Understanding archetypes; shaping a brand with personas

We use archetypes to translate characteristics of a business into relatable and easily identifiable personas. Because people relate to other people, and when a business is personified, it is distilled it into an easily understood form. 

Jungian Archetypes have universally recognized patterns that we can see as different personas manifesting in the human psyche. Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, introduced archetypes at the beginning of the 20th century.

There are twelve archetypes in total; 

• Utopian

• Sage

• Explorer

• Rebel

• Magician

• Hero

• Lover

• Humorist

• Everyperson

• Ruler

• Creator

• Caregiver

Archetypes are shared psychological patterns, symbols, and instincts that all humans have; innate, repeated, universal patterns or templates of the human experience. Like the Trickster archetype that comes through in mischievous and playful characters in stories; the Hero archetype representing those who rise to a challenge embarks on a journey, and overcomes obstacles; or the wise old woman or man connecting to the Sage archetype who guides the hero with their knowledge, or the leader who restores balance in stories, channelling the good side of the Ruler archetype. These archetypes are found in myths, dreams, literature, and art across different cultures and periods to evidence their universal nature; they trigger near-unanimous emotions and ideas in people. While Jung’s theories are not commonly used for psychotherapy per se, they provide an excellent base for building brands and characters in stories. When it comes to storytelling for business, these archetypes are great tools. Archetypes based on Carl Jung’s theories are one of the primary tools used to articulate brands by Public Works.

Carl Jung theorized that the human mind inherits these archetypal patterns through what he coined as the ‘collective unconscious’. According to Jung, the (human) collective unconscious is populated by instincts and archetypes. It’s a treasure trove of symbols.

We use these archetypes to typify personalities for story characters or to help our clients construct a brand articulation framework (BAF) for their business or project.

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To see how we used the dark side of archetypes to build an entire story series,

check out our shadow series. 

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As an archetype-based persona, visual and written language can easily be identified and articulated with more accuracy and clarity. We think archetypes are one of the most efficient starting points to communicate a brand, brief creatives and build stories.

Utopian

• Values: Peace, positivity, and happiness for everyone

• Strength/Weakness: Dream of paradise even through the worst state of affairs. Naive, idealistic, and impractical. 

• Driving desire: Exploring self/world

• Way of doing things: Inextinguishable faith. Their charm is their innocence. Paradise is a state of mind. The utopian delivers hope.

• Distinguishable traits: Goodness, faith, hopefulness.

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Empathy, tranquillity, beauty, humour, wonder 

• Character examples: Samwise Gamgee of Lord of the Rings, R2D2 and C3PO in Star Wars, and Obelix from Asterix and Obelix.

• Brand examples: Coca-cola, Dove, The Good Market 

Sage

• Values: Knowledge, truth, understanding

• Strength/Weakness: Offers clarity and wisdom, a voice of truth against ignorance and misinformation. Cold and arrogant cynics who consume knowledge for the sake of knowledge.

• Driving desire: Exploring self/world

• Way of doing things: The sage is driven by the motivation to find out the truth. Pursues truth and understanding. The sage delivers clarity.

• Distinguishable traits: Intelligent, curious, informed, insightful.

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Wonder, heroism, terror 

• Character examples: Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, The Oracle in Matrix, and Professor Calculus in Adventures of TinTin. 

• Brand examples: Google, TED, Public Works

Explorer

• Values: Freedom, adventure, and authenticity

• Strength/Weakness: Unbound, self-sustained, strong and true to self. In their shadow self. Is flakey, unable to commit or make decisions, and reckless. 

• Driving desire: Exploring self/world

• Way of doing things: They set out to discover the world with unstoppable passion. The explorer delivers inspiration for freedom.

• Distinguishable traits: Active, adventurous, driving discovery.  

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Beauty, wonder, heroism, terror 

• Character examples: Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, Sam Gardner in Atypical, Indiana Jones. 

• Brand examples: GoPro, Patagonia, Roar

Rebel

• Values: Liberation, risk-taking, and challenging the status quo

• Strength/Weakness: At the frontlines of all historic movements. Troublemaker, provocateur, and rebel without a cause.

• Driving desire: Being remembered

• Way of doing things: Disruption or change of old systems to pave way for the new. The rebel delivers revolution. 

• Distinguishable traits: Revolutionising, nonconformity and radical.

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Humour, heroism, terror, fury, revulsion 

• Character examples: Wolverine in X-Men, Robin Hood, Katniss Everdeen in Hunger Games

• Brand examples: Supreme, Anonymous, Vans

Magician

• Values: Wonder, transformation, and defying the standards

• Strength/Weakness: Uses their catalytic abilities and transformational power to save the day even in the most impossible situations. Abuses this power and becomes manipulative. 

• Driving desire: Being remembered

• Way of doing things: Uncovering the secret mechanisms of the world in order to pull strings and make things happen. Surprising/mystifying with solutions that others can barely comprehend. The magician delivers what was thought to be impossible.

• Distinguishable traits: Making the impossible happen, win-win solutions, being catalytic.

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Wonder, heroism, terror 

• Character examples: Yoda in Star Wars, Eleven from Stranger Things, Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series

• Brand examples: Tesla, Polaroid, MAC cosmetics

To read more about this archetype click here.

Hero

• Values: Mastery, courage, willpower

• Strength/Weakness: Courage, motivation and facing fears despite being nervous or anxious. Overconfidence, arrogance. 

• Driving desire: Being remembered

• Way of doing things:  Courageously rise up to challenges and shoulder burdens that most would not dare to. The hero archetype delivers reliability.

• Distinguishable traits: Determination, bravery, and always coming through

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Wonder, heroism, terror, fury 

• Character examples: Casey Gardener in Atypical, TinTin from Adventures of TinTin, Bianca Barclay in Wednesday

• Brand examples: Kāffi, FedEx, Nike

Lover

• Values: Enjoyment, vitality, passion for life and experiences

• Strength/Weakness: The lover archetype’s strength is its ability to devote, and fulfill,  experiencing life at the fullest. Its weakness is losing itself to the beloved and becoming obsessive.

• Driving desire: Connecting with others

• Way of doing things: Makes others feel appreciated and special, fostering unforgettable connections. The lover archetype delivers devotion. 

• Distinguishable traits: Passion, intimacy, and enjoying/experiencing life in high definition. 

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Beauty, empathy, tranquillity 

• Character examples: Morticia Addams in Wednesday, Pepé Le Pew in Looney Tunes, Matty Matheson the chef 

• Brand examples: Rithihi, Häagen-Dazs, Victoria’s Secret

Humorist

• Values: Joy, humour, living in the moment

• Strength/Weakness:  In its wisdom, this archetype crosses boundaries and exposes the folly of human superiority, bringing us to understand the fragility of the status quo, and the absurdity of life. In its shadow, the humorist is irreverent and refuses to accept responsibility. 

• Driving desire: Connecting with others

• Way of doing things: Using humour to break down social constructs and laughter as a response to the absurdity of life. The humorist delivers entertainment.

• Distinguishable traits: Play, fun, and joy 

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Humour, wonder, heroism, revulsion 

• Character examples: Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Rue in Euphoria, The Joker from Marvel Comics

• Brand examples: Old Spice, ApiHappi, Fanta

To read more about this archetype click here.

Everyperson

• Values: Earnestness, empathy, equality

• Strength/Weakness:  The everyperson archetype is unifying and levelling, with a remarkable capacity for building empathy and connections. At its worst, the everyperson is a passive participant in groupthink, never questioning the herd.

• Driving desire: Connecting with others

• Way of doing things: Valuing community and being part of the group over carving out a singular identity, the everyperson archetype delivers belonging.

• Distinguishable traits:  Always doing the right thing and finding common ground with others.

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Empathy spectrum, tranquillity, beauty, humour 

• Character examples: Gale Hawthorne from Hunger Games, Samwell Tarly from Game of Thrones, Ned Flanders from the Simpsons

• Brand examples: Ikea, eBay, Perera & Sons

Ruler

• Values: Responsibility, influence, leadership

• Strength/Weakness: The ruler archetype is powerful and influential, leading their circle towards order, safety and success. In its shadow, the ruler can be imposing, authoritarian and downright tyrannical.

• Driving desire: Contributing to the world

• Way of doing things: Gaining power, moderating and exercising control. The ruler archetype delivers esteem.

• Distinguishable traits: Stepping up to take charge, influences order and success.

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Heroic, terror, fury 

• Character examples: Julius Caesar in Asterix & Obelix, Aragorn in Lord of the Rings, Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones

• Brand examples: Mercedes-Benz, Lion beer, Rolex

Creator

• Values: Creativity, inspiration, and ingenuity

• Strength/Weakness: A person looking to influence the world through their creativity. In their weakness, the creator becomes a perfectionist, obsessing over unattainable heights and is never satisfied. 

• Driving desire: Contributing to the world

• Way of doing things: The defining superpower of the creator archetype is to make the world their muse, absorb it and reproduce it new, made more interesting and beautiful inside their mind. The creator delivers freshness and ingenuity.

• Distinguishable traits: Innovation, imagination, and creative expression

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Wonder, heroism

• Character examples: Tony Stark from Iron Man, Kevin Macallister from Home Alone, Don Draper from Mad Men

• Brand examples: Public Works, Youtube, AOD

Caregiver

• Values: Kindness, care, safeguarding

• Strength/Weakness: The caregiver brings an incredible affinity and capacity for helping, protecting, nurturing and caring for others. In their shadow, the caregiver archetype is smothering and controlling.

• Driving desire: Contributing to the world

• Way of doing things:  The caregiver archetype believes in nurturing and protecting what matters. This archetype delivers safety, care.

• Distinguishable traits: service, compassion, and protection.

• Popularly associated rasa(s): Empathy, tranquillity 

• Character examples: Elsa Gardener in Atypical, Primrose Everdeen in Hunger Games, Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars

• Brand examples: Unicef, HelpAge charity, Volvo

To read more about this archetype click here.

To experience how we use archetypes to build stories, subscribe to our monthly stories here.

Using emotions to connect brand stories to audiences

Looking at how emotions fill the gap where words and pictures fail, we started analyzing the significance of emotions in communication.

Emotions are so, so, essential to stories. Are emotions the first language? Infants communicate by expressing raw emotions well before they acquire language. When people from distinctly different cultures interact, you can observe how facial expressions and gestures showing emotions are enhanced and sometimes even exaggerated in attempts to clarify more information without relying on verbal language. 

"Someone may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou

Without an emotive quality, communication becomes purely a rational transfer of data—like a research paper; this can certainly communicate and even form insights. But, without emotions, these digits and facts will not remain glued together as one cohesive story or idea in the average human mind. Emotions are such an inherent part of being human, that we find they form an essential layer in communication, making information memorable and relatable. In our experience, establishing connections with the audience is impossible without the use of emotions. 

“After a major bank introduced a credit card for Millennials that was designed to inspire emotional connection, use among the segment increased by 70% and new account growth rose by 40%.” Harvard Business Review, The New Science of Customer Emotions

We think emotions are significant to brands and storytelling; they form the basis of connections that evolve into loyal audiences.We've come to understand what a business can make consumers feel is linked to how people remember that brand. It can also influence how they connect desires and emotional needs to what that business has to offer.

We use the Eastern philosophy of ‘rasas’ to identify a spectrum of emotional objectives for a story. The rasa of a story is the emotive outcome that the audience experiences as a consequence of the story; what the story makes you feel.

The classical Rasa Theory: originated in India around the first century BCE in the drama treatise Natyashastra. Since then, it has been widely adopted by other art forms from poetry to film. ‘Rasa’ is the ‘emotional flavour’ of any creative work, evoked in the minds of the audience through deliberate triggers made by the creators.

Classic nine rasas: Sringāra, Adbūtha, Karunā, Bhayānaka, Bhībhatsa, Raudra, Sāntam, Hāsyam, and Veeram.

For story storytelling, we look at a much wider spectrum. For example, the bhayānaka (fear) rasa can range from apprehension to blood-curdling terror. We also observe the polarities of each rasa considering both the negative and the positive characteristics such as the sorrow and compassion characteristics of the karunā (empathy) rasa.

Nine emotional ranges that we have adapted and expanded from the rasa theory.

1. Sringāra: Desire, bliss, and love

2. Adbūtha: Surprise, wonder, and amazement

3. Karunā: Empathy, nostalgia, and pensiveness

4. Bhayānaka: Submission, fear, and awe

5. Bhībhatsa: Aversion, contempt, and loathing

6. Raudra: Aggression, fury, and outrage

7. Sāntam: Contentment, tranquillity, and serenity

8. Hāsyam: Optimism, amusement, and delight

9. Veeram: Anticipation, confidence, and inspiration

We created a series of monthly stories as a way to practice and explore the scope of story archetypes and rasas. Our monthly stories are where we like to play, blurring the lines between commercial and artistic storytelling. We create supplementary reading lists as a way to investigate the archetypes and rasa scope of the story.

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Even when we’re exploring beyond the original theory this way, we still find profound cues to each rasa expression in the art form where it was born—classical Indian drama. Dramatic expressions of each rasa are among our strongest cues to how they can be evoked; like the shrinking expressions connected to bībhatsa (Aversion, contempt, and loathing) which led us to discover it beyond the emotion of ‘disgust’ usually attributed to this rasa, and find it in evocations like humility. 

When considering a story rasa, we first recommend identifying emotions relevant to the brand articulation framework (BAF) for your business.

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Does your target audience respond more to stories that inspire awe, radiate friendly warmth, or do they evoke a sense of empathy? 

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The rasa theory allows us to decide whether a story should be tranquil or erotic, terrifying or funny, or a mix of wonder and heroism. It’s become one of our most used storytelling tools. We use these tools to create stories that come to life as books, spaces, prints, merchandise, and digital content.  

To experience how we use rasas to build stories, subscribe to our monthly stories here.

Making the impossible real; understanding the Magician archetype

As we get to know this world with more and more access to information, instances, where we can return to childlike wonder, are rare. The Magician archetype can fill this void, and help people find wonder against the everyday drear. 

Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology, wrote extensively about archetypes, including the Magician. These archetypes are found in myths, dreams, literature, and art across different cultures and periods to evidence their universal nature. There are twelve archetypes in total; they trigger near-unanimous emotions and ideas in people. We use them for storytelling. We created a more detailed guide to understand archetypes; it’s recommended as a supporting read to understand why Jungian archetypes provide a great framework to typify business personas.

Among these, the Magician archetype embodies transformation, power, and the ability to manifest change. Universally, the Magician archetype is a potent symbol of deep knowledge, intuition, and skills that enable influencing their surroundings in surprising ways. They are associated with unusual insight and making the impossible happen.

In this short guide on the Magician archetype, we cover;

How businesses embody the Magician archetype

Stories for Magician brands

What makes the Magician

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How businesses embody the Magician archetype

Businesses that adopt the Magician archetype can use it to emphasize the brand's ability to make surprising outcomes, transform, and bring about change in its industry or for consumers. With the Magician being a symbol for unconventional thinking in the collective mindset, it also helps to channel a business’ unique approach to solving problems or meeting customer needs. We mentioned how the Magician is a symbol of deep knowledge; this is particularly useful for businesses that want to highlight their expertise, wisdom, and unusual or lesser-known insights that set them apart from competitors. The Magician, as a symbol, also bears a subconscious link to wielding power. In our experience, this can be used effectively by businesses that create products, services, or content that empower consumers and help tap into their own potential.

Any business that has natural parallels, like explained above, can project the Magician archetype. However, some industries and lines of business are highly conducive to the Magician archetype by the nature of their work alone. We’ve observed many companies in the tech sector, especially those pushing the boundaries of what's possible through cutting-edge solutions and AI, embrace the Magician. Coaching, or personal development services, as they empower individuals to transform and improve, are also common projectors of the Magician. Other commonly observed Magician archetypes are; brands focused on holistic well-being and alternative medicine; cosmetics and beauty brands that emphasize personal transformation and self-confidence; environmental sustainability organizations promoting possibilities for a sustainable future, highlighting the transformative power of eco-conscious choices; psychology professionals who help individuals tap into their inner potential and overcome obstacles; and marketing or event management agencies that specialize in creating compelling and transformative works.

Among our clients, we’ve also observed consultancies and studios in design where deep knowledge and transformation play key roles; educational institutions that catalyze learning or offer unconventional teaching methods and companies in entertainment that aim to create awe-inspiring and transformative works, like films or virtual reality experiences.

When we work with Magician brands, we help them communicate how their work acts like a catalyst in transforming customer lives by explaining the inner workings, processes, tools, or knowledge of the business. We find this type of demystification is particularly important for Magician brands to balance their aura of mystery with real, pragmatic information that builds credibility and trust. See this example of how we maintained the trustworthy, credible nature of a client through a story that highlights her in-depth knowledge on the subject; it balanced the sense of wonder evoked by the Magician archetype in her business persona.

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Stories for Magician brands

When the magician archetype is applied to a brand, we begin with its values and characteristics to build on story ideas. In a business context, Magician archetype stories often emphasize pushing the boundaries of what's possible. These stories usually revolve around breakthroughs in process, cutting-edge technology, products or services, and a commitment to constant improvement and evolution. We also direct stories to help magician brands demonstrate their deep knowledge and unconventional thinking that leads to surprising or win-win solutions. When Magician archetype brands want to form solid connections with their audience, we recommend stories that allow them to empower customers to tap into their own potential; providing tools, resources, and guides for personal and professional transformation.

Emotions are one of the most reliable ways to build significant connections. This is why we always consider the emotions that the stories would trigger in the brand’s audiences. 

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Read: Using emotions to connect brand stories to audiences

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Image: Lionel Wendt, 1937

The Magician archetype is naturally conducive to one of the most popular emotions according to data from our subscribership; this is wonder. Even beyond our subscribership, we find there is a growing appetite to feel wonder. Perhaps, as we get to know this world with more and more access to information, instances where we can return to childlike wonder are rare. Magician brands have the ability to fill this void, and help their consumers find wonder against the everyday drear. 

When we create stories for Magician brands, we help them communicate their transformative abilities, and how they harness networks, opportunities, tools, materials, knowledge, or technology to change things for the better. For a Magician brand client that was a networks and connections consultancy based in Canada, we created a strapline and brand statement that communicated this ability to wield possibilities and transform customer lives; for a vegan café that embraced the Magician persona, we created this logo and colour combinations for its visual storytelling. As you can see, the Magician archetype can be expressed in many different ways, especially when combined with the other archetypes a business has in its persona. If you think your business has a persona with a Magician archetype that channels catalytic powers, an unusual display of instinct and win-win solutions, get in touch with us to have it expressed through your stories.

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What makes the Magician

In his book "Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious," Jung wrote: "The figure of the magician expresses the desire to know and control the mysterious forces that lie hidden in the recesses of the unconscious. The magician is a symbol of transformation and mastery over the hidden aspects of oneself and the world.”

The magician archetype is associated with a set of key personality traits and characteristics. It's important to note that these traits can manifest differently in each entity—whether an individual or a brand—as archetypes are universal patterns that can be expressed uniquely. 

"The magician archetype shares many characteristics with Hermes, the messenger of the gods and the guide between the realms. Both embody the principle of mediation and the ability to traverse boundaries. The magician archetype signifies the potential for transformation and the integration of opposites." The Spirit Mercurius, C. Jung.

Magician archetypes are typically characterized by a thirst for understanding the mysteries of the world and possessing insights into hidden truths and esoteric knowledge. Magicians rely on their deep intuition and inner guidance. This archetype has a knack for perceiving hidden connections, patterns, and possibilities that others may overlook. Their insights can be instrumental in problem-solving and decision-making. Magicians are skilled at traversing boundaries and navigating different realms. They may bridge the gap between the conscious and unconscious, the material and spiritual, or the visible and invisible worlds. Because the Magician archetype has a strong association with change, both within themselves and in the world around them, it is particularly useful in representing transformative entities. This is why they lend well to brands in the businesses of consultancy, strategy, forecasting, technology, health and wellness, personal coaching, design, creativity and even education. While these are some of the most common characteristics, the Magician archetype may have certain subtleties depending on cultural and personal contexts.

Like all archetypes, the Magician archetype also has a shadow side, representing the negative aspects that can come about when the archetype's strengths are misused. The shadow side of the Magician archetype is associated with a lack of integrity, manipulation and deception; obsession with control and dominance, destructive or negative transformation and intellectual arrogance are the most common shadow Magician archetype traits. We don’t normally bring in shadow traits in commissioned stories for brands. But, when making fictional stories for our subscribers, we take creative liberties to delve into the shadow side of archetypes; like this story of a woman tapping into her shadow Magician.

 "The alchemist and the magician represent the archetype of transformation and the ability to tap into hidden powers. They seek to transmute base matter into gold, both literally and metaphorically. This process mirrors the psychological journey of the individuation process, where the individual seeks to integrate and transform their unconscious elements." Psychology and Alchemy, C. Jung