexpected connections that shift the status quo. This
archetype has a high tolerance for ambiguity and follows a path
with no guarantees. Inherent to the semantics of what it means
to innovate is a vast landscape of unknown variables. Not
content with incremental change, this archetype ponders big,
audacious thoughts. In this way, the Innovator is a catalyst for
growth, on literal and metaphorical levels.
The Innovator is willing to experiment and is known as an
opportunity hunter. With head in the clouds and feet on the
ground, the Innovator is characterized by rigorous research and
development, willpower and imagination. This archetype is a
trend spotter, able to smell high-potential concepts a mile away.
Possessing high intellect, infectious curiosity and passion, and
great powers of observation and insight, the Innovator is able to
champion new ideas and inspire teams to pursue them.
With a natural inclination to change current realities, the
Innovator enables change by alleviating general fears of the
unknown, communicating visions of what could be, what might
be possible to motivate others to accept change. As a cross
pollinator, the Innovator enables a vocabulary of change as
innovation shifts the known realities.*
Examples
Thomas Edison. Amelia Earhart. Orville and Wilbur Wright. Tim
Berners-Lee. IBM. Groundhog Day. SunPower Solar. Apple.
Google.
Fundamental Archetype
Jester
“You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.”
- Robin Williams
Joyfully living in the moment, the Jester seeks to lighten up the
world. The Jester is motivated to play, make jokes and be funny
and to turn things on their head. Able to bend perspective, twist
meanings and interpret events and people in surprising ways,
the Jester can speak truth to those in power and authority. The
Jester appreciates beauty, change, surprise and wicked
intellect.
This archetype has been the subject of many myths through
the ages. Known from the Tarot system as the Fool, the Jester
represents crazy wisdom - that childlike cleverness that’s
untainted by reason and can tap into the inner workings of the
world. The Jester transcends tradition, convention and societal
norms with exuberant antics. This archetype awakens the
possibility that others will be able to move beyond norms and
conventions as well. Socially facile in varying environments, the
Jester uses parody, satire, comedy and intellect to infiltrate
multiple layers of society.
The Jester reminds us that we are free to choose - whether
it’s point of view, a life path or our individual expression. Living
at the edge, the Jester teeters in the spaces between ordinary
time, ready to leap at any moment, trusting that the game of life
will support any action. The term joker’s wild applies to the
Jester. Boldly original, irreverent and mischievous, this
archetype sees life as a wild and crazy playground of
opportunity.
Examples
Tina Fey. Dave Chappelle. Jeff Dunham. Falstaff (Henry V). Jon
Stewart. Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost. The Cat in the Hat.
GEICO. IKEA.
Archetype
Judge
“Society as a whole benefits immeasurably from a climate in which all persons,
regardless of race or gender, may have the opportunity to earn respect, responsibility,
advancement and remuneration based on ability.”
- Sandra Day O’Connor
The Judge is a symbol for the possibility of balancing justice
and compassion. Acknowledging the basic human desire to
punish bad behavior in order to retain order even if it comes at
some personal cost, the Judge believes in the value of
reciprocity and altruistic punishment. As consequences can
either be powerful motivators or disincentives, the laws of cause
and effect, of action and reaction and of karma influence the
Judge’s worldview.
This archetype is idealistic with a strong sense of personal
honor and an inherent need for balance and fairness. The
Judge is adept at objectively weighing information,
discriminating between fact and fiction and challenging wrongs
to be righted. Characterized as impartial, logical, well-connected
and discerning, the Judge possesses excellent speaking and
researching skills, can hold many referential data points and is
a strategic planner. Other skills include mediation, arbitration
and cognitive counsel.
The Judge understands that at more evolved levels, justice
does not include revenge and that laws can be elevated to
principles when people live by integrity. This archetype is driven
to manifest its vision of the fair and just distribution of power.
Examples
Supreme Court of the United States. U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. Consumer Reports. Moody’s. Standard
& Poor’s.
Archetype
Liberator
“As I travel on the path toward sustainability … I keep thinking of a motto I once heard:
‘Change is not sacrifice.’ It is learning, staying awake, being alive, moving to new
places. It requires every part of us, our rational minds and our loving spirits.”
- Donella H. Meadows
The Liberator is both a voice and a body for the greater
common good. A champion for the needy and the
impoverished, the Liberator’s passion is fueled by strong
convictions of right vs. wrong and the need to secure the
inalienable rights of others. This archetype is motivated by a
core belief in freedom and equality, and it can’t help but
manifest intrepid, tenacious and purposeful action. Often ahead
of the curve, the Liberator doesn’t see walls but rather windows
of possibility, a trait shared with the Idealist.
Like the Rescuer, the Liberator is active on many levels.
Individually, the Liberator can free a persona from destructive
patterns and limiting beliefs. Collectively, the Liberator can free
nations and peoples from oppression, injustice and servitude.
The Liberator often presents in a charismatic form, possessing
a core of authentic compassion and strength that enables
others to see with fresh eyes.
The Liberator does not tolerate defeat, rarely gives up and is
motivated to shatter myths and expose cultural norms that
create suffering, inequity and tyranny. This archetype
challenges the status quo of corporate, political, religious,
social, environmental and spiritual violence and persecution.
Examples
Joan of Arc. Robin Hood. Martin Luther King, Jr. Siddhartha
(Hermann Hesse). The Hague. PayPal.
Fundamental Archetype
Lover
“One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is Love.”
- Sophocles
The Lover possesses an unbridled appreciation and affection
for beauty, closeness and collaboration. Its beliefs tend to be
based on emotions that transcend time and live through the
senses, manifesting in an uncanny knowing that love is the
highest experience the earth has to offer. This archetype revels
in the joy and delight of the sensory and sensual experience.
The Lover is motivated to attract, give, receive and nurture
life-affirming, intimate love. While connected to issues of selfesteem, feeling special from being loved and gender identity,
the Lover can be present in any kind of relationship. At the
heart of this archetype is the desire for an intimacy of
connection to self and other that has no distinction. There is an
inherent vulnerability in the Lover, and consequently, this
archetype is also associated with issues of trust and integrity.
Because love knows no bounds, the experience of love can
go beyond love as an emotion or mind-set to become a way of
being. Strengthened by great passion and devotion, the Lover
fosters bliss and unity. The Lover is an archetype of
transformation and rebirth, offering a remembrance of eternal
transcendent ideas that elevate the human experience.
Examples
Eros. Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre. Beauty and
the Beast. Griffin and Sabine. Romeo and Juliet. Ingrid
Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. Dead Poets
Society. Guinevere and Lancelot (Camelot). The Phantom of
the Opera. Chanel. Häagen-Dazs.
Fundamental Archetype
Magician
““I’m aware of the mystery around us, so I write about coincidences, premonitions,
emotions, dreams, the power of nature, magic.”
- Isabel Allende
Driven to understand the fundamental laws of the universe in
order to make dreams into reality, the Magician connects to
experiences of synchronicity, “flow” and oneness, with a
curiosity about the hidden workings of the universe. The
Magician associates and aligns with truth to create mutually
beneficial outcomes. Using ritual and forces from above and
beyond, the Magician manifests ideas into reality, transforming
the earthly plane for good. Able to accomplish magic from the
inside out, the Magician gets results outside of the ordinary
rules of life.
Known to be dynamic, influential, charismatic and clever, this
archetype has a highly evolved perspective and an ability to
view the world through many different lenses. The Magician is a
knower of secrets who moves effortlessly between inner and
outer worlds, innately understanding energy dynamics,
seasons, the stars and the soul. The ability to detach from the
world and retain objectivity makes the Magician a trusted
advisor in a crisis or chaos situation.
Possessing a fearlessness grounded in self-preservation, the
Magician knows the importance of focusing on the best
outcome and believes that all answers can be accessed from
inner truths. As a deep thinker, the Magician disciplines the
mind in service to the co-creation of reality. The Magician lives
beyond the ordinary and is driven to experience the realm of
miracles possible within every decision and opportunity.
Examples
Benjamin Franklin. Merlin. Charmed. Practical Magic. Willy
Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Polaroid. iPod. Xbox.
Archetype
Matchmaker
“Sometimes the two people most meant for each other are the last two to realize it.”
- Unattributed
The Matchmaker is a strategic intermediary who reduces risk
and fear of rejection in building relationships. Using knowledge
of relationship dynamics and intuition, the Matchmaker identifies
with the benefits of human connection as a core raison d’être.
Fueled by the fulfillment of successful relationships, this
archetype shares qualities with the Networker but is
differentiated primarily by an investment in creating mutually
beneficial relationships for others rather than an interest in
furthering oneself.
The Matchmaker draws upon varied skills, including
translation, historical tracking and a unique capacity for
cataloging seemingly disparate data for future use. Able to spot
patterns and make connections between presumably unrelated
character traits, events or other phenomena, the Matchmaker
acts as a facilitator of multiple kinds of exchanges - love, real
estate, education, business mergers. This archetype is always
on the lookout for opportunities, synergies and intersection
points.
The Matchmaker is open-minded and humble, generally stays
behind the scenes and maintains a high degree of
confidentiality and discretion. Successful matchmaking is
viewed as a sort of human alchemy facilitated by intention,
energy and attention. As an intermediary, the Matchmaker is a
service archetype playing an important role in resolving the
human struggle of separatism.
Examples
Emma (Jane Austen). Dolly Levi (Hello, Dolly!). Yenta (Fiddler
on the Roof). Amélie. eHarmony. TheDeal.com.
DonorsChoose.org.
Archetype
Maverick
“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the
future can be better, it’s unlikely you will step up and take responsibility for making it so.
… The choice is yours.”
- Noam Chomsky
The Maverick is an independent thinker. Defined by a “don’t
fence me in” mentality, the Maverick rejects labels, boxes or
any other constraining idea. Social mores do not hinder this
archetype’s action or thoughts. The Maverick might be at the
leading edge of change and seen as being ahead of one’s time.
Characterized as smart, creative, unconventional and full of
piss and vinegar, the Maverick has moxie and nerve. With
tenacious courage and relentless aggression, it will do, think
and feel things that do not reflect conventional wisdom. The
Maverick is motivated to protect freedom and willing to employ
disruptive tactics to effect change.
The Maverick doesn’t play by society’s rules and generally
feels that rules are made to be broken. Forgiveness is easier to
ask for than permission. This archetype does ascribe to rules,
however; but they must be self-generated, self-imposed and
self-punished in order for the Maverick to accept responsibility
for consequences.
The Maverick is the definition of audacity, demonstrating a
fearless willingness to plunge into the unknown and the
different. But as much as this archetype values individualism,
the Maverick cannot exist in isolation, needing something to
push against, to compare or contrast with, for self-definition.
Generally operating as a lone wolf, the Maverick identifies with
being alone against the world and is willing to take a stand apart
from popular views.
Examples
Jack Kerouac. T. Boone Pickens. John Wayne. Jesse James.
Starbuck (Battlestar Galactica). Peter Rabbit (Beatrix Potter).
Harley-Davidson. Guayaki Yerba Mate. Levi Strauss & Co.
Archetype
Mentor
“Do or do not. There is no try.”
- Yoda, Star Wars
The Mentor is essentially a teacher and trainer who supports
not only learning but also character development in order to
prepare others to meet life’s challenges. To enable the kind of
intimacy and trust required to fulfill this role, the Mentor must be
someone in whom trust can be placed without reservation.
Additionally, the Mentor is a good listener who can hold a
large container of seemingly unrelated puzzle pieces. With an
empathetic voice of reason and a developed capacity for
hearing limiting beliefs, the Mentor represents the wiser
qualities within us, often acting as a secondary conscience by
offering gifts for others to use along their journey.
The Mentor can behave as the Herald, delivering messages
with information, guidance and encouragement for what some
might deem the “call to adventure.” Relationships with students
may extend for long periods of time during which the Mentor
remains as advisor and support through multiple engagements.
An excellent judge of character, the Mentor possesses a
great curiosity about what makes people tick and an advanced
ability to discern between authenticity and insincere behavior.
Gratification is found by supporting others toward
empowerment and partnering with them toward the realization
of higher-order goals. The Mentor is motivated by the desire to
be a rising tide that lifts all boats and to share wisdom for the
benefit of all.
Examples
Dumbledore (Harry Potter series). Obi-Wan Kenobi (Star
Wars). Socrates (Way of the Peaceful Warrior). The Miracle
Worker (William Gibson). Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid).
Archetype
Muse
“From beyond comes to us the life, the power to live, and we must wisely keep our
hearts open.”
- D.H. Lawrence
Considered a source of knowledge and inspiration, the Muse
finds fulfillment by breathing inspiration, vitality and optimism
into others to create new insights and forms. Illuminating truths
and offering sustained energy, the Muse brightens the dark
corners of the human mind. This archetype brings energy and
radiance to situations.
The Muse is in sacred alliance with its partner to inspire
creative endeavors. Enabling the creative juices to flow, this
archetype arouses great passions to further the expression of
talent. The Muse expands horizons and fuels creativity. In the
Muse, the best and most beautiful aspects of the viewer are
seen reflected in the face of another.
The term muse originates from Greek mythology. Classically,
there were nine Muses referring to the daughters of Zeus and
Mnemosyne. Considered an instrument of a higher power, the
Muse is a conduit to understanding the creative space between
the worlds.
Driven by the experience of flow in which time is lost to the
fullest engagement of the self, the Muse finds purpose in
supporting, inspiring, loving and encouraging the artist lucky
enough to be graced by this archetype’s attention. The Muse
brings a sense of the magical and inspires a broad range of
practitioners, from scientists to teachers to artists and anyone
aspiring for something beyond their reach. This archetype
functions as a facilitator in that merely by yearning for the
Muse, the recipient becomes more expansive, deeper and
better than before.
Examples
Yoko Ono (for John Lennon). Camille Claudel (for Auguste
Rodin). Gertrude Stein (for Picasso and Warhol). Barbara
Hershey in Beaches. Mona Lisa. The nine Muses (Greek
mythology). WIRED magazine. Tumblr.com.
Archetype
Networker
“You have everything you need to build something far bigger than yourself.”
- Seth Godin, in Tribes
The Networker creates communities of collaborative peers for
the mutual benefit of the collective. Operating as a hub, this
archetype is motivated by an intuitive knowledge of people’s
unique skills and differentiating aspects. Fascinated by patterns
and usually extroverted, the Networker finds meaning in
knowing people in many cultures, locations and industries.
The Networker finds commonalities between people and is
motivated to expand its sphere of influence by forging alliances
and making connections within disparate groups of people. This
archetype demonstrates an intuitive emotional sensitivity to the
needs of other people. Sometimes seen as a social butterfly,
the Networker is generally quite good at putting people at ease,
telling stories and making friends.
Social media has created a whole new playing field for the
Networker, allowing for continents, time zones and cultures to
be crossed. Like listening in the halls of a large organization,
social networks are candy to the Networker, offering access to
the zeitgeist, a ready stream of stimulus and response, and
exposure to new ideas that furthers the Networker’s
connections.
The Networker is cultured, socially facile and has a broad
knowledge base. With an easy laugh and the ability to make
others feel good, the Networker brings information, power and
inspiration to spread ideas and spark change across a broad
spectrum - from the political to the ideological to the artistic. By
knowing the right people, the Networker is a powerful facilitator
to make things happen.
Examples
Chris Anderson (curator of TED). Malcolm Gladwell. Elle Woods
(Legally Blonde). The Hub. Salesforce.com. eBay. LinkedIn.
Archetype
Patriarch
“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey
and acclaim him, worse when they despise him … But of a good leader who talks little
when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, ‘We did it ourselves.’”
- Lao Tzu
Like the Sovereign, the Patriarch is associated with a lineage of
power and leadership; the key difference with the Patriarch is
the responsibility for protecting others. This archetype is the
family head of a hierarchical structure providing oversight,
governance and protection. Adept at managing and distributing
duties, the Patriarch is expected to attend to, defend and
protect those in its custody, even if that entails forsaking
personal needs. Demonstrating self-control, experience and
command, the Patriarch inspires in others a sense of security,
certainty, respect and assurance.
The Patriarch has a powerful drive to take care of the
“children” and may be symbolic of the command and control
paradigm present in some parent/child relationships. This
archetype believes in good governance, responsibility and the
value of regulation. Operating under an incentive/punishment
model of motivation, the Patriarch takes a firm stance for the
justification of order.
Understanding that with great power comes great
responsibility, the Patriarch’s sense of accomplishment and
meaning is derived from the relative stability, consistency and
sense of equity present in this archetype’s realm of oversight.
Examples
The Pope. Chief Seattle. Franklin D. Roosevelt. Winston
Churchill. Mike Brady (The Brady Bunch). The Godfather trilogy.
Internal Revenue Service. Volvo.
Archetype
Pioneer
““What do dreams know of boundaries?”
- Amelia Earhart
The Pioneer is a groundbreaker able to courageously leave
behind the known for the promise of what might be. The journey
into the unknown requires enthusiasm, tenacity, a certain
conviction, vision and sense of adventure. Pioneers like to be
first - the first to market or the first to discover a new
technology, concept or art form. Characterized by innovation,
this archetype creates the path rather than looks for it. The
Pioneer has an adventurous spirit that represents birth and
growth in undiscovered realms.
The expression of the pioneering archetype can range
broadly, from the desire to reform and civilize to the desire to
simply discover and look for that which has not yet been seen in
quite the same way. But the outward manifestations are less
important than the values that underpin the Pioneer’s behavior.
At the core of this archetype is the pull for new territory.
The Pioneer requires action for anything that is new, and like
others in this family, the discovery and action may take place
internally or externally. Possessing a potent zest for life, the
Pioneer exudes energy, faith and creative potential. This
archetype needs to create and share that which has not been
created before.
Examples
Sigmund Freud. Van Jones (Green For All and Rebuild the
Dream). Little House on the Prairie. Cousteau Society. NASA.
Mission Markets (impact investing).
Archetype
Provocateur
“How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making
progress.”
- Niels Bohr, Physicist
The Provocateur is an activator. Called to arouse, inspire and
challenge people to wake up to their true selves and what is
best for the collective, the Provocateur evokes strong emotions.
This archetype can be quite polarizing, but it will often present
with charisma and charm. Also known as an agitator or
firebrand, the Provocateur stirs up latent feelings of discontent
to expose the inhumanity that often accompanies complacency.
A natural communicator, this archetype instinctually navigates
complex social systems to find the leverage point for change.
In the Tibetan tradition, the Provocateur is present in what is
called a dakini - “a playful/wrathful sky goddess who embodies
a wild, provocative energy that enters people’s lives and shakes
them loose from complacency and superficiality.”6
Using nuance, double meanings, irony, shock, comedy and
controversy, the Provocateur incites engagement. By agitating
others to see, hear and view so-called reality differently, the
Provocateur activates the trigger-and-response cycle that quite
literally provokes people to action of some sort. With a firm
belief that apathy is the enemy, the Provocateur refuses to be
ignored, stimulates risk and offers the possibility of experiencing
life’s deeper mysteries and joys.
Examples
Sacha Baron Cohen. Bill Maher. David Sedaris. Kevin Danaher.
Ze Frank. Millions Against Monsanto. The Onion. MoveOn.org.
BareMinerals cosmetics.
Fundamental Archetype
Rebel
“Every act of rebellion expresses a nostalgia for innocence and an appeal to the
essence of being.”
- Albert Camus
The Rebel is a force to be reckoned with, representing the voice
that’s had enough. The Rebel is the reminder of conscience and
consciousness, inspired by a need to bring issues to the
forefront. This archetype is a key to social change, acting as a
harbinger of fresh perspectives, new outlooks, aspirational
change and awakening. A rule breaker, the Rebel challenges
convention by questioning the status quo and pushing the
envelope. With bold leadership, courage and power, the Rebel
helps to dispel others’ fear of victimization.
Fluent in the language of society and tradition, the Rebel
sees from a vantage point that illuminates a new direction. By
raising awareness, breaking down outdated modes of thinking
and institutions and combining ideas with action, the Rebel
seeks to overturn the established order in service of a more
cooperative, accepting and free society. The Rebel’s mission
isn’t always social or political; the mission may be personal
when applied to issues of resistance to change.
While the Rebel may not be universally admired, this
archetype is definitely attractive and possesses a kind of broad
appeal with a strong affiliation for anyone in pursuit of a
counterculture or of change to established norms. The Rebel
does not express anger but does awaken outrage for the
paradigms supported by society’s narcolepsy.
Examples
Vladimir Lenin. Che Guevara. Malcolm X. Madonna.
Muhammad Ali. James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. One
Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Norma Rae. MTV. Apple’s 1984
Macintosh ad.
Archetype
Reformer
“The grass is not, in fact, always greener on the other side of the fence. No, not at all.
Fences have nothing to do with it. The grass is greenest where it is watered. When
crossing over fences, carry water with you and tend the grass wherever you may be.”
- Robert Fulghum
The Reformer does not believe in throwing the baby out with
the bath water but rather seeks to improve the existing system.
Distinguished from the Activist by leanings toward gradual
rather than sea change, the Reformer has no need for the
limelight. Satisfaction is found in improved outcomes. Observing
violations, justifications and problems in the system, the
Reformer can act as a watchdog or whistle-blower.
The Reformer’s philosophy reflects principle-based decision
making, purpose, self-control and the pursuit of perfection. This
archetype operates under a sense of having a mission to
overcome adversity. Imminently practical, the Reformer seeks
to reduce disorder and be useful.
The Reformer is highly instinctual and passionate and looks
for acceptable ways to rationalize decisions and actions.
Possessing an advanced ability to see what’s missing, the
Reformer instinctually is pulled to modify and restructure. The
Reformer wants to be right, to strive higher and to improve
everything. Living in relentless application of ideals and
expectations, this archetype seeks to avoid criticism by applying
rigorous logic and justification. The Reformer believes in the
possibility of rehabilitation and strives to correct legal, political,
religious and environmental abuses.
Examples
C.S. Lewis. Eliot Spitzer. Ralph Nader. Rosie the Riveter. Mr.
Spock (Star Trek). Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The
Tea Party movement. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Triple Pundit.
Archetype
Rescuer
“It is always better to try than to do nothing, because not trying secures complete
failure.”
- Miep Gies
The Rescuer is driven by the need to be of help. By providing
support in dire situations, the Rescuer’s sense of purpose is
fulfilled. Discerning real need, regardless of danger or difficulty,
the Rescuer is skilled at sensing when a rescue is in order and
when it isn’t. In any case, the rescue is a temporary action.
When the rescue is prolonged into a long-term engagement, it
can devolve into codependency and disempowerment.
Distinguished from the Warrior by lack of personalization and
attachment to the cause, the Rescuer will step in when no one
else will - when the Warrior doesn’t see the point and when the
Liberator doesn’t connect the situation to a broader vision. And
unlike the Activist, the Rescuer is generally in a reactive stance
rather than proactive. Preferring to restore balance and stasis,
the Rescuer rarely steps in to create change and does not
operate from a place of anger.
The Rescuer can be active in many different situations and
shares qualities with the Healer. The Rescuer may be involved
in health and wellness situations, justice issues, natural and
terrorist disasters, rescue of hearth and home, prevention of
errors of judgment. The impulse to help is instinctual in this
archetype and is activated in a split second without question.
The qualities and behaviors of this archetype function both
internally for the rescue of the self from acts of self-betrayal
and externally for the rescue of others from threatening
circumstance.
Examples
Miep Gies (Anne Frank). Rin Tin Tin. Atticus Finch (To Kill a
Mockingbird). Doctors Without Borders.
Archetype
Romantic
“I love that I can feel the inside of the feelings in you,even if it stops my life even if it
hurts too much or takes me off track … even if it breaks my heart.”
- Eve Ensler
The Romantic possesses an undying belief in the quality of the
shared love experience. Driven by a life fueled by feeling “in
love,” the Romantic sees the glass half full and experiences the
world as being full of beauty. This archetype requires lots of
stimulation and is attracted to intense emotions. A sense of
oneness and completeness - a transformation of the soul - is
found within love relationships. And so the Romantic finds
enjoyment in the deeply satisfying experiences of the love
communion.
The key differentiator from the Lover is the Romantic’s
infatuation with sexual and sensual beauty and experience.
Igniting the fires of romance yields a heightened sense of
aliveness and possibility. In Greek mythology, Eros, as the
ultimate Romantic, succumbs to the beauty of Psyche. In
Roman mythology, Cupid, whose name means “desire,” shoots
arrows to inspire romance and love. These images underpin the
Romantic’s desire for an emotional life on steroids.
This archetype is fun to be with, captivating, charismatic,
sociable and friendly. Easily recognized in a crowd, the
Romantic seems to radiate a kind of incandescence. Like moths
to a flame, others may be attracted to the Romantic. Elements
of fantasy, flirtation, titillation, courtship and willingness to risk
greatly in pursuit of romantic love characterize how this
archetype revels in the excitement of the quest.
Examples
Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice). Rhett Butler (Gone With the
Wind). Gilbert Blythe (Anne of Green Gables). Patrick Swayze
in Dirty Dancing. Godiva chocolate. Tiffany & Co.
Archetype
Ruler
“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a
small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this
generation.”
- Robert F. Kennedy
The Ruler represents power and control and is motivated to
lead. Able to successfully drive a vision in pursuit of challenging
circumstances within constantly changing contexts, the Ruler
calls on individuals and society at large to step up and take
responsibility for the world we create. Seen as confident,
commanding and powerful, the Ruler is large and in charge,
infused with a sense of status and achievement.
Distinguished from the Sovereign, the Ruler’s position is
earned or created rather than inherited or taken by conquest.
And in contrast to the Patriarch, the Ruler has no need to
benevolently protect. Before taking control, the Ruler must
demonstrate expertise, ability to delegate, a proven track
record and competence.
Often connected to the concepts of mastery, patriotism and
morality, the Ruler awakens core questions about right and
wrong, order and chaos, prioritization and choice. The Ruler is a
realist and finds meaning in creating structures, organizations
and environments that are harmonious, fruitful and
constructive.
Examples
Atlas. Nefertiti. The U.S. dollar. The Commonwealth of Nations
(formerly the British Commonwealth). Rolls-Royce. George
Washington University. British Airways. Bohemian Club.
Fundamental Archetype
Sage
“Because the Sage always confronts difficulties, he never experiences them.”
- Lao Tzu
Through the ages, people have sought the advice and counsel
of Sages, given their ability to transcend the personal in order
to discern and uncover symbols and signs hidden in life’s
challenges. Generous of spirit yet discriminating, the Sage
gently shares great wisdom with compassion and mercy so that
teaching may facilitate a path where mistakes are not repeated.
This archetype combines objective analysis with the capacity to
weigh many factors and the inclusion of expert opinion while
inherently remaining a pragmatic skeptic.
The Sage has a foundational identity attachment to the belief
that thinking is what defines the human experience and that
truth is the ultimate goal. Motivated by independence, cognitive
fulfillment and a serious need to know, the Sage possesses
great knowledge gained from deep experience. This archetype
is immersed in the inner landscape of knowledge and
contemplation, practices nonattachment and usually has
achieved some level of transcendence from the material world.
The Sage signifies competence with added value.
Constantly balancing tradition and stability with the values of
growth and change, the Sage is a lifelong learner who is always
discovering new pieces to fit into the whole. Learning for its own
sake is valued because it allows for detachment from the
masses and the capacity to remain objective while deepening
awareness and expanding one’s understanding of reality. The
Sage cultivates wisdom through a systems perspective in which
connections between seemingly separate beings, ideas and
things are made and honored.
Examples
Confucius. Homer. Jane Goodall. Deepak Chopra. Marie Curie.
Yoda (Star Wars). Morpheus (The Matrix). Harvard. Stanford.
The Smithsonian. RAND Corporation. Mayo Clinic. Institute for
the Future.
Archetype
Samaritan
“[P]eople will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never
forget how you made them feel.”
- Maya Angelou
Operating under the “love thy neighbor as thyself” behavior
code, the Samaritan demonstrates compassion in action. The
Samaritan hears an internal call to help others in need, but not
as a result of being asked. This archetype finds personal
satisfaction and meaning in relieving another’s suffering, easing
another’s pain and sharing with those less fortunate.
Differentiated from philanthropy, the Samaritan takes an active
rather than passive role in serving others.
Taken literally, the name of the Samaritan indicates a person
from Samaria and refers to the biblical story in which a
Samaritan offered unlikely help and compassion to an injured
traveler. The Samaritan doesn’t escape being flawed but is
somehow fueled by the better parts of humanity to be a
mensch, to just do the right thing and help others in need.
The Samaritan does not limit support or aid to any particular
group but is driven to improve the plight of anyone in pain,
distress or discomfort. The spectrum of behavior of this
archetype is broad, ranging from taking the time to help a
stranger with directions to spending vacation time building
homes in underprivileged communities.
Examples
Florence Nightingale. Oskar Schindler. Will Smith in Seven
Pounds. The Salvation Army. Meals On Wheels. Guardian
Angels.
Archetype
Scientist
“Satisfaction of one’s curiosity is one of the greatest sources of happiness in life.”
- Linus Pauling
With thought predicated on witnessing rather than believing, the
Scientist is driven by a selfless desire to work for the greater
good. As a source of change, this archetype can improvise
novel approaches to life’s puzzles and mysteries. The Scientist
is like a dog with a bone; once a goal has been set, pursuit for
resolution will be relentless. This archetype is passionate about
exploring and gaining a comprehensive understanding of nature
and her mysteries. The Scientist is focused on taking things
apart, whereas the Artist puts things together, and a theoretical
focus differentiates the Scientist from the Engineer.
The Scientist is internally motivated, satisfied by a job well
done rather than external praise. This archetype is clothed in
modesty, selfless ness and humility, while underneath may lie
an arrogance fueled by superior intellect, deep thinking and a
singular focus on goal achievement. Sometimes considered a
bit “mad,” the expression of this archetype presents a broad
range of manifestation but is grounded in the quest for
answers, possibly even “the” answer.
The Scientist’s brilliance powerfully removes obstacles. A
long-term thinker, the Scientist shuns shoddy solutions rife with
ugly externalities. This archetype is dedicated to the highest
order of truth and the pursuit of elegant theory and formal
proofs.
Examples
Charles Darwin. Albert Einstein. Sally Ride. Gertrude B. Elion. A
Beautiful Mind. Genentech.
Archetype
Seeker
“The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands but in seeing with new
eyes.”
- Marcel Proust
The Seeker epitomizes the call to find meaning and is on a path
to find wisdom and truth wherever it may be. Demonstrating
great patience and perseverance, this archetype appears
tirelessly motivated. The Seeker leaves no stone unturned or
unexamined on the journey. With the ultimate goals of
empowerment and enlightenment, the Seeker connects with the
inner self and finds inner meanings by exploring and
questioning both the external and internal environments.
Motivated by an unquenchable need to know - intellectually,
emotionally and spiritually - the Seeker is ambitious and
independent. Preferring to “do it myself,” the Seeker is in
perpetual motion and travels lightly.
This archetype quests for a world unknown but deeply felt.
The search for truth often uncovers lies, deception and
mysteries about the Seeker and the world. The process creates
a capacity for seeing through any masks of deception. The
process of discovery reveals a vast canvas of lessons - talents,
knowledge, abilities, perspective and points of view. Searching
for deeper meaning in life, the Seeker is open-minded,
ambitious and relentlessly honest. The Seeker looks and listens
for the highest potential in self and others. Driven to
continuously learn and know more, the Seeker thirsts for a
better way, a better life and a better world.
Examples
Dian Fossey. Louis Leakey. Stephen Hawking. Jonas Salk. Fox
Mulder (The X-Files). National Geographic. Boy Scouts of
America.
Archetype
Servant
“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and
behold, service was joy.”
- Rabindranath Tagore
The Servant can assume a spectrum of roles, from one who
serves another to servant leadership. This archetype’s duties
can be performed in a similar spectrum, from domestic to
government or business. The unifying quality of the Servant is a
calling to service for the benefit of enhancing others’ lives.
Although sometimes seen in a pejorative light, the true spirit of
the Servant does not contain a mandate to subservience or
being indentured but represents a perspective that prioritizes
others. In supporting the well-being and empowerment of
people and community, the Servant feels a deep responsibility
to contribute positively to the world. A diligent and dedicated
helper, the Servant is a humble steward, freely choosing to
serve and to satisfy.
Service occurs in many places ranging from behind the
scenes to out in front, from in the home to the workplace. When
in a leadership position, the Servant focuses on helping remove
obstacles and assisting others in reaching their objectives.
Servant leadership is generally participative and reflects a
spiritual view of an organization’s vision, mission and identity.
The rewards of service are sufficient for this archetype, and
external recognition is not required. Service can be rendered for
the benefit of multiple levels of community, from self to others
and beyond to ideals, concepts and causes.
Examples
Ram Dass. Donella H. Meadows (Thinking in Systems). Ray
Anderson (CEO of Interface). Morgan Freeman in Driving Miss
Daisy. Dobby (Harry Potter series). EWG’s Skin Deep
Cosmetics Database.
Archetype
Shaman
“A path is only a path, and there is no affront, to oneself or to others, in dropping it if that
is what your heart tells you. Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many
times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself alone, one question. Does this path
have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn’t, it is of no use.”
- Carlos Castaneda
The Shaman’s overarching desire is to be of service to
humanity. Able to access various states of consciousness,
perspectives and ways of seeing, the Shaman is a mystical and
experiential teacher motivated by the single-minded dedication
to the path of enlightenment, no matter what the cost. The
Shaman values inclusivity and oneness.
As a medium between the visible and invisible worlds, the
Shaman acts as a bridge between the material world and the
infinite world of possibilities. The Shaman is able to confront
destructive forces, oppression and suffering toward their
release, and it finds meaning in facilitating transformation.
This archetype can facilitate the release of limiting ways of
thinking, feeling and being by offering experiences, often in the
form of rituals, that trigger strong responses to changes in
sensory input (e.g., a vision quest). The Shaman acts as a
channel for creating an environment that allows for connection
with spirit and emergence of one’s higher self. This may result
in healing, greater courage or expanded vision. The Shaman
makes what is unconscious conscious and what is implicit
explicit.
Examples
Pema Chödrön (Buddhist teacher). His Holiness the Dalai
Lama. Meister Eckhart. Moses. Paulo Coelho. Bruce Willis in
The Sixth Sense. Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings).
Archetype
Shapeshifter
““I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”
- C.G. Jung
A chameleon at heart, the Shapeshifter can move in and out of
any situation with ease and style. Sometimes acting as a
catalyst to help others get past their obstacles, the Shapeshifter
challenges them to question their assumptions and beliefs.
Changing roles and personality characteristics are hallmarks of
this archetype. The Shapeshifter is highly adept at molding into
whatever a given situation requires in order to energetically
move people and circumstances toward greater understanding
or resolve.
Derived from Jung’s concepts of the animus (male element in
the female unconscious) and anima (the female element in the
male unconscious), the Shapeshifter is a symbol for the
psychological drive to transform. Stirring up repressed energies,
the Shapeshifter can force what is hidden into the light of day.
Also known as the Trickster, the Shapeshifter is prevalent in
Native American traditions. Able to cross boundaries between
waking and dream states, the Shapeshifter reflects the desire
for transformation in others. This archetype is a common
mythological theme exploring concepts of the other, reality or
deception of appearance, metamorphosis, and protection or
punishment of different forms.
Examples
Tracey Ullman. The Terminator series. Willoughby (Sense and
Sensibility). Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada).
Professor Snape (Harry Potter series). The work of M.C.
Escher. Cirque du Soleil.
Fundamental Archetype
Sovereign
“Be noble, for you are of the stars; be humble, for you are of the earth.”
- Slavic proverb
Possessing an aura of organization and order, the Sovereign is
a model of proper behavior while exuding an untouchable
quality of privilege and royalty. Under constant public scrutiny,
the Sovereign is controlled, watchful, measured and cautious
with words and deeds. This archetype is connected with
tradition and status, and it exemplifies dignity, benevolence and
serenity. Interested in growth and expansion, the Sovereign is
committed to furthering the “kingdom” and accepts the
responsibilities that come with power.
The Sovereign is closely tied to the Ruler, with the key
distinction of having ascended to power by inheritance or
conflict leading to overthrow. Unlike the Ruler, the Sovereign is
endowed with the supreme power passed down through
bloodlines. As such, there may be a disconnect to what is best
for the populous, as well as a tendency for “do as I say, not as I
do” behavior.
The Sovereign may be active on many levels and in many
contexts. Wealth is not a requirement, but the experience of
having some sort of realm, whether internal or external, over
which the archetype can reign, is universal. Power and
leadership are expressed in many ways. This archetype is often
combined with others, such as the Sage, Seeker, Warrior or
Lover, to increase the specificity of the Sovereign’s style and
perspectives. The Sovereign points to the highest expression of
collective power by symbolizing what can be achieved through
cooperation.
Examples
Cleopatra. Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Albert (husband of Queen
Victoria). King Arthur. Mufasa (The Lion King). The Vatican.
U.S. Treasury. Mercedes-Benz. Lloyds TSB.
Archetype
Storyteller
“Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect miracles.”
- Henry David Thoreau
The Storyteller connects people to the shared human
experience with stories that can unleash powerful emotions,
build credibility and allow for difficult topics to be explored.
Using this gift to relay information and knowledge, the
Storyteller passes along history and insight, often with a bit of
exaggeration or drama to make a point or add clarity.
In many ways, the Storyteller is the living bridge between the
conscious world and the archetypal realm of the collective
unconscious. By bridging the two worlds, this archetype makes
the covert overt, the metaphorical applicable, the separate
integrated. Expressing soul insights and lessons in symbolic
language, the Storyteller gathers life’s teachings that extol the
virtues of a grand idea, an adventure or innovation, yet with an
understanding of failure and sorrow.
With a flair for the dramatic and emotionally resonant, the
Storyteller has a unique capacity to evoke feelings in an
audience. The intuitive sense of how to meet people where they
are makes the stories’ messages accessible, nonthreatening,
entertaining, inspirational and actionable. Also known as the
Bard, the Storyteller feeds hungry souls with tales of what it
means to be human. As an open channel, letting go of
judgment and self-consciousness, the Storyteller accesses
material via emotion and intuition.
Examples
William Shakespeare. Joan Didion. Bill Cosby. Anne Lamott.
Maya Angelou. Bob Dylan. Fried Green Tomatoes. StoryCorps
(National Public Radio). The New Yorker.
Archetype
Translator
“For what is liberty but the unhampered translation of will into act?”
- Cyril Connolly, English intellectual and critic
The Translator archetype can be described as the messenger
of meaning. In ancient times, the transfer of cultural ideas and
insights relied predominantly upon travelers and tradespeople,
thus magnifying their role in the development of global culture.
As a symbol of the Translator, the ancient Rosetta Stone (c.
196 bc) - which provided the key to understanding Egyptian
hieroglyphics - represents the application of the Translator’s
capacity to unlock mysteries.
The Translator naturally draws on the language of archetypes
to cross boundaries - of gender, culture and time - to tap into
meanings that are universal to the human race. Characterized
by high intellect, cognitive discernment and a strong intuitive
capacity, the Translator is motivated by a fascination with how
people create meaningful lives for themselves through
communication and language. Well-spoken communicators,
Translators guide others toward mutual understanding.
Since subtlety can be lost when translation is approached too
literally, the Translator may have an unusually well-developed
need to uncover true meaning and intention. This need, coupled
with an inherent sense of fairness and integrity, provides the
Translator with the strength of character necessary to withstand
society’s inclination to shoot the messenger.
Examples
Walter Cronkite. Rumi. Booker T. Washington. The Nurse
(Romeo and Juliet). Rob Brezsny (Astrologer). McKinsey &
Company. Rosetta Stone (software).
Archetype
Visionary
“The power of imagination makes us infinite.”
- John Muir
The Visionary has the wisdom to imagine the promise and
potential on behalf of the greater good. Possessing the ability to
illuminate the benefits and drawbacks based on chosen
decision/actions without prejudice, the Visionary creates
structures that shift society. Characterized by great imagination,
insight and boldness, this archetype thinks in systems and can
synthesize multiple data points. Somewhat paradoxically, the
Visionary can be remarkably humble, acknowledging the gift of
foresight as given rather than owned.
Able to read between the lines of environment, conversation
and context, the Visionary listens in the silence, sees with eyes
wide shut and hones a deeply intuitive connection with what
needs to emerge. This archetype senses what is just around
the bend or just over the horizon and feels energies that offer a
kind of inner map. Like the light at the end of the tunnel, the
Visionary is called to harness the infinite power of our collective
creativity and imagination to offer a future based on
stewardship, compassion and reason.
The Visionary is a brilliant strategist and can imagine
possibilities that reach beyond the scope of any one individual
life to benefit all of society. The Visionary sees what is possible
if certain decisions are made, and it can spot what is inevitable
given the choices that have been made in the past. In this way,
the Visionary is capable of leading a peaceful revolution fueled
by values, ethics and soul toward a future of equality, meaning
and empowerment.
Examples
Hildegard of Bingen. Nostradamus. Richard Buckminster Fuller.
Sojourner Truth (Isabella Baumfree). Steve Jobs. TED. Le
Corbusier. Herman Miller. Pixar.
Archetype
Warrior
“To avoid action when justice is at stake demonstrates a lack of courage.”
- Gichin Funakoshi
The Warrior demonstrates dedication and honor. Operating on
the belief that pure strength and power can overcome any
injustice, this archetype is empowered to effect change and, in
fact, views change as a duty. As a guardian of boundaries, the
Warrior teaches assertiveness - how to speak truth, how to
meet needs without compromising others’, how to fight for a
cause bigger than ourselves.
The qualities of the Warrior archetype include an unwavering
sense of ethics and the ability and will to protect against any
enemy, be it conceptual, egoic or external. Possessing a strong
sense of justice, loyalty and goal orientation, the Warrior is
often impatient and keenly focused on strategy and tactics to
put an end to what has been identified as wrong. The Warrior is
an independent thinker with a keen nose for power, who is
motivated by challenge and conquest. Energized by controlling
and managing both internal and external worlds, the Warrior’s
identity is attached to accomplishment, doing and outcomes.
When considering the core essence of the Warrior, caution is
advised to avoid resorting to stereotype. The Warrior is not
necessarily part of a military or security system. While the
Warrior may feel a duty to fight against exploitation and
mistreatment, this archetype is motivated less by aggression
and power and more by using strength to prevent, defend and
protect against violence, subjugation and abuse. Generally at
the front line, the Warrior does not ask others to do anything it
would not do.
Examples
Eleanor of Aquitaine. Martin Litton (environmentalist). John
Walsh (America’s Most Wanted). William Munny (Unforgiven).
Henry V (Shakespeare). Mothers Against Drunk Driving
(MADD).
CHAPTER SI X
Read Tonight. Use Tomorrow.
Ever since we’ve been using archetypes in our work, two dominant
themes have emerged that point to the benefits and power of using
them. The first is that archetypes have helped us resolve brand
inconsistencies, and the second, which is an extension of the first, is
that archetypes can enhance trust with users.
As you use the cards, we encourage you to widen your focus. In
photography, there are times when a shallow depth of field, or
aperture, of f/2.8 is appropriate and wonderful. The intent with a
shallow depth of field is to help focus the viewer’s eye by blurring
out the background. With archetypes, we’ve found the most power
in the opposite of this. We want to bring as much of the whole
system into focus as possible. Or to complete the photography
metaphor, we suggest a large depth of field, or f/22.
Since archetypes exist in the collective unconscious, they are best
“deduced indirectly by examining behavior, images, art, myths, etc.
They are inherited potentials which are actualized when they enter
consciousness as images or manifest in behavior or interaction with
the outside world.”1 Pull back to the 30,000-foot view and you will
see the numerous interconnections that become highlighted when
you use an archetype as a bridge to understanding your business
and brand.
Using archetypes as an exploratory tool can reveal your brand’s
motivations, how it moves in the world, and what its trigger points
are. By trusting in the power of the right brain, archetypes can help
create a business environment that is more conducive to
innovation. And in the process of their usage, they can reveal some
unexpected ideas about how you shape your business and your
brand.
GIVE IT A GO
As previously discussed, this tool is designed to ignite emotional
understandings of the humanity of your brand in order to integrate
your communications, your relationships and your business success
with your brand purpose and offering. We reiterate for emphasis
that the highest potential use of the cards is to tap into universal
feelings and instincts and enter a nonlinear, symbolic space, where
creativity can be unleashed and a deeper sense of meaning and
expression is possible.
Before using any of these exercises, the facilitator will need to
provide a brief description of archetypes and clearly communicate
the goals for the exercise. We present all modules in our brand
identity work as conversation starters; doing so seems to reassure
participants that there are no right or wrong answers. Because
identifying all the steps and skills that go into facilitation is beyond
the scope of this book, we are going to assume you have some basic
familiarity with guiding group processes, and present the following
eight examples of how to use this tool in your work.
HOW TO USE THIS TOOL
1. Personal Branding
As social networks continue to pervade our lives, the what, how,
where and why of our posts contribute to the perception of what is
known as your personal brand. Word on the street in 2012 is that
the blog combined with your social media presence is the new
resume. Employers are increasingly interested in how a candidate
comports him/herself online.
So what does your social media presence say about who you are
and what you’re about? Is your voice consistent across your various
social media channels but still tailored and appropriate for the goals
of each platform? Do you have an understanding, even if only
instinctual, of how the content you post and the interactions you
have create a perception of your values and who you are? Are you
aware of whom you are talking with? Using archetypes can help you
get intentional about how you are presenting yourself. Even a light
touch application of archetypes into how you approach your social
media communications can help you present yourself more
intentionally and accurately.
2. Business Culture
Illustrate your business culture by describing how your brand
archetype represents your company values and behaviors. Applying
your archetype(s) to internal communications, processes and events
integrates your brand, mission and values into your culture to
create a greater confidence, trust and meaning within your
organization. And, of course, this has great value externally as well!
3. Mood Board
The Archetypes in Branding deck of cards is intentionally designed
to spark conversations about artistic style, metaphor, pacing, tone
and color. Try using the cards to kick off discussions about color and
style preferences when building a visual corporate identity, or use
them to encapsulate the personality of a specific business initiative,
either internal or external. As always, capture feedback and reflect
back to participants to inform future actions.
4. Shorthand
Use archetypes to empower your creatives and strategists to use
their instincts in developing campaigns, communications and
products. Rather than trying to micromanage brand manifestations
and getting caught in semantic differences, you can use archetypes
can help us trust the outcomes by encouraging a gut check at the
conceptual level: “How would the [insert archetype] behave in this
situation?”
5. Values and Mission Alignment
Before launching any new initiative or releasing any new
communications, use the chosen archetype(s) as a quick touchpoint
for evaluation: “Would the [insert your brand archetype] do or say
this?” Remember that your brand archetype(s) are the most
valuable when integrated across the full spectrum of your business
from the C-Suite to HR to Product Development to Marketing to
Finance.
6. Target Audience
Archetypes can also be used as a proxy for the motivations of your
target audience. Choose the cards that best represent your market
segments and stakeholders and place them in a circle around your
brand/business archetype. Ask participants to tell the story of how
each audience and stakeholder archetype is related to the brand
archetype. What are their agreements and expectations of each
other? What are their motivations and ways of interacting? This can
be a surprising portal as the archetypal story between your
audiences and your organization reveals greater understanding of
your users’ needs and wants.
7. Brand Personality
Identify characteristics and qualities from the chosen archetypes to
clarify your brand personality in the following categories:
Core archetypal essence
Motivation
Strengths
Challenges
Key words
Colors/Style/Mood
Integrate this application into your brand guidelines and business
strategy. It can help make a road map more human and engaging.
8. Establishing an Integrated Identity
This exercise can be done one-to-one, one-to-two (in which one
person acts as a facilitator and the other as a note taker) or in a
group, if trust and equal footing exists. Pose the question to key
stakeholders: “What archetype best represents our
business/brand?” Ask them, based on their instinctual reactions, to
quickly sort the deck into four piles ranging from most
representative to least representative. Put aside the least
representative pile. Lay out the most representative pile so it can be
seen as a whole, and have a discussion about what resonated most
about these archetypes, what drew the viewer to them and how they
reflect the business/brand. Listen closely for underlying
assumptions about the business and brand, and try to elicit specific
stories. If possible, have someone other than the facilitator take
notes. Now ask the participant(s) to sort the remaining cards (which
were the two piles in the middle of the first sort) into binary yes or
no piles in which each card could be considered representative of
the business/brand or not. Again, put aside the least representative
pile.
Repeat the conversation outlined above about what the new cards
seem to represent. Now lay out all the cards that were discussed and
ask that the three most representative archetypes be chosen. One
way to do this is to continue to put aside those cards that are
deemed tangential until you are left with three cards. Ask the
stakeholders to tell a story about how each of these three archetypes
has shown up in their brand/business. Sometimes you’ll find that
the remaining three cards will naturally sort into “This is how we
started, this is where we are now and this is who we want to be.”
Sometimes a dominant archetype is quickly identified, but it comes
with “wings” (secondary or tertiary supporting archetypes). We see
no reason to shy away from having two or even three archetypes
that represent one brand. The wings can add layers of depth,
specificity and description.
Consider how you might react differently to a Citizen Lover brand
vs. a Citizen Activist brand, for example. The chosen archetype(s)
then become a guidepost for decision making, communications
integration and supporting values. It’s up to you how you decide to
roll out this understanding and focus. It can be incorporated in
brand identity guidelines (including tone of voice), in induction
manuals, in creative briefs, in business plans and in the design of
the built environment and operating systems, to name a few.
Undoubtedly you will be customizing processes and creating
alternate uses for the cards. We invite you to share them with
the growing community on our website at
www.archetypesinbranding.com. We’re here to support one
another!
CHAPTER SEVEN
Real-World Applications
As qualitative researchers, our process is based on conversations to
uncover brand essence - the core of what drives, influences and
underpins a business … its “truths.” We work to elicit feelings and
beliefs that allow us to observe reactions and preferences and To get
a deeper sense of the clients’ raison d’être. We use archetypes to
unearth insights about preferences, sensibilities and aspirations and
to make meaningful connections across and between multiple
business drivers.
Perhaps you’ve gotten this far but still wonder about practicality.
Fair enough. Here are three examples from the real world. We hope
this gives you enough context to feel comfortable to dive in and
play.
1. Connecting With Target Audiences
Consider the case of an educational institution. Central to their
brand character are elements of tradition, self-actualization and
knowledge, as well as the drive to achieve. The process of
identifying their key archetypes landed us on three that best
represented the different roles the brand played in relationship with
its core audiences: the Hero, the Sage and the Sovereign.
Like so many brands, the university struggled with trying to be all
things to all people. As a result, their brand expressions weren’t
demonstrating the humanity and vibrancy of the actual college
experience. To address the specific characteristics of each
relationship, they were seeking a way to flex and adapt their brand
without compromising its core. A simple way to explain this
borrows from fashion. When going to the opera, would you wear
khaki shorts, a Billabong T-shirt, hiking boots and a CamelBak
water delivery system?1 Probably not. The experience of attending
the opera dictates a different set of norms and needs than that of
hiking. And, conversely, when hiking with friends, black-tie would
be wholly inappropriate. The point is that the clothes do not change
the core of the person, but they do support context. So we have a
classic paradox. How does a brand stay true to its essence while
adapting to the needs and wants of its audiences?
The university identified three distinct target audiences:
Prospective students and their parents
Alumni, donors and parents of current students
Community at large; business, opinion and thought leaders
Applying the client’s existing audience research, we positioned
the target groups on a motivational field2 based on our assessment
of their strongest motivators to engage:
This ended up tracking beautifully to the chosen three core
archetypes:
Given that the university had three objectives for their
deliverables, we proposed a grid that would emphasize the face of a
particular archetype to a particular audience for particular
deliverables and objectives. We created a grid to help us understand
how we would be flexing the overall brand character as we created
each piece (fig. 7.01).
This information was included in the creative brief to our design
team, and we were off and running with a shared understanding of
which archetypal aspect of the brand character to dial up for each
deliverable.3
2. Branding
We have been fortunate to midwife a number of new brands and
have used archetypes as a tool to provoke deep considerations into
how the business and brand will behave in the world and how
relationships are navigated as an extension. The use of archetypes
has become a complementary tool for the personification work. Our
creatives appreciate the freedom this tool gives them to imagine and
tap into their deepest intuitions, and our clients appreciate the
outcomes - deeply resonant, highly sensory creative solutions. Our
brand workshop process includes the identification of a dominant
core archetype and a wing. Sometimes there are two wings.
Brand transition moments are a great opportunity to use
archetypes to help understand the business trajectory. In the
development of an existing bakery brand ready to expand into
packaged retail products, we encountered the expected growing
pains as the founders were needing to let go of the past in order to
get to the future they imagined. So we asked them to choose three
archetypes: one that represented their brand in the past, one for the
present and one for their brand in the future. It was amazing how
quickly the story converged to reveal how the brand essence and
personality were going to evolve into the new product line.
Regardless of the specific challenge to which archetypes are
applied, the possibilities for your brand and business are vast. As
Pearson and Mark state, archetypes “help us understand the
intrinsic meaning of product categories and consequently help
marketers create enduring brand identities that establish market
dominance, evoke and deliver meaning to customers, and inspire
customer loyalty - all, potentially in socially responsible ways.”4
3. Cultural Insights
Archetypes can be a freeing entry point for employees to share their
impressions of the culture of a business. It is generally accepted
that misalignments between the internal culture and the external
representation of a company can somehow be felt as inauthenticity,
which of course will affect sales, marketing and brand by
undermining your Net Promoter Score.5 One training collective
used archetypes at an away day to unearth individual perceptions of
the brand.
We asked each participant to choose an archetype card that
represented the values and culture of the organization. In turn, each
gave a brief explanation for their choice. Not surprisingly, the
responses were varied. Some grievances and unmet expectations
were revealed in their stories. As trained facilitators, we listened
deeply and then distilled their collective thoughts into a snapshot of
the company’s current internal position. The next morning, we
shared this draft with the same participants, achieved agreement
after a few edits and then asked them again to choose an archetype
that represented where the organization should go in the future. As
a result of getting more clear about the current situation, each
participant was able to let go of conflicting stories in order to source
the future of the organization.
In this case, our clients decided upon two archetypes, which
allowed them to get a more specific vision. They saw the dominant
archetype as being the public face while the secondary archetype
represented the private, cultural face.
Parting Shot
We’re all about relationships, so please share your comments,
suggestions and ideas. With the hope of creating a community
space for practitioners to share and deepen their understanding
and use of archetypes in branding and business, we set up a
website: www.archetypesinbranding.com. We’d love to hear
from you. We’d love to work with you. Thanks for playing!
Resources
Additional information
The expanded descriptions are a reinterpretation, expansion and occasional
paraphrase drawn from multiple sources, including:
Caroline Myss, Sacred Contracts (London: Bantam Books,
2002).
Carol S. Pearson, Awakening the Heroes Within (San
Francisco: Harper, 1991).
Carol S. Pearson and Margaret Mark, The Hero and The
Outlaw (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001).
In the description of the Muse archetype, we refer to the nine muses from Greek
mythology as examples. The Nine Muses, daughters of Greek gods Zeus and
Mnemosyne are:1
Calliope (the “beautiful of speech”): chief of the muses and
muse of epic or heroic poetry
Clio (the “glorious one”): muse of history
Erato (the “amorous one”): muse of love or erotic poetry, lyrics
and marriage songs
Euterpe (the “well-pleasing”): muse of music and lyric poetry
Melpomene (the “chanting one”): muse of tragedy
Polyhymnia or Polymnia (the “[singer] of many hymns”): muse
of sacred song, oratory, lyric, singing and rhetoric
Terpsichore (the “[one who] delights in dance”): muse of choral
song and dance
Thalia (the “blossoming one”): muse of comedy and bucolic
poetry
Urania (the “celestial one”): muse of astronomy
More about innovation and the Innovator archetype can be found at:
Innosight’s Strategy & Innovation: Feature Articles on Innovation,
http://www.innosight.com/innovation_resources/article.html?id=312
(accessed September 18, 2011).
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Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, s.v. “Artist,”
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Joseph Campbell, The Portable Jung, ed. Joseph Campbell, trans.
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Joseph Campbell, The Hero With A Thousand Faces (New York:
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Michael Conforti, Field, Form and Fate: Patterns in Mind, Nature,
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Robert Frager and James Fadiman, Personality and Personal
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Hull (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1970).
C.G. Jung, Man and his Symbols (London: Aldus Books, 1978).
Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, s.v “Jungian Archetypes,”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungian_archetypes.
Tom Kelley, The Ten Faces of Innovation (New York: Doubleday.
2005).
C.S. Lewis, Narnia series (London: Collins, 1981).
George Lucas, Star Wars series, dir. George Lucas, Lucasfilm and
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, 1977—2005.
Chris McManus, Right Hand Left Hand: The Origins of Asymmetry in
Brains, Bodies Atoms and Culture (Cambridge: Harvard University
Press, 2002).
Net Promoter, “A Metric That Links to Growth,” n.d.,
http://www.netpromoter.com/np/metric.jsp.
Marty Neumeier, The Brand Gap (Berkeley: New Riders, 2006).
Daniel H. Pink, A Whole New Mind (New York: Penguin Group,
2005).
Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With the Wolves (New
York: Ballantine, 1992).
Clotaire Rapaille, The Culture Code (New York: Broadway Books,
2006).
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter series (New York: Arthur A. Levine Books,
2009).
Edgar H. Schein, The Corporate Culture Survival Guide (San
Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009).
Jean Shinoda Bolen, Goddesses in Everywoman (New York:
HarperCollins, 1984).
Bruce Tallman, Archetypes for Spiritual Direction (New York: Paulist
Press, 2005).
J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (New York: Del
Rey, 1986).
John R. Van Eenwyk, Archetypes and Strange Attractors: The
Chaotic World of Symbols (Toronto: Inner City Books, 1997).
NOTES
Chapter 1
1. Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson, The Hero and the
Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of
Archetypes (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001), 29.
2. Joseph Campbell, The Portable Jung, ed. Joseph Campbell,
trans. R.F.C. Hull (New York: Penguin, 1976).
3. Daniel H. Pink, A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will
Rule the Future (New York: Penguin Group, 2006), 26.
4. Chris McManus, Right Hand Left Hand: The Origins of
Asymmetry in Brains, Bodies Atoms and Culture (Cambridge,
MA: Harvard University Press, 2002), 183—184.
5. Pink, A Whole New Mind, 26.
Chapter 2
1. Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology, s.v. “Archetype,”
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3406000051.html
(accessed September 20, 2011).
2. C.G. Jung, The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche, vol. 8,
The Collected Works of C.G. Jung, ed. and trans. G. Adler and
R.F.C. Hull (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1970).
3. Edith Hamilton, Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heros
(Boston: Little, Brown & Company, 1940).
4. Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia,
s.v. “Archetype,” http://medicaldictionary.thefreedictionary.com/archetype (accessed October
1, 2011).
5. Jean Shinoda Bolen, Goddesses in Everywoman: A New
Psychology of Women. (New York: HarperCollins, 1984), 5.
6. Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson, The Hero and the
Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of
Archetypes (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001), 11.
Chapter 3
1. Jill Bolte Taylor brilliantly describes the communication divide
between our right and left hemispheres in her TED talk, “A
Stroke of Insight,”
http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_i
nsight.html?awesm=on.ted.com_9un3 (2008).
2. C.G. Jung, Man and His Symbols (London: Aldus Books,
Limited, 1978), 57.
3. Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson, The Hero and the Outlaw:
Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes
(New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001), 155. Assertion built from the
work of John R. Van Eenwyk, Archetypes & Strange Attractors:
The Chaotic World of Symbols (Toronto: Inner City Books,
1997), and Michael Conforti, Field, Form and Fate: Patterns in
Mind, Nature, and Psyche (Woodstock, CT: Spring Publications,
1999).
4. Robert Frager and James Fadiman, Personality and Personal
Growth, 6th ed. (New York: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005), 56.
5. Noah Hawley, “Brand Defined,” Business 2.0, June 2000.
6. Paul Hawken, Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in
the World Came Into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming
(New York: Viking Press, 2007), 75.
Chapter 4
1. Johnny Kelly, Nexus Productions, “Back to the Start,” short
film/commercial, n.d.,
http://www.nexusproductions.com/directors/johnny-kelly/johnnykelly_chipotle.
Chapter 5
1. Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson, The Hero and the
Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of
Archetypes (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001), 14.
2. Edgar H. Schein, The Corporate Culture Survival Guide (San
Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 2009), 21.
3. These were complicated choices. The backstory is a
conversation beyond the scope of this project, so please get in
touch if you’d like to chat about this separately. If not, suffice it
to say we know they’re gendered.
4. With gratitude and apologies to Dr. Seuss for riffing on Green
Eggs and Ham.
5. Keirsey Temperament website, “Portrait of the Idealist (NF),”
n.d., http://keirsey.com/4temps/idealist_overview.asp.
6. John Welwood, Love and Awakening (New York: HarperCollins,
1996), 188.
Chapter 6
1. Despite Wikipedia not being an academically accepted source,
our research indicates this description to be true so we have
used it anyway. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungian_archetypes.
Chapter 7
1. The authors ask that you not take this analogy too literally.
We’re not commenting on class, social norms or clothing as a
means of defining the person. It’s just a quick way of illustrating
that being all things to all people doesn’t work.
2. Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson, The Hero and the
Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of
Archetypes (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001).
3. Examples of the final products are intentionally omitted. The
point is to create your own.
4. Mark and Pearson, The Hero and the Outlaw, 12.
5. Net Promoter Score gauges customer likelihood to recommend.
In spite of some controversy as to its claims, NPS is a popular
approach that can help create deeper customer focus and
commitment. For more information see
http://www.netpromoter.com/np/metric.jsp.
Resources Section
1. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, s.v. “Artist,”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist (accessed September 19,
2011).
Profiles
Margaret Pott Hartwell is a strategist, communicator, change agent
and coach. She holds her MBA in sustainable management from
Presidio Graduate School, her BA from UC Berkeley and an
advanced coaching certification from the Institute of Transpersonal
Psychology. Recognized for breadth and depth of applied skills and
experience across multiple disciplines and business sectors,
Margaret has headed up creative and strategic marketing and
engagement campaigns in both the U.S. and the U.K. She began
her career in advertising as a designer.
She has been called an information junkie with a childlike curiosity,
and she is known for having an insatiable appetite for memes,
trends and technologies. Her twenty years of experience chronicle a
career of effective solutions at the intersection of creativity and
business. Margaret is passionate about serving as a catalyst for
business and governmental leaders to take our planet’s stewardship
in a more consciously healthy direction. She lives in Palo Alto, CA.
Follow her on Twitter @MPHpov or find her on LinkedIn at
linkedin.com/in/margarethartwell.
Joshua C. Chen is founder, principal and creative director of Chen
Design Associates (CDA). Josh has over twenty years of
professional experience in the fields of design, broadcasting,
journalism and music. His diverse background brings a global
understanding of client objectives to each project, as does having
lived in numerous countries including Singapore, France and
Belgium.
Josh’s involvement in the design community includes serving as
juror for Communication Arts, The One Club, The Advertising
Federation of America and the American Institute of Graphic Arts.
He served on the HOW Advisory Board and lectures at regional and
national conferences. Named one of fifty “people to watch” by
GraphicDesignUSA, Josh is author and designer of multiple awardwinning books, most recently Fingerprint No. 2: The Evolution of
Handmade Elements in Graphic Design (HOW Books). His book
Peace: 100 Ideas (CDA Press) was featured on A&E’s Breakfast
with the Arts and in magazines such as dwell and Metropolis.
Starting in 2012, Josh also serves as chief sesign officer for Outfit
Generic, a San Francisco-based boutique hospitality group
(outfitgeneric.com). Find Josh on LinkedIn at
linkedin.com/in/joshuacchen.
Named one of 2004’s leading new visual artists by Print magazine,
Max Spector has since been honored by the American Institute of
Graphic Arts, Art Directors Club, Type Directors Club,
Communication Arts, dwell, Graphis, Metropolis, HOW,
GraphicDesignUSA and many others. As art director and Senior
Designer at CDA, Max works closely with the team’s junior designers
while continually developing his own design skills. Max teaches
design at the Academy of Art University, both in the classroom and
as a graduate thesis advisor.
Chen Design Associates is a place for collaboration, education and
dynamic invention. The award-winning design studio partners with a
wide range of clients, from start-up ventures to established
corporations, local to global, artistic to analytic. For more than
twenty years, CDA has been helping clients find a voice to express
the genuine and the necessary, the illuminating and the unexpected.
CDA engages clients in the process to foster respect and fuel
invention - and together, move people to explore, to wonder, to
succeed. Follow the studio on Twitter @chen_design, or visit
chendesign.com.
Acknowledgements
“Sometimes you can’t believe your good fortune. You fight against it and think, ‘this can’t
be happening.’ But then if you are wise, you just surrender to it.”
- author unknown
I have had the benefit of an incredibly encouraging and insightful
community of loving souls who have all offered their generous
support on this project these past four and a half years. I am forever
grateful to the many colleagues and clients, friends and family,
classmates and teachers who have been and continue to be part of
this journey.
I am especially indebted and grateful to the generosity of spirit
and talented mastery of three inspiring individuals: editor
extraordinaire and coach Sydney J. Reuben; creative companion
and photographic genius Toni Gauthier; and mentor and wise
counselor Jay Ogilvy.
This project would not have been possible without the tireless
commitment, deep humanity and creativity of Joshua Chen and Max
Spector, and the entire team of gifted designers at Chen Design
Associates. Thank you for championing this concept, Josh! Max, you
are brilliant - full stop. And thank you to our team at HOW Books:
Lauren Mosko Bailey, Kimberly Catanzarite, Greg Nock, Amy Owen,
Megan Lane Patrick and Grace Ring.
For listening, guiding, researching, reading, helping me see the
blind spots and believing in this project, my heartfelt thanks to:
Chris Palengat
Cynthia Scott
Richard Eisermann
Jeffrey Berke
Brianna Booth
Nancy Booth
Molly Fox
Carmella Granado
Anne Hilbert
Rosie Kuhn
Donna Montgomery
Katie Nicely
Cathy Plocki
Jim and Lois Pott
Mary Sano
Stephen Sano
Ron Shapiro
Kim Sokolnicki
Jim Witkin
Scott Wong
The massive body of work on archetypes that precedes and
informs this toolkit cannot be acknowledged enough. Carolyn Myss,
Joseph Campbell, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Sue
Monk Kidd, Carol S. Pearson and Margaret Mark, thank you for
awakening the archetypal connections within me.
And lastly, my eternal gratitude to my amazing, awesome and
absolutely wonderful daughter. Thank you, Galen, for your patience,
creativity, understanding, counsel, insights, generosity and love.
Onward!
Margaret
A project of this magnitude would not be possible without the
collective talents and insights of many. We are deeply grateful for
your part, big or small, in helping shape Archetypes in Branding:
Max Spector, not just for your brilliant art direction and amazing
juggling abilities in keeping all aspects of this project moving forward,
but for your many years of friendship, partnership and loyalty. We’ve
got much to look forward to.
Margaret, for the leap of faith you’ve taken, entrusting us with the
birthing and reimagining of your vision for these age-old ideas. We
are all part of one family, and indeed belong to each other.
The incredibly talented and dedicated team at Chen Design
Associates both past and present - who have played a role in the formation of
this project: Laurie Carrigan, Jordan Cullen, Liscelyn Grifal, Steven
Jones, Debbie Ladas, Morgan Marcani, Kate Matsumoto, Wes
Mitchell, Sarah Rouse-Higgins, Max Spector, Wei Sun. Jeff Plank, a
special thanks for your ever-positive attitude in upholding this project
in so many ways.
My colleagues and friends Sean Adams, Colin Berry, Jon
Campbell, Alan Dye, Rachel Elnar, Mick Hodgson, Pum Lefebure,
Carol Miller, Debbie Millman, Noreen Morioka, Marty Neumeier,
Brian Singer, Bernard Uy, for your inspiration, candor and energy.
Angel Alvarez-Mapp and William Werner, two of the best clients a
brother could ever have. Thank you for believing in this project.
Ruth Hagopian, Rebecca Bedrossian, Patrick Coyne at
Communication Arts for spreading the word about this project.
Amy Schell Owen and Grace Ring for leading the charge at HOW
Books, and Lauren Mosko Bailey for the ninth inning pinch-hitting.
Megan Lane Patrick at HOW/F+W Media for sitting through our
first attempt at explaining this concept and pitching the workbook
idea to you.
Pam, Rachel and Ethan - without you, all this means nothing.
Josh
Archetypes in Branding: A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists. © Copyright 2012 by
Margaret Pott Hartwell and Joshua C. Chen. Art direction by Max Spector. Design by Chen
Design Associates. Manufactured in China. All rights reserved. No other part of this book
may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including
information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher,
except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by HOW Books,
an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, Ohio 45242. (800)
289-0963. First edition. For more excellent books and resources for designers, visit
www.howdesign.com.
16 15 14 13 12
54321
ISBN-13: 978-1-4403-0818-5
Edited by Amy Schell Owen and Lauren Mosko Bailey
Art directed by Grace Ring
Production coordinated by Greg Nock
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