Brand Archetypes in B2B

I wrote a piece about emotional marketing in B2B which many of you liked.

This week, I’m exploring that bit more.

But before that, don’t forget to subscribe.

One of the most quintessential components of your brand book will be defining your Brand Archetype.

What is it?

Here’s the simplest definition from crowdspring.com

Identifying your Brand Archetype is key to building your brand’s personality. 

You build your TOV (Tone of Voice) based on your category and this also helps you figure out your content strategy

These are the 12 types and what they embody:

So if you’re a B2B business who would like to build your brand beyond the positioning you’ve cracked, to build a moat around your company; you can start with identifying the archetype you think best suits your company.

Now here’s a breakdown on each category with examples:

1. The Innocent
   • Traits: Optimistic, simple, pure
   • Approach: Provides trustworthy and honest solutions
   • Examples: Evernote, Trello, Hootsuite
     
2. The Explorer
   • Embodying freedom and adventure, this type inspires customers to break free from the ordinary.
     It beckons towards new challenges and opportunities.
   • Examples: Red Hat, Docker, Splunk
     
3. The Sage
   • Wisdom and knowledge define this category.
     It offers insights and expertise, helping customers better understand the world around them.
   • Examples: Forrester, Accenture, PwC
     
4. The Hero
   • Traits: Courageous, determined
   • Approach: Inspires overcoming challenges, acts as a guide or ally
5. The Rebel (or Outlaw)
   • Disruptive and revolutionary, these brands encourage uniqueness and defiance of conventional norms.
   • Examples: Palantir, SpaceX, GitLab.
     
6. The Magician
   • Innovation and charisma are hallmarks here.
     This type pushes boundaries, turning dreams into reality through technology or imaginative solutions.
   • Examples: Adobe, NVIDIA, Boston Dynamics
     
7. The Everyman/Everywoman
   • Traits: Humble, honest, relatable
   • Approach: Resonates with diverse audiences, embraces inclusivity
   • Examples: MailChimp, Atlassian, Zoom
     
8. The Lover
   • Passion and emotional bonds are central.
     This archetype cultivates deep connections, whether romantic or platonic.
   • Examples: Asana, Zapier, HubSpot
     
9. The Jester
   • Bringing joy and entertainment, these brands create fun, engaging experiences for their customers.
   • Examples: Drift, Xero, Basecamp
     
10. The Caregiver
    • Traits: Compassionate, generous
    • Approach: Provides comfort and solutions to problems
    • Examples: Freshdesk, Help Scout, DocuSign
      
11. The Creator
    • Curiosity and creativity drive this type.
      It ignites customers' imaginations and helps bring ideas to life.
    • Examples: Autodesk, Figma, InVision
      
12. The Ruler
    • Leadership and accountability are key.
      These brands set high quality standards and position themselves as industry leaders.
    • Examples: Oracle, SAP, Microsoft

Examples: Dell, Oracle Cloud, SAP

Psssh, my favorite in the B2C space under this category is none other than:

Now that you know what the 12 archetypes are….

Go ahead apply them in your B2B brand but keep these points in mind:

• Identify your core values and mission and match these with the traits of the archetypes
• Align your messaging and visual identity with the chosen archetype
• Consistently apply it across all marketing channels

The fact that B2B buyers today are about 57% to 70% complete with their buying decision before contacting the provider or sales team only solidifies the need for companies to build a strong brand.

PS: If you want to figure out which brand archetype works best for your company, there are multiple tests which can help you with the same, just a Google search away.

For ex. https://www.crowdspring.com/brand-archetype-quiz/

Here’s hoping to see more sassy, funny, heroic and more brands in the B2B space soon!

If you liked my newsletter, you’ll love this comic I made too: