The archetype atlas
Do not begin with colours or adjectives. Begin with the human need the brand promises to answer.
Each field contains three different strategies for meeting a related need.
Innocence and freedom
Simple, honest and safe
The Innocent makes the world easier to trust. The brand reduces anxiety, simplifies choice and reminds the customer that good things can be uncomplicated.
Freedom, discovery and your own path
The Explorer promises freedom and a truer life beyond the well-trodden path. The brand opens a door and lets the customer feel that the world is larger.
Knowledge, insight and calm
The Sage seeks truth, context and a better basis for choice. The brand earns authority by making knowledge useful to others.
Leave a mark
Courage, discipline and results
The Hero mobilises courage, discipline and effort. The brand makes the challenge clear and shows that the customer can master it.
Fearless, real and against the current
The Outlaw breaks a rule that no longer serves people. The brand gathers those who are tired of the system and want a real alternative.
Vision, transformation and wonder
The Magician sees connections others miss and makes a desired transformation possible. The brand sells the movement from before to after.
Belonging
Down-to-earth, honest and for everyone
The Everyman creates belonging without hierarchy. The brand says ordinary people, ordinary needs and honest value are more than enough.
Closeness, beauty and care
The Lover creates value through closeness, beauty and devoted attention. The brand makes the customer feel chosen, seen and alive.
Play, joy and good humour
The Jester creates connection by loosening seriousness. Play, surprise and humour make the moment lighter.
Provide structure
Care, safety and time
The Caregiver protects, supports and makes the burden lighter. The person comes before the transaction.
Creative force, originality and form
The Creator gives lasting form to an idea. Originality appears through craft, choices and a process that could not belong to anyone else.
Authority, order and quality
The Ruler creates order, standards and durable control. The brand promises that important things are handled with authority and without sloppiness.
A bank can be a caring protector, a wise adviser, an accessible neighbour or an authoritative standard-setter. The archetype is a strategic choice about meaning, not a category label.
The primary archetype sets the promise. The secondary changes its expression. The order matters, and the result should still feel like one personality.
Read the method or let fifteen business choices reveal your two strongest signals.