Unlock the Power of Brand Archetypes to Boost Your Wellness Business

Think about your favorite novel – the one you just couldn’t put down at night. What made you love it so much? Was it the descriptive storytelling? Or the depth of the characters’ personalities? It’s all by design. Great writers draw on character archetypes to create rich and relatable worlds that we can all get hooked into.

Just like the characters in a beloved book, each brand archetype has its own unique set of traits and characteristics that can be used to create an engaging story. From the rebel who uses disruption to challenge conventions, to the magician who sparks the imagination with their creative ideas and solutions – each archetype helps to bring your brand’s story to life. By leveraging these archetypes as powerful metaphors for your brand’s identity, you can craft an emotionally-driven narrative that resonates with your target audience.

As a wellness professional, you know that your brand is a representation of who you are and what you stand for. You put a lot of effort into crafting your brand’s message so that it resonates with your target audience. But have you ever considered using brand archetypes to help amplify your brand? If not, now is the time to dive into this powerful tool and unlock the potential of these timeless characters. In this post, you’ll learn how to unlock the powers of the 12 brand archetypes to build a stronger brand message.

These insights are based on my 10 years of branding experience for both service-based and e-commerce businesses. I offer one-to-one consulting, fully-customizable website templates, and heaps of free guidance to help independent businesses with optimizing their websites. Curious about what your brand archetype might be? Take the free quiz now!

What is Brand Archetyping?

Businesses employ brand archetyping to establish an emotional connection with their customers.92% of top brands use brand archetypes to create an emotional connection with their target audience. 12 universal archetypes, which have been utilized throughout history in literature, art, and mythology, form the basis for this. These archetypes represent different aspects of human nature and provide insight into how people think, feel, and make decisions. By understanding these underlying principles, you can use them to create a more impactful and memorable brand identity for your business.

How Can I Use Brand Archetypes for My Wellness Business?

80% of consumers remember a product better when it has a brand archetype associated with it. Each archetype has its own unique characteristics and traits which can be leveraged in different ways. For example, if your wellness business focuses on providing holistic health solutions then you may want to consider using the Caregiver archetype which emphasizes compassion and healing energy. Alternatively, if you focus on providing innovative health technologies then the Creator archetype might be more suitable as it emphasizes creativity and disruption. Each archetype will bring something unique to the table so it’s important that you identify which one best suits your brand before deciding how to incorporate it into your messaging and visuals.

“The key to creating brand loyalty lies in the power of archetypes.”

– Seth Godin

The 12 Brand Archetypes

Carl Jung‘s personality types, originally defined in 1919, inspired the 12 brand archetype families. Jung reported that all humans have one dominant trait (which is often unconscious) that leads to typical behavioral patterns, desires, values, and motivations. Brands can apply these archetypes to create personalities that connect with their target audience on a personal and emotional level.

Looking at them in a wheel is helpful to see how they relate to one another. The twelve types distinguish four primary motivations. I’ve broken them down through the lens of the human experience. Let’s take a look at them more in-depth.

Ruled By Thought

Motivated to foster new experiences and insights, these archetypes help others be closer to an ideal way of being.

• The Innocent – with a core desire for happiness.
• The Sage – with a core desire for wisdom.
• The Explorer – with a core desire for freedom and discovery.

Ruled By Emotion

Motivated to make deep connections, these archetypes help others enjoy their one precious life.

• The Lover – with a core desire for beauty and appreciation.
• The Jester – with a core desire for having a good time.
• The Citizen – with a core desire for community.

Ruled By Action

Motivated to provide structure, these archetypes help others manifest something meaningful.

• The Creator – with a core desire for manifestation.
• The Sovereign – with a core desire for success and stability.
• The Caregiver – with a core desire for support.

Ruled By Instinct

Motivated to make a lasting impression, these archetypes help others become the best version of themselves.

• The Rebel – with a core desire for liberated self-expression.
• The Magician – with a core desire for transformation.
• The Hero – with a core desire for mastery.

Well-known Examples of Archetypes in Action

1. The Innocent: Allbirds, Nintendo, Winnie the Pooh, Anthropologie, Abe Lincoln, Dorothy
2. The Sage: TED Talks, Sherlock Holmes, Hermoine Granger, Yoda, Deepak Chopra
3. The Explorer: Spotify, Starbucks, Patagonia, NASA, Stephan Hawking
4. The Lover: Beauty & The Beast, Burning Man, Bumble, Taylor Swift (also a Creator)
5. The Jester: Jim Carrey, Amy Schumer, Saturday Night Live, Tina Fey
6. The Citizen: Target, The Everygirl, Abercrombie & Fitch, Ron Weasley, Trader Joe’s, Elle Woods
7. The Creator: Julia Fox, Pinterest, Harry Styles, Tesla, Shakespeare
8. The Sovereign: Louis Vitton, Rolls-Royce, Cleopatra, Queen Elizabeth II, Mercedes-Benz
9. The Caregiver: Princess Diana (who is also a bit of a Rebel), Glinda the Good Witch, Mary Poppins, Gandhi
10. The Rebel: Wednesday Addams, Levis, Liquid Death, Madonna, Miley Cyrus
11. The Magician: Apple, Charles Darwin
12. The Hero: Gymshark, Adidas, Serene Williams, Harry Potter, Joan of Arc

Choosing the Right Brand Archetypes for Your Wellness Business

If you want your brand to be able to connect on a deeper level with your ideal audience, then you need to know how to determine the right primary archetype. Leaning into the appropriate brand archetype can increase brand recognition and clarity, which can increase customer satisfaction, which can make your business a more profitable investment. Ask yourself these questions to determine the best fit:

• What are your values, mission, and purpose?
• What is your primary motivation for doing business?
• What is your audience’s core desire in relation to your business?

Many brands may have more than one archetype at play. That is what makes you unique! By identifying your primary archetype and any sub-archetype traits, you can confidently communicate your message and stand apart from the crowd.

Combining archetypes to create a distinct personality

Craft a point of view and way of relating to your audience that is totally unique. Pick one primary archetype that is about 70% of your personality and then an influencing type for the remaining 30%. For example, Meteor Street Studio is a Creative Magician. The Magician influences 70% of my brand personality, the Creator affects the remaining 30%.

Mixing any more than two archetypes starts to muddle your brand message. It’s a very rare occasion when a client introduces a tertiary archetype, so unless you are working with a brand strategist, keep things simple and go with two.

How do I incorporate brand archetypes into my marketing strategy?

Once you have selected an archetype for your business, there are several ways in which you can incorporate it into your communications strategy. First off, use the chosen archetype as inspiration when creating visuals for marketing materials such as brochures or website designs. This will help create a more consistent look and feel across all customer touchpoints while also reinforcing the desired message associated with the chosen archetype.

Creating email copy that reflects the chosen archetype will help capture people’s attention more effectively than using generic language. Finally, try integrating some storytelling elements into your communications strategy as this will help illustrate how certain situations relate back to the chosen archetype in order to drive home key messages or values associated with it.

Ready to define your archetypes & win more clients?

By leveraging brand archetypes in your marketing strategy, you can create a more compelling story around your wellness business that resonates with prospective customers on an emotional level. This approach can also help differentiate you from competitors who may take a more generic approach when communicating their message or value proposition. So go ahead—unlock the power of brand archetypes today! With just a little bit of thought and effort, you could soon be seeing great results from this powerful tool!

I’ve designed a free quiz to get you going. Discover your unique archetype and get insights on how to use these key characteristics to create a more compelling brand, website, and meaningful connections with your audience. Get ready to attract clients moths to a flame. Take the quiz now!

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Now you know exactly what brand archetypes can do for your business, but what about building those other brand foundations? I’ve got What Harry Styles Can Teach Us About Branding for you to read next to help you with that.