Archetypes and Branding

Recently, I attended a branding seminar with Chuck Pettis of Brand Solutions, Inc. It was a day devoted to “archetypal branding”- understanding archetypes and how to use them effectively in your branding. Here is the classic definition of a universal archetype, right from Chuck Pettis’ website:

An inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past
collective experience and present in the individual unconscious. An original
model or type after which other similar things are patterned; a prototype. For
example, the archetypes of the Hero and the Outlaw (e.g., Luke Skywalker and
Darth Vader from the Star Wars movies) are found in many myths, stories and
movies.

I enjoyed the day a great deal and thought a lot about archetypes, Jung and business. Chuck presented twelve archetypes, based on Carol Pearson’s work, and how different companies use the archetype to help them maintain consistency in their branding. The “Explorer” archetype, for example, is the archetype for REI, while the “Outlaw” archetype helps define Harley-Davidson. I seem to resonate with the “Sage” archetype. I think understanding their business archetypes would help a lot of women rejuvenate their business and help bring into alignment their dedication to service with their need for profit.

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