Advertising archetypes

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  • 1. Advertising Archetypes are descriptions of the twelve archetypes that are most common in advertising and marketing.Each archetype has three levels, with Level 1 being the simplest and least moving form of the archetypeand Level 3 being the most complex and appealing.The InnocentThe ExplorerThe SageThe HeroThe OutlawThe MagicianThe Regular Guy / GalThe LoverThe JesterThe CaregiverThe CreatorThe RulerThe InnocentDesire: Experience (live in) paradiseGoal: Be happyFear: Doing something wrong or badStrategy: Do things rightGift: Faith and optimismCall: A desire for purity, goodness and simplicityLevel 1: Childlike simplicity, naïve, dependent, obedient, trusting, idyllicLevel 2: Renewal, positive, reinventing, reframing, cleansing, reentering promised landLevel 3: Almost mystical sense of oneness, whereby innocence comes from values and integrity, notouter experience; being, not doing 1|Page
  • 2. Shadow: Denial, repressionThe Innocent helps us to lead a purer, simpler, more peaceful life. The Innocent brings renewal, faith andoptimism to our lives, cleansing us from our everyday worries and helping us to relax and be happy.This archetype ranges in depth from a simple, childlike innocence to reinventing and renewing oneself inorder to reenter the “promised land.” At its most powerful, the Innocent embodies a sense of wholenessand oneness in which a person’s sense of purity and peace comes from his or her inner values instead ofoutside actions.The ExplorerDesire: Freedom to find out who one is through exploring the worldGoal: To experience a better, more authentic, more fulfilling lifeFear: Getting trapped, conforming, inner emptiness, nonbeingStrategy: Journey, seek out and experience new things, escape from entrapment and boredomTrap: Aimless wandering, becoming a misfit Gift: Autonomy, ambition, ability to be true to one’s ownsoulCall: Alienation, dissatisfaction, restlessness, yearning, boredomLevel 1: Hitting the open road, going out into nature, exploring the worldLevel 2: Seeking one’s own individuality, becoming fulfilledLevel 3: Expressing individuality and uniquenessShadow: Being so alienated that one can’t find any way to fit in The Explorer invites us to find ourselves by journeying through the world around us. By exploring thevariety of experience that the world has to offer, we escape entrapment and boredom while discoveringourselves reflected in the world around us. At its simplest, the Explorer archetype embodies the urge to hit the open road and explore the worldaround us. At deeper levels of the archetype, the journey can become a way to find one’s ownindividuality and express one’s uniqueness.The SageDesire: Discovery of truthGoal: To use intelligence and analysis to understand the worldFear: Being duped, misled – ignoranceStrategy: Seek out information and knowledge, become self-reflective, understand thinking processesTrap: Can study issues forever and never act 2|Page
  • 3. Gift: Wisdom, intelligenceCall: Confusion, doubt, deep desire to find the truthLevel 1: Search for absolute truth, desire for objectivity, looking to expertsLevel 2: Skepticism, critical and innovative thinking, becoming an expertLevel 3: Wisdom, confidence, masteryShadow: Dogmatism, ivory tower, disconnection from realityThe Sage encourages us to use our intellect to understand the world around us and, in turn, betterunderstand ourselves. By seeking out information and developing the intellect, the Sage helps us discoveressential truths about the world and ourselves. The archetype of the Sage progresses through a desire for truth to skepticism and critical thought aboutthe world around us, emerging in its most powerful form as one possessing wisdom or some nugget ofabsolute truth.The HeroDesire: Prove one’s worth through courageous and difficult actionGoal: Exert mastery in a way that improves the worldFear: Weakness, vulnerability, “wimping out”Strategy: Become as strong, competent and powerful as one is capable of beingTrap: Arrogance, developing a need for there to always be an enemyGifts: Competence and courageCall: The bully kicks sand in one’s face or someone tries to intimidate or abuse a weaker person; achallenge beckons; someone needs help defending him or herselfLevel 1: The development of boundaries, competence, mastery, expressed through achievement,motivated and tested through competitionLevel 2: Like a soldier, doing one’s duty for country, organization, community or familyLevel 3: Using strength, competence and courage for something that makes a difference to the worldShadow: Ruthlessness, obsessive need to winThe Hero uses his strength in order to improve the world. The Hero constantly strives to become strongerand more competent in order to have the power to create positive change in the world. 3|Page
  • 4. The Hero archetype in its most basic form involves the development of skills and competence. The moreadvanced Hero uses these skills to protect his or her family, community and country, and the mostdeveloped Hero seeks not only to protect, but also to change and improve the world.The OutlawDesire: Revenge or revolutionGoal: To destroy what is not working (for outlaw or society)Fear: Being powerless, trivialized, inconsequentialStrategy: Disrupt, destroy or shockTrap: To go over to the dark side, criminalityGift: Outrageousness, radical freedomCall: Feeling powerless, angry, mistreated, under siegeLevel 1: Identifying as an outsider, dissociating from values of the group / society in a way that defiesconventional behavior and morality.Level 2: Behaving in shocking and disruptive waysLevel 3: Becoming a rebel or revolutionaryShadow: Criminal or evil behaviorThe Outlaw disrupts the status quo when change is needed. By destroying the social institutions that arenot working, the Outlaw creates the opportunity for better, more effective methods to replace them. In the beginning, the Outlaw dissociates him or herself from society in a way that shocks and confrontsconventional values. At the deepest level of the archetype, the Outlaw uses his or her power to disruptthe system to become a true revolutionary, overturning obsolete or ineffective establishments in order tocreate a new order.The MagicianDesire: Knowledge of fundamental laws of how the world and universe workGoal: Make dreams come trueFear: Unanticipated negative consequencesStrategy: Develop vision and live itTrap: Becoming manipulative 4|Page
  • 5. Gift: Finding win-win outcomesCall: Hunches, extrasensory or synchronistic experiencesLevel 1: Magical moments and experiences of transformationLevel 2: The experience of flowLevel 3: Miracles, moving from vision to manifestationShadow: Manipulation, sorceryThe Magician transforms the world. Using an understanding of the fundamental laws of the universe, theMagician finds ways to make his or her dreams into reality. At the lower levels, the Magician archetype involves moments of clarity or transformation. The secondlevel of the archetype involves the experience of “flow,” a sense of oneness with and understanding ofthe universe. At its most potent, the Magician archetype is capable of miracles, transforming reality toreflect a vision or dream.The Regular Guy / GalDesire: Connection with othersGoal: To belong, fit inFears: Standing out, seeming to put on airs, being exiled or rejectedStrategy: Develop ordinary solid virtues, the common touch, blendTrap: Give up self to blend in, in exchange for only a superficial connectionGift: Realism, empathy, lack of pretenseCall: Loneliness, alienationLevel 1: The orphan, feeling abandoned and alone, seeking affiliationLevel 2: The joiner, learning to connect, fit in, accept help and friendshipLevel 3: The humanitarian, believing in the natural dignity of every person regardless of his or herabilities and circumstancesShadow: The victim who is willing to be abused rather than be alone, or the lynch-mob member, willingto go along with abuse in order to be one of the gang.The Regular Guy / Gal wants to fit in. By developing ordinary, solid virtues and avoiding any form ofpretense or pomposity, the Regular Guy / Gal achieves a sense of belonging in his or her chosenenvironment. 5|Page
  • 6. The Regular Guy / Gal archetype begins as an orphan who seeks somewhere to belong. At the secondlevel, the Regular Guy / Gal learns to connect with others, accept help and develop friendships. Thehighest level of the archetype is the humanitarian who believes that all people have value regardless oftheir abilities or circumstances.The LoverDesire: Attain intimacy and experience sensual pleasureGoal: Being in a relationship with the people, work, experiences and surroundings they loveFear: Being alone, a wallflower, unwanted, unlovedStrategy: Become more and more attractive, physically, emotionally and in every other wayTrap: Doing anything and everything to attract and please others, losing identityGifts: Passion, gratitude, appreciation, commitmentCall: Infatuation, seduction, falling in love (with a person, idea, cause, work or product)Level 1: Seeking great sex or a great romanceLevel 2: Following one’s bliss, committing to who and what one lovesLevel 3: Spiritual love, self-acceptance, the experience of ecstasyShadow: Promiscuity, obsession, jealousy, envy, PuritanismThe Lover desires to have strong relationships with the people that he or she loves. The Lover constantlystrives to make him or herself more desirable physically and emotionally in order to become attractive toothers.The Lover archetype begins as a search for sex or romance, and develops into a commitment to thepeople, ideas and experiences that he or she loves. At its height, the archetype embodies self-acceptanceand pure, spiritual love.The JesterDesire: To live in the moment with full enjoymentGoal: To have a great time and lighten up the worldFear: Boredom or being boringStrategy: Play, make jokes, be funnyTrap: Wasting one’s life on trivial thingsGift: Joy 6|Page
  • 7. Call: Ennui, boredomLevel 1: Life as a game, funLevel 2: Cleverness used to trick others, get out of trouble and find ways around obstacles,transformationLevel 3: Life experienced in the moment, one day at a timeShadow: Self-indulgence, irresponsibility, mean-spirited pranks The Jester lives with a full appreciation of each moment. Through making jokes and being playful, theJester enjoys life and lightens up the lives of those around him or her.The basis of the Jester archetype is that life should be fun. The Jester archetype uses cleverness to trickothers and find ways around obstacles, and at its highest level, the archetype is a life experienced andenjoyed in the moment.The CaregiverDesire: Protect people from harmGoal: To help othersFear: selfishness, ingratitudeStrategy: Do things for othersTrap: Martyrdom of self, entrapment of othersGift: Compassion, generosityCall: Seeing someone in needLevel 1: Caring for and nurturing one’s dependentsLevel 2: Balancing self-care with care for othersLevel 3: Altruism, concern for the larger worldShadow: Martyrdom, enabling, guilt-tripping The Caregiver helps and protects others. By serving others and supporting them emotionally andfinancially, the Caregiver helps others achieve their goals. At the lower levels, the Caregiver archetype involves caring for one’s friends and family, and learning tobalance caring for others with caring for oneself. At its pinnacle, the archetype involves an altruisticconcern for and desire to help the entire world. 7|Page
  • 8. The CreatorDesire: Create something of enduring valueGoal: Give form to a visionFear: Having mediocre vision or expressionStrategy: Develop artistic control and skillTask: Create culture, develop own visionTrap: Perfectionism, miscreationGift: Creativity and imaginationCall: Daydreams, fantasies, flashes of inspirationLevel 1: Being creative and innovative in imitative waysLevel 2: Giving form to one’s own visionLevel 3: Creating structures that influence culture and societyShadow: Overly dramatizing one’s life, living a soap opera The Creator crafts unique objects of enduring artistic, emotional or societal value. The Creator developscreative skill in order to create something truly original and unique. The Creator archetype begins with imitating other creators, and progresses to the ability to give form toan original and unique vision. At its strongest, the archetype involves creating something that influencesculture and society for many years.The RulerDesire: ControlGoal: Create a successful, prosperous family, company or communityStrategy: Exert leadershipFear: Chaos, being overthrownTrap: Being bossy, authoritativeGift: Responsibility, leadershipCall: Lack of resources, order or harmonyLevel 1: Taking responsibility for the state of one’s own life 8|Page
  • 9. Level 2: Exerting leadership in one’s family, group, organization or workplaceLevel 3: Becoming leader in one’s community, field or societyShadow: Tyrannical or manipulative behaviorsThe Ruler exerts control over others in order to achieve a goal. Using his or her leadership skills, theRuler guides his or her family, company or community to success and prosperity.At the lowest level, the Ruler archetype involves taking responsibility for one’s own life, which is thenexpanded to taking responsibility for one’s family or group. The pinnacle of the Ruler archetype isbecoming a leader in one’s community or field of expertise, or the larger society. 9|Page