The archetype of the everyman, also called the common man, is ordinary and has the goal of creating a world in which everyone can feel fulfilled and appreciated for who they are. They love collaboration and feeling part of a group. The friend is genuine, friendly and has a great sense of duty. They prefer authenticity and sincerity over status symbols and luxury. They are ideal for sectors and products of everyday use, for example for cleaning the house.
Objectives: Desire for the fulfillment of others.
Strengths: Authenticity, honesty, respect.
Weaknesses: Fear of not feeling accepted.
Example of the archetype of the everyman: The Ceres advertisement wants to convey the values of the traveling companion, the friend who has always been there and will always be there. They accompany the viewer’s life at all times. The values they want to convey are: friendship, authenticity and connection.
How to choose your brand archetype
To understand which archetype best represents the brand, it is necessary to analyze its values and mission, which guiding principles you want to convey through the brand. It is useful to identify the personality traits you want to express and which archetypes represent them. Furthermore, you can use market analysis and research to understand the opinion on the perceptions that consumers have towards the company. Understanding the type of ideal audience to address can play an important role in choosing the archetype, asking yourself which traits, values and inspirations concern your customers.
The most important aspect is, however, to mix together traits of different archetypes, so as to create a unique and unrepeatable brand character. With this principle, you can be free to play not only with values and strengths, but also colors and tones of voice that tell the story of the brand and distinguish it from the competition.
We can summarize the fundamental steps for choosing your archetypes as follows:
- understand the desires of the audience;
- identify the personality of the brand;
- choose the right mix of archetypes;
- give your image a position in the world and a defined style.