The 12 Jungian Archtypes

There’s no simple way to explain 20th century analytical psychology but that’s where these 12 archetypes originally came from.

The Jungian Archetypes are based on psychologist Carl Jung’s theory that the collective unconscious is categorised into 12 archetypes. These archetypes, which he proposed as universal, mythic characters residing within the collective unconscious, serve as foundational elements in understanding human behaviour and motivations. They each have their own motivations, drawbacks, traits and morals.

By engaging with these archetypes, we approach a more nuanced understanding of how brands resonate on a psychological level, inviting a blend of identities that reflect complex human attributes rather than simple, one-dimensional characters.

THE INNOCENT

Overflowing with happiness and goodness, the Innocent enjoys the little things in life. Youthful with their aim to spread joy in all that they do, the Innocent is simple yet safe.

They don’t like to break the rules, get into trouble or be punished. The Innocent is pure and trustworthy in a world of chaos. They add to the joy of life with possible notes of nostalgia. The Innocent always see the bright side of life, while noticing the little things that many overlook.

The Innocent is often seen as romantic or naive but in a beautiful way. Brands that are Innocent often showcase a sweet yet seductive essence without being “sexy” or “x-rated”. It’s alluring and charming. The Innocent is soft, whimsical and sometimes delicious.

In Branding: Colour Palettes that Innocent brands often use could be white hues, blues or pinks. Logos are often simple and classic. The Brand Persona for an Innocent brand would be comforting and safe. The tone would make customers feel at ease through an authentic and genuine voice. Their taglines are often flouncy, pretty or whimsical.

Innocent brands could be Chobani or Dove.

THE EVERYMAN

Made for everyone, The Everyman appeals to the masses. They are usually friendly and genuine, offering an “everyone is welcome” essence. They have no specific audience, making them an incredibly hard archetype to achieve for a brand.

Never seen as luxury or expensive, The Everyman is often affordable and accessible. They are relatable and wholesome, like your friendly neighbour next door.

Accepting and willing to help out, The Everyman seeks connections and to belong among everyone. This can come across as needy and desperate when executed poorly - so be careful when using this as a Brand Archetype.

In Branding: Colour Palettes that Everyman brands often use are primary colours (yellows, reds, greens, blues). Simple, basic and familiar. Their Logos are simple and memorable. The Brand Persona for The Everyman is often happy and passionate. They provide a friendly and welcoming feel with taglines of acceptance.

Everyman brands could be IKEA, Target, eBay or KFC.

THE HERO

Noble and empowering, The Hero is here to make you feel inspired. Overcoming all that is thrown their way, The Hero is full of courage.

They reach out their hand to help and they will overcome any challenges thrown at them. Bold in their approach, The Hero is helpful along the journey. Their aim is to make the world and people better. They are often noble, bold and brave - like the hero in a movie who beats all the baddies.

The Hero can come across as “cocky” and without the skills and quality to back up their hero-ness, this archetype can very quickly fail as a brand. They often don’t see the bigger picture and can smash through things without thinking them through - like the Hulk.

In Branding: Colour Palettes for The Hero could be reds, black and white or any stark contrasting colours (electric blue and white or red and black). Their Logos will be unique, memorable and bold.

The Hero’s Brand Persona would be confident and bold. They would exude a trustworthy feel, making the customer feel safe. Their tagline would be fearless and confident - like a bold statement. Nike’s “Just do it” is a good example of this.

Brands that could be The Hero are Nike or Gaterade.

THE OUTLAW

With a desire to question (and often) break the rules, The Outlaw is the embodiment of the anti-establishment movement.

Often igniting passion, this archetype is innovative and thinks largely outside the box. Unconventional in their approach, The Outlaw’s aim is to challenge the “norms” and start a revolution.

Leaving a memorable mark, The Outlaw dislikes conforming and being told what to do. They’re fearless and full of ideas which can often lead them to incredible success or recklessness. The Outlaw is brave and not a “baddie” but likes to do things their own way.

In Branding: The Outlaw’s Colour Palette could be bright, bold and memorable. Contrasting colours such as red and white, red and blue or black and green would suit The Outlaw. Also a mix of moody hues would work well. Logos could be modern and quirky. A Brand Persona for The Outlaw would be intelligent, bold and possibly a bit left- of-field or weird. A tone to make people think or ask questions would be suitable for The Outlaw. They could also be funny or witty. Outlaw brands could be Oatly or Dr. Martens.

THE EXPLORER

Pushing the boundaries wherever possible, The Explorer takes risks and enjoys the innovation of new experiences and flavours.

This archetype is curious and passionate, craving growth and discovery. Think Indiana Jones, where one lives for the thrills and adventure of life. They are free- spirited and are open to all things weird or untapped.

The Explorer longs for freedom and is usually very active and brave. They can also be quirky and wacky.

In Branding: The Visual Identity for The Explorer is usually sleek, bold and timeless. Stark contrasting colours such as black and white or royal blues or green are popular. Logos could match with boldness and sharp lines.

The Tone of Voice would be inspiring and bold. The Brand Persona could be intelligent, and innovative - teaching your audience a new way of thinking and viewing a particular product or service.

Brands that are The Explorer are usually travel, cars, sporting or activewear. They could also be galleries, unique clothing or perfume - as long as it’s innovative or different.

Brands that could be The Explorer are The North Face, Boring Studios, Jeep or NASA.

THE CREATOR

As the name suggests, The Creator creates. They are all about innovation and bringing their vision, or another’s vision to life.

Wanting to leave a legacy, The Creator builds for longevity through quality and a timeless manner. They like to do things right and create tangible things that add value to the world - usually crafted from nothing.

They are driven by free-thinking, yet their downfall could be that they have tunnel vision and don’t see the bigger picture, only what they are creating. The Creator values the process and understands that good things can take time. Often highly skilled, they are imaginative and expressive.

Many Creator archetypes are designers, entrepreneurs, tech companies, scientists, writers or visionaries of some kind - anyone who creates is The Creator.

In Branding: The Colour Palette for The Creator types could literally be anything. As this is an artistic and innovative archetype, many start-ups and creative brands fall into this category so colour choices are endless.

The Brand Voice is usually inspiring and sometimes approachable with a confident and well-informed Brand Persona to back their offering.

Brands such as Sony, SpaceX or YouTube could be The Creator archetype.

THE RULER

Authoritative in nature, the Ruler exhibits an organised and serious demeanour. The Ruler runs a tight ship where no hair is out of place. They dislike weakness and rule breakers.

Contrasting to The Outlaw, The Ruler loves to find order amongst chaos. They seek power and focus on rules and regulations. They want to maintain their power and control everything possible.

Enjoying the rigid nature of procedures, everything has structure and order with The Ruler. They value high-quality and substantial products and services. They are often intelligent and very competent in an array of skills.

The downfall for The Ruler is that they can have tunnel vision and may not think creatively or outside the rule-breaking-box. They want prosperity and money and often fear being overthrown. Many of The Ruler archetypes are fair and often want comfort for those they love.

In Branding: The Visual Identity for The Ruler is often clean-cut, minimal, simple and elegant. Blacks, white and royal blues are often used in this archetype’s Colour Palette.

The Brand Persona for The Ruler is intelligent, confident and grammatically correct. You will never see these brands using slang, exclamation marks or having sales.

Brands that could be The Ruler are often banks, credit cards, suits, watches - anything that could be deemed “elite” or high-quality. Mercedes Benz, Rolls Royce, Rolex, Apple, American Express would all be The Ruler.

THE MAGICIAN

Creating magic wherever possible, The Magician archetype makes dreams come true and creates special moments. The Magician is wise, alluring and creative. They make problems disappear; great or small.

Extremely clever, The Magician is thoughtful and often healers. Bringing visions to life, they always see the big picture but appreciate the small details. They see what others may not notice.

Evoking imagination, The Magician is all about growth and making the impossible possible. They are curious and love to get things done. The Magician is driven yet comforting and emotional. They enjoy power but often use their intelligence for good. They are inventors and want to change the world with their creativity and knowledge.

They are charming and charismatic but the downfall of The Magician is that they can become manipulative or dishonest because of their desire to achieve great things.

In Branding: The Colour Palette for The Magician could be red hues, dark blacks/blues/grey or white/off-white hues. Logos would often include a memorable and unique Brandmark.

The Brand Persona for The Magician would be inspiring and articulate, while the Tone of Voice would make your customers think. You wouldn’t find slang or poor grammar in The Magician’s Brand Voice.

Brands that could be The Magician are Disney or Nintendo.

THE LOVER

Oozing seduction and intimacy, the Lover inspires passion, networking and commitment. The Lover is cosy and alluring. Not necessarily “sexy”, The Lover can be about connection between lovers, friends or family - they are all about intimacy in life, not always in a “sensual” way. But it can also be sexy.

Being magnetic, sensual and alluring helps them to achieve closeness. The Lover is appreciative while achieving connection. They evoke emotions through their charming and alluring personality. They are emotionally attractive while maintaining a physical attractiveness to match.

All about the beauty in life without being vain, the Lover inspires passion and commitment in all that they do. The Lover is empathetic, caring and emotional. They focus on the little things in life and romanticise every moment.

The Lover archetype focuses on aesthetics and makes their customers feel beautiful. They don’t like to make people feel less-than but rather inspire them to be better.

In Branding: The Colour Palette for The Lover could be golds, black, brown hues, pinks, reds or any rich colours. The Visual Identity would focus on smooth textures and organic shapes.

The Brand Persona for The Lover would be soft and comforting. The Tone of Voice would be inspiring and full of adjective rich language. Often luxury cosmetics, perfume, bags and clothing brands are The Lover.

Brand examples of The Lover could be Chanel, Godiva or Cadbury.

THE CAREGIVER

As the name suggests, The Caregiver gives and provides. Oozing trust and compassion, they ensure the people around them are secure, safe and nurtured. People feel calm in the presence of The Caregiver.

Putting their needs above everyone else, The Caregiver is extremely compassionate and caring. They are empathetic and can feel the moods of those around them. All about family, friends and abundance, this archetype is generous and loving. It’s cosy and comfortable, like Christmas or the nostalgia of the holidays cooking.

The Caregiver is never selfish or untruthful but their downfall is their desire to keep everyone happy while “fixing” their issues. They can find it difficult to say no.

In Branding The Colour Palette for The Caregiver could be greens, white hues, blues and anything with a bit of softness. You’ll rarely see stark, heavily bright or contrasting colours for The Caregiver. The Brand Persona for The Caregiver will be soft and welcoming. The Brand Voice and Tone should not be overly excited, over the top, rude or even confident. It will be happy and calming.

Family restaurants, baby products, at home services and hospitality are often The Caregiver. Brands that could be The Caregiver are WWF, Johnson & Johnson and The Salvation Army.

THE JESTER

Made to entertain, The Jester is funny and likes to bring light to all situations. They can be clever and they are usually relatable to their audience.

The Jester is fun-loving and really lives in the moment. They are never too serious and can range from having “loud” humour to having a more witty or clever approach when developed well.

Rarely thinking far into the future, The Jester is bold and confident. They ooze a fun aura but can become overpowering or overwhelming when targeted towards the wrong audience. Filled with creativity, The Jester is often filled with original ideas.

The Jester dislikes being bored or boring things. They always want to be included and rarely get annoyed or phased by anything.

In Branding: The Colour Pallette for The Jester is often bold or bright primary colours such as greens, reds, blues or yellows - they can also be a combination of these. Logos could be organic shapes and feature a bold Brandmark.

The Brand Persona for The Jester is usually big and welcoming. The Tone of Voice you will find associated with this archetype will be friendly, confident and funny - making their audience feel at ease and happy.

The Jester archetype is often seen in processed foods like candy or sweets, entertainment or restaurants. M&Ms and Mailchimp could be The Jester.

THE SAGE

Often showcased in films as the wise old man, the professor, teacher or town witch, The Sage is filled with knowledge and wisdom.

The Sage is reliable and intelligent while working to make the world a better place. They are extremely open-minded but can be self-absorbed in their intelligence.

Understanding that knowledge equals power, they use their wisdom to uncover the truth and provide information to those who need it. They obviously dislike stupidity and false information.

In Branding: The Colour Palette for The Sage is often blacks, whites and greys - with a possible subtle tinge of red, green or blue. The Visual Identity will often be deep, contrasting and simple yet memorable.

The Brand Persona for The Sage would contain high-level-vocabulary and well- researched content. The Tone of Voice would be confident and authoritative. You will never find excitement, poor grammar or useless information in the Brand Voice of The Sage.

Brands who provide information such as news channels or papers would be The Sage. National Geographic and CNN would be The Sage.

SUMMARY

Each archetype supports unique branding strategies, influencing design, tone, and customer engagement to resonate with specific market segments.

• The Innocent: Radiates happiness, purity, and trust, preferring simplicity and adherence to rules.

• The Everyman: Appeals broadly with a welcoming, affordable persona.

• The Hero: Embodies courage and altruism, aiming to inspire and improve the world.

• The Outlaw: Challenges norms and sparks innovation, often resisting authority.

• The Explorer: Craves adventure and innovation, pushing boundaries with a bold spirit.

• The Creator: Focuses on innovation and legacy, creating impactful, enduring work.

• The Ruler: Commands with authority, emphasising order and high-quality standards.

• The Magician: Creates transformative experiences, combining wisdom and creativity.

• The Lover: Inspires deep connections and passion, focusing on beauty and emotional allure.

• The Caregiver: Provides comfort and safety, prioritising others' needs with compassion.

• The Jester: Brings joy and humour, enjoying the moment with a playful attitude.

• The Sage: Values knowledge and wisdom, offering insights and truth.