Who Do You Think You Are? Your Brand Archetype @nxtbook @marcusgrimm
Jan 22, 2015
Who Do You Think You Are?
Your Brand Archetype@nxtbook
@marcusgrimm
Why Are You Here?
• You want to have a distinctive brand.• You want to understand how to
position your brand against competitors who seem smarter/cooler/tougher/sexier than you.
• You feel like whenever you go to do marketing, you’re starting over.
A Quote
“There are people. There are stories. The people think they shape the stories, but the reverse is often closer to the truth.” – Alan Moore
MOTHER
Easy Difficult
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
What’s an Archetype?
• Symbol.• Universally understood by the self-
conscious.• Defines without constraining.
The Father of Archetypes
Man's task is to become conscious of the contents that press upward from the unconscious.
Observation
• By a very early age (at the latest), there are certain symbols (archetypes) that we are aware of, have accepted and require no prodding to deeply understand.
So what?
• I signed up for a marketing event.• This sounds like psychobabble.• How am I supposed to make money
with this information?
2473,000
20,000
Attention Span, 2000 – 12 SecondsAttention Span, 2012 – 8 Seconds
Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information
The Power of Archetypes
• Speed – The sooner you know me, the sooner you can choose if you wish to know me better.
• Provide clarity – Who you are.• Shared understanding – I recognize
you, so we can go deeper into the conversation.
• Provide context for communication – This is why I talk the way I do.
The Mothers of Brand Archetypes
How Many Archetypes Are There?
• Jung said 12• Mark & Pearson started w/ 12… and
moved to 60• It doesn’t really matter
So Long as Your Archetype is
• Distinctive• Consistent• Accurate• Relevant(?)
The Core Twelve
Caregiver Everyman Creator Explorer Jester Rebel
Hero Innocent Lover Sovereign Magician Sage
HERO
Understand: The archetype is never wrong, as it is only a representation.
The Hero
• Is a winner, at all costs.• Often overcomes bad odds.• Often involves a sacrifice.
An Example – The Rebel
• Progressive and provocative thought.• Attractive to the counterculture.• A rule breaker.• Brutal honesty.• Experimentation.• Challenges established norms.
Apple’s Mission Statement
• Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/apples-new-mission-statement-2013-8#ixzz394DrL6f9
A Local Rebel:
Rob….. Burrito?
Understand
• The rebel understands that everybody is not a prospect.
• The rebel works best if there’s something to rebel against.
• Wanna be a rebel?– Comparisons between you and the
competition.– Don’t be afraid to take a stand.
The Innocent
• Unbridled sense of wonder.• Trust.• Triggers nostalgia for simpler times.• Freedom from preconception.
Coca-Cola’s Mission Statement
• Our Roadmap starts with our mission, which is enduring. It declares our purpose as a company and serves as the standard against which we weigh our actions and decisions.
• To refresh the world...• To inspire moments of optimism and happiness...
• To create value and make a difference.
Understand
• The Innocent works best if you solve simple problems.
• The Innocent is fundamentally an archetype in transition.
• Wanna be an Innocent?– Be prepared for blurry ROI.– Keep it simple.
An Example – The Entertainer
• Lives in the moment with full enjoyment.
• Wants to have a great time.• Would never seem boring.• Motivated to create impact through
improvisation.• Tactics designed to elicit reactions &
attract attention.
The Entertainer
A Local Entertainer
The Sage
• Knowledge is power.• People choose them for their
expertise.• Use intelligence to understand the
world.
Understand
• While some archetypes make more sense in some industries, there are no rules.
A Local Sage
So What Are We, or What Should We Be?
Caregiver Everyman Creator Explorer Jester Rebel
Hero Innocent Lover Sovereign Magician Sage
Archetype Strategy
• Step 1: Discover your archetype– Quantitatively– Qualitatively
• Examine the competitive set.• Build the brand from the archetype
out.• Monitor and repeat.
Step 1: Archetype Discovery
• Quantitative analysis• Qualitative analysis• Describe products/services• Describe client expectations
Step 1: Archetype Discovery
• Self• Company/Department• Customers
Survey Modeling
Archetype voice.
Archetype identity.
Survey Modeling for Customers
Archetype voice.
Archetype identity.
Survey Modeling for Employees
Archetype voice.
Archetype identity.
Understand
• The quantitative analysis is just the beginning.
Magician
Rebel
Hero
Lover
Everyman
JesterSovereign
Creator
Caregiver
Innocent
Explorer
Sage
Magician
Rebel
Hero
Lover
Everyman
JesterSovereign
Creator
Caregiver
Innocent
Explorer
Sage
Step 1A: Quantitative Analysis
• Compare/contrast tenure• Compare/contrast job titles• Ask for confidence
Step 1B: Qualitative Analysis
• In person/telephone interviews.• Why you said what you said.• Seeking context within the decisions.
Magician
Rebel
Hero
Lover
Everyman
JesterSovereign
Creator
Caregiver
Innocent
Explorer
Sage
Step 1B: Qualitative Analysis
• Historical artifacts (Rebel)• Unrealized potential (Sage)• Reinforced strengths
(Creator)
Step 1B: Qualitative Analysis
• Drill down – Creator– Artist– Entrepreneur– Storyteller– Visionary
Step 2: The Competitive Set
• Examine your position relative to your competitors.
• Examine gaps where nobody is or clusters where everybody is.
Magician
Rebel
Hero
Lover
Everyman
JesterSovereign
Creator
Caregiver
Innocent
Explorer
Sage
Step 3: Look Through Your Archetype’s Eyes
Internal RealityCultureValuesVision
Mission
ArtifactsIconsLogos
Messaging
ActionsAttitudesBehaviorService
Some Archetype Observations
• If you’re struggling to recognize an archetype, it could be because there isn’t one there.
• Unlike a marketing campaign change, an archetype change is a big deal.– Transgender parents (mother to father)– KISS (entertainer to entrepreneur) – Lance Armstrong (hero to outlaw)
Some Archetype Observations
• Archetypes are the foundation of everything but are better understood than explained.– “What you do speaks so loudly I can’t
hear what you say.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Archetype/Brand Audit Context
• Archetype looks at who the brand is.• Brand audit looks at what the brand
is sayingand how it’s being received.–Messaging– Content inventory–Market reaction
What Happens Next?
• Talk to Nxtbook about uncovering your archetype.
• Talk to Nxtbook about how your archetype can speak more clearly.– Brand audit– Brand execution
Did Somebody Say Special?
• Single quantitative archetype - $99 - $79.20!
• Executive archetype – Up to 5 - $250 - $200
• Company archetype – Up to 100 - $975 - $780
• Online survey
What Happens Next?
• Special thanks to Zach McCurdy.• You take a tour.• Schedule your archetype survey
and/or your brand challenges and triumphs with us.
• Accept LinkedIn connection.• See if you’re a winner!
Thank You – Q/A
Caregiver Everyman Creator Explorer Jester Rebel
Hero Innocent Lover Sovereign Magician Sage