Twenty Brand Archetypes by Forty Agency

You guys.  I'm SO hungry!!! I'm literally pushing my lunch an hour later just so I can post this today.

I read the article last night as I was prepping for my Branding event tonight (ohmygoshimsonervous) and it was literally like something just exposed LIGHT to my thoughts.  So here we go..

One of my favorite places to be educated on marketing and branding is Forty Agency.  This article basically created twenty "brand archetypes" which is the idea that..

"brands are a basic human social concept, and that the same patterns and ideas tend to REPEAT themselves over time, such that what we now consider 'brands' are roughly equivalent to archetypal characters in literature, religion, folklore, etc."

In other words, think of your brand as characters.  There's a trait or behavior that if turned into a 'person' would look a little like this... 

These are the 20 universal brand archetypes that Forty Agency created:

MAVERICK (Rebel, Outlaw, Rogue)

    •    Brands: Harley Davidson, Virgin, MTV, Rimmel, Steve Madden, Urban Outfitters, Orbit
    •    People: Henry David Thoreau, Sid Vicious, George Washington
    •    Goal/method: To achieve freedom from the establishment through defiance, disobedience, and nonconformity.

EVERYMAN (Good Old Boy, Girl Next Door, Average Joe)

    •    Brands: Miller High Life, Sonic, Walmart, Lowe’s, Walgreens, Southwest, Visa, Covergirl, Hollister
    •    People: Jack Black, Homer Simpson, Tom Hanks, Princess Diana
    •    Goal/method: To bond with others by being humble, hard-working, and friendly

INNOCENT (Saint, Goody-Two-Shoes, Angel)

    •    Brands: IKEA, Google, Apple, Dove, Lysol, Master Card, Aveda
    •    People: Mr. Rogers, Gandhi, Boy Scouts, Oprah
    •    Goal/method: To achieve a simple, pure life by always doing the right thing

ENTERTAINER (Clown, Jester, Performer)

    •    Brands: Budweiser, Fanta, Jack in the Box, Hulu, Woot.com, Taco Bell, Doritos
    •    People: Robin Williams, Bob Hope, Jeff Foxworthy
    •    Goal/method: To make friends (and avoid making enemies) through humor and fun

VILLAIN (Bad Guy, Monster, Vampire)

    •    Brands: Megadeth, Hot Topic, LA Ink
    •    People: Marilyn Manson, Darth Vader, Dr. Horrible
    •    Goal/method: To satisfy internal drives or passions through whatever means necessary

INTELLECTUAL (Sage, Genius, Expert)

    •    Brands: Ask.com, CNN, Gallup, MIT, Harvard, CIA, Bloomberg
    •    People: Stephen Hawking, Marie Curie, Ken Jennings
    •    Goal/method: To find the truth through research, objectivity, and diligence

SENSUALIST (Hedonist, Pleasure Seeker)

    •    Brands: Victoria’s Secret, BMW, Godiva, Versace, Food Network, Nivea, Sephora
    •    People: Madonna, Paula Deen, Dracula
    •    Goal/method: To pursue perfect enjoyment through physical experiences

 SERVANT (Martyr, Slave, Monk)

    •    Brands: Red Cross, Amnesty International, Peace Corps, Humane Society, Police Department
    •    People: Mother Theresa, Pat Tillman
    •    Goal/method: To lose yourself through service to others

TRADITIONALIST (Conservative, Old School, Miser)

    •    Brands: Old Spice, Wendy’s, Procter & Gamble, Wells Fargo, Folger’s, GAP
    •    People: Norman Rockwell, Ronald Reagan
    •    Goal/method: To restore the world through a return to old-fashioned values

NURTURER (Mom, Mother Earth, Healer)

    •    Brands: Campbell’s, Pampers, Volvo, Johnson & Johnson, Loreal, Allstate
    •    People: June Cleaver, Paula Deen
    •    Goal/method: To help others feel loved by providing for their needs and wants

CONNECTOR (Networker, Politician, Talker)

    •    Brands: AT&T, Verizon, Facebook, Linkedin
    •    People: Oprah, Donald Trump
    •    Goal/method: To make things happen by knowing the right people

ARTIST (Creative, Creator, Craftsman)

    •    Brands: hp, Adobe, Lego, Home Depot, Michael’s, Black and Decker, HGTV
    •    People: Beethoven, Salvador Dali, William Shakespeare, Bob Villa
    •    Goal/method: To create something of enduring beauty and value

PHILOSOPHER (Sage, Prophet, Guru)

    •    Brands: Scientology, Calvin Klein, Nikon
    •    People: Plato, Deepak Chopra, Paulo Coelho
    •    Goal/method: To help people understand the world by seeing things from a different perspective.

DREAMER (Magician, Sorcerer, Wizard)

    •    Brands: Disney, Axe, Rock Band
    •    People: Tim Burton, Carlos Castaneda, Steven Spielberg, Harry Potter
    •    Goal/method: To help people achieve supernatural experiences by promoting faith and wonder (transformation).

MOTIVATOR (Mentor, Preacher, Promoter)

    •    Brands: Truth, (RED), Electronic Frontier Foundation, MoveOn.org
    •    People: Tony Robbins, Barack Obama, Richard Simmons
    •    Goal/method: To achieve amazing goals by getting people excited about a cause

RULER (King, Leader, Father)

    •    Brands: Microsoft, Rolex, Gillette, The New York Times, Jack Daniel’s
    •    People: Steve Jobs, Franklin Roosevelt, Moses
    •    Goal/method: To lead people to a common destination through confidence, determination, and influence

EXPLORER (Seeker, Wanderer)

    •    Brands: North Face, Pier One, Jeep, Greyhound, Subaru, Starbucks
    •    People: Christopher Columbus, Jacques Cousteau, Steve Irwin
    •    Goal/method: To learn what’s constant in life by always changing your environment

DEFENDER (Knight, Superhero, Warrior)

    •    Brands: U.S. Army, Greenpeace, Marlboro, Dial, Band aid
    •    People: Batman, George S. Patton, John Wayne
    •    Goal/method: To protect others from harm through bravery and service

THRILL-SEEKER (Gambler, Swashbuckler, Adventurer)

    •    Brands: X Games, Mountain Dew, Chrysler Crossfire, Carnival Cruise Ships, New Zealand, Camelback
    •    People: Richard Branson, Ben Saunders, Errol Flynn
    •    Goal/method: To achieve great rewards through great risks

ACHIEVER (Athlete, Hot Shot, Strongman)

    •    Brands: Nike, Ford, Home Depot, Adidas, Under Armor
    •    People: Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods
    •    Goal/method: To prove yourself through amazing physical acts

I don't know if it's the point of where I'm at in my business, but I LOVE and crave these descriptions.  They sort of simplify my thoughts.  Which leads me to the three I immediately connected with:

ARTIST // DREAMER // MOTIVATOR

And you know we're going to talk more in depth about this later.  But for now, I would love to hear which one(s) stood out to you?!? As a business or even individual.  I feel like it will tell me a lot about you :)