- Used in the context of how brands attract customers and the image conjured by the brand, but can be applied more generally.
| Name | Family | Essential Quality | Strengths | Challenges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angel | Caregiver | To enact the will of a divine cause by guiding and aiding others towards the essential self | Capacity to inspire and relieve spiritual loneliness, Infinite compassion, Ability to be the bearer of miracles, Purity, Humility | Temptation to use the divine to mislead, control or manipulate, Prone to putting on an angelic act while feeling resentful, Pollyanna-like attitude |
| Caregiver | Caregiver | To be altruistic — The selfless devotion to nurture others. To seek a world where everyone is altruistic | Altruism, Compassion, Patience, Empathy | Fear of instability, Overcompromise leading to loss of balance, Inability to say no |
| Guardian | Caregiver | To defend and protect others and the collective as a whole. To uphold traditions, legacy and values | Gift for nurturing guidance, Desire to offer loving oversight, Protection, Compassionate discipline | Abuse of power, Neglect, Overbearingness, Entrapment |
| Healer | Caregiver | To be the catalyst that creates the conditions for healing to happen. To transform pain into restoration | Inspiration, Empathy, Faith, Passion, Wholeness | Temptation to use power for gain, control or fame, Representation as the only answer, Egotism |
| Samaritan | Caregiver | To love their neighbor as they would themselves. To be compassionate for others and relieve them of their suffering, even when unprompted | Selflessness, Kindness, Self-sacrifice, Generosity | Audacity to decide who is deserving of help, Arrogance, Self-martyrdom |
| Advocate | Citizen | To empower people and to support them; to aim for a collective societal good | Energy, Drive, Lifelong passion for championing the greater good, Ability to inspire others to action | Temptation to work for causes primarily for personal gain rather than the greater good |
| Citizen | Citizen | To serve the collective; To conform; The everyman rather than the ruler or leader | Stewardship, Altruism, Respect, Fairness, Accountability, Tendency to be a good listener, Hard worker | Righteousness, Apathy, Rebelliousness, Recklessness |
| Everyman | Citizen | To seek equality; To seek value in the mundane and normal; To be a member of the Human Race. | Great strength of character, Faithfulness, Supportiveness, Usefulness, Functionality, Resourcefulness | Unevolved behavior, Ignorance, Preoccupation with the basic routines of life, Groupthink |
| Networker | Citizen | To create communities that can collaborate for the mutual benefit of the Collective; To bridge the gap between people | Talent for creating communities and connections, Outgoing Personality, Empathy, Conversational Skill, Social Flexibility | Tendency to be disingenuous, To see people as leverage or to use people for personal benefit, Manipulation, Gossip |
| Servant | Citizen | To be flexible in order to perform a variety of duties to serve and enhance others; Volunteerism | Service, Ability to Listen, Empathy, Awareness, Commitment to the growth of others, Talent for community building, Humility, Persuasion, Stewardship, Openness | Loss of individual sustainability leading to burnout, Too much sacrifice, Dependence on external acknowledgement |
| Artist | Creator | To form passion into a physical shape; To express hidden truths using art that moves people | Expression, Creativity, Focus, Inspiration, Unorthodox Perspective, Talent for channeling the fullness of the human experience into tangible forms | Tendency to take on too many projects and challenges, Fear of failure, Prone to fall into cliches, Starving artist, Mad genius |
| Creator | Creator | To create something novel, meaningful, expressive, and with lasting value. To have the self be immortalized through creative work | Creativity, Imagination, Nonlinear thought, Nonconformity, Developed Aesthetic | Overdramatization, Depression accompanying a failure to make meaning, Perfectionism, Fear of mediocrity and judgment. |
| Entrepreneur | Creator | To do and create what has never been done before. Innovation made manifest | Confidence to be led by a vision, Talent for innovation, High tolerance for ambiguity and complexity, Skill as a self-starter | Addiction to adrenaline, Lack of follow-through, Inclination to be all about the chase |
| Storyteller | Creator | To tell stories in order to connect people together with the shared human experience; To bring to light human nature through their stories | Charisma, Dramatic Expression, Keen Insight, Intuitive understanding of the world, Empathy, Compassion | Temptation to exaggerate, lie or provide misinformation or to lure in those who are weak for gain or profit, Need for attention, Tendency to turn towards the negative or to be easily swayed by emotions or empathy |
| Visionary | Creator | To imagine the promise and potential of the greater good; To see with foresight and clarity | Perception, Enlightened perspective, Illumination, Ability to offer insight for the greater good | Temptation to trade or sell one’s gift for gain or profit, or to shift one’s vision to please or control |
| Adventurer | Explorer | To seek the thrill of being alive by pushing at the boundaries of life in order to reach a higher form of understanding | Fearlessness, Risk taking, Focus, Daring, Spontaneity, Hunger for new experiences | Tendency towards addiction, Inability to find join in the mundane, Relationship problems |
| Explorer | Explorer | To crave novelty and discovery ; To avoid boredom; To be an authentic individual | Independence, Bravery, Freedom, Self-sufficiency, Nonconformity | Self-indulgence, Aimlessness, Alientation |
| Generalist | Explorer | To experience everything — culture, science, arts to sate a hunger for life ; To cultivate an expansive understanding of the world | Expansive breadth of interests, Open-mindedness, Diverse talents, Nimble and facile mind | Tendency to overcome or overrepresent expertise, Prone to dabble, Lack of respect for mastery |
| Pioneer | Explorer | To answer the call to adventure; To leave the known for the promise of what might be; To venture into uncharted territory | Passion for trailblazing and taking initiative, Innovation, Enthusiasm and drive | Not finishing what’s been started, Compulsion for something new, Righteousness, Tendency towards burnout, Overperformance |
| Seeker | Explorer | To search for wisdom and truth; To yearn for enlightenment through soul searching; To seek a better world | Tireless inquiry, Honesty, Self-reliance, Flexibility, Open mindset | Escapism, Loneliness, Tunnel vision, Susceptibility to being deceived, Greater interest in discoveries than in people |
| Athlete | Hero | To relentlessly pursue the goal of advancing the limitations of the human form; To seek achievement and great character; Freedom without limitation | Strength and power, Discipline, Competence, Bravery, Honor, Tenacity, Achievement oriented | Ability to use strength to bully or hurt, Temptation to cheat |
| Hero | Hero | To redeem society by overcoming great odds; To complete extraordinary acts and to triumph against evil | Self-sacrifice, Courage, Redemption, Transformation ,Faith ,Strength, Stamina | Delusions of grandeur, Arrogance, Temptation of power |
| Liberator | Hero | To act for freedom and equality; To be a champion for the weak | Humanitarianism, Justice, Strong conviction, Resolute Morality, Optimism | Immoral behavior under the banner of justice, Need for revenge or payback, Liberation motivated by desire to impose one’s own will |
| Rescuer | Hero | To help those in dire situations; To act when no one else will act; To help for the sake of helping | Intuitive support, Quick reflexes, Honor, Bravery, Strength | The need to rescue, Misguided Attachments, Rescuing as means of elevating self-worth |
| Warrior | Hero | To overcome injustice with strength; To use one’s strength in one’s duty to protect, defend, and prevent | Valor, Fearlessness, Fortitude, Endurance, Conviction, Duty | Temptation to use strength for cruelty or intimidation or to chase victory at the cost of morals and ethics, Violence, Aggression, Selfishness |
| Child | Innocent | To embody Innocence and Youth. Child-like play, curiosity, and naivete. A new beginning full of potential | Temperament that is easily amused, Inner toughness and resilience, Positive attitude and energy, Fascination with the world, Openness to possibility | Inability to grow up and accept responsibility, Difficulty being reliable, grounded or dependable, Tendency to be highly mutable and vulnerable to influence |
| Dreamer | Innocent | To seek the Utopia of the mind; To dream about the abstract without needing it to be concrete | Vivid imagination, Creativity in the form of ideas, plans, inventions and concepts | Lack of structure needed to execute ideas |
| Idealist | Innocent | To seek harmony and peace — the knowledge that a better world is possible. To see what life could be rather than what life is. | Belief in the possibility of positive change, Strong vision and work ethic towards the greatest common good, Cooperation and Collaboration, Authenticity, Altruism, Self-confidence | Conflict avoidance, Frustration, Tendency to view the world through rose-colored glasses |
| Innocent | Innocent | To see the Sacred Beauty in everything — ethereal, pure, faultless and authentic | Unbridled sense of wonder, Purity, Freedom from preconceptions, Trust, Unconditional Love, Spontaneity, Honesty, Wholesomeness | Propensity to retreat into fantasy, Tendency to avoid, deny or repress problems, Fear of punishment for something wrong or bad |
| Muse | Innocent | To inspire and illuminate the human mind in its pursuit of creative endeavors | Ability to inspire creation of arts and literature and to give clarity, focus, and motivation, Facilitation of the growth of others, Collaborative, Selflessness | Possession of a directive agenda, Unfocused energy that can sometimes bring chaos rather than clarity, Tendency to be easily influenced by external forces |
| Clown | Jester | To engage with whimsy - a form of humor that also explores the taboo and social absurdity of everyday life | Ability to create fun and to make others laugh and cry | Danger of not being taken seriously, Loud, Garish, Obnoxious |
| Entertainer | Jester | To offer entertainment — an alternative perspective, an escape from reality; To pursue constant stimulation and pleasure | Playfulness, Ability to provide enjoyment and diversion for a passive audience | Messages diluted by the passivity of the delivery, Sensory temptations |
| Jester | Jester | To be playful — lighten up the world and reveal its truth in surprising ways; Crazy wisdom made manifest | Wicked humor, Originality, Irreverence, Present moment awareness, Facile social skills | Danger of being misunderstood shamed or considered a threat, Temptation to play cruel tricks, Prone to waste time, Insolence, Tendency to be scattered |
| Provocateur | Jester | To evoke a strong, polarizing response; To agitate in order to expose the inhumanity and fight against Apathy | Activation, Awakening, Powerful human insight, Fearlessness | Boorish, Rude, Offensive tactics, Manipulation for Selfish reasons, Adrenaline / Cortisol addiction |
| Shapeshifter | Jester | To be adaptable to any situation; To challenge others to question their assumptions; To transform into another form | Changeability, Adaptability, Ability to navigate varying levels of consciousness, Reinvention, Detachment | Inconstant alliances and loyalty, Instability, Prioritization of one’s own personal agenda, Fickleness, Mischief |
| Companion | Lover | To be a confidante; To build genuine relationships with others | Loyalty, Detail orientation, Determination, Practicality, Patience | Betrayal, Jealousy, Loss of self, Prone to dependency |
| Hedonist | Lover | To sate an appetite for all things pleasurable, sensual and sexual; To express the joy of being human | Appetite for pleasure, Heightened physical sense, Appreciation, Expansive, Openness | Pursuit of pleasure without regard for health or welfare of others, Selfishness, Self-indulgence |
| Lover | Lover | To embrace affection and beauty; Love as the highest form of experience; To be intimate with someone | Faithfulness, Passionate sensuality, Sexuality and spirituality, Expansiveness, Vitality, Appreciation | Obsession, Promiscuity, Jealousy, Game playing, Fear of not being enough or being alone and disconnected |
| Matchmaker | Lover | To build successful relationships; To facilitate synergy; To bring people together | Talent for thinking in metaphor, Open-mindedness, Cross-pollination, Strategic Thinking, Confidentiality | Inability to disregard personal agenda or bias, Danger or resorting to cognitive judgment rather than intuitive guidance |
| Romantic | Lover | To be “in love” complete with the sexual and sensual aspects of love | Ability to see beauty and possibility, Radiance, Charm, Charisma, Wittiness, Intense emotions, Optimism | Tendency to become delusional or controlling, Addiction to the close, Susceptibility to seeing through rose-colored glasses |
| Alchemist | Magician | To transform; to seek unity with the universe — both scientifically and spiritually. | Transformation, Purity, Transmutation of elements | Fraud, Seduction, Superiority, Temptation to put power and skill to wrong use. |
| Engineer | Magician | To find practical solutions to everyday problems ; To see how things work; To approach problems in a systematic, structured approach | Practicality, Sensibility, Engagement, Honesty, Groundedness, Patience | Manipulation, Temptation to seek one’s own advantage or act as a puppet master |
| Innovator | Magician | To make paradigm shifts that are catalysts for change | Cross-pollination, Idea generation, Inspiration, High intellect, Curiosity | Difficulty staying focused, All ideas and no action, Danger of getting lost in the mind |
| Magician | Magician | To understand the fundamental laws and inner truths of the universe; To manifest ideas into reality | Ability to dream enormous dreams, Mysterious powers of perception, Awe-inspiring intuition and cleverness, Charisma, Highly evolved perspective | Manipulation, Trickery, Hubris |
| Scientist | Magician | To understand nature and its mysteries through the theories in Natural Sciences; To seek elegant truths | Logic, Focus, Flashes of brilliance, Dedication and commitment, Curiosity about reality | Tendency to miss the forest for the trees or be distracted by one’s own thoughts, Naivete about the rest of the world ,Inability to recognize the fatal flaw |
| Activist | Rebel | To actively fight against what is wrong; to inspire others to fight for what’s right; To seek for immediate change | An intentional champion of a cause, Willingness to fight for beliefs | Opposition for its own sake |
| Gambler | Rebel | To take a chance with luck itself; to find thrill in risk ; To obtain more through extraordinary means ; Fatalism | Reputation as a risk taker and a mover and shaker, Nerves of steel, Great instincts, Ability to read people’s faces | Addiction to risk taking |
| Maverick | Rebel | To be a contrarian and reject society’s conventional wisdom; To see rules as meant to be broken | Independence, Nonconformity, Originality, Quirkiness, Fearlessness | Rebellious or unorthodox behavior with no intended outcome, Unchecked hostility, Aggression |
| Rebel | Rebel | To embody the consciousness and bring social issues at the forefront; To inspire social change; To overthrow the status quo | Leadership Risk taking, Progression and provocative thought, Bravery, Personal power, Brutal honesty, Experimentation | Susceptibility to being fueled by hate or anger, Negativity, Loss of boundaries, Criminal behavior or lawlessness, Fanaticism |
| Reformer | Rebel | To improve the system rather than overthrow it; To be vigilant and reduce disorder | Discernment, Maturity, Integrity, Balance, Long-term perspective, Strength to hold to principles, Dependability | Tendency toward puritanical and narrow-minded ideals, Righteousness, Hypercriticism, Repression |
| Detective | Sage | To venture deep into the psyche of others; To seek revelation guided by evidence | Ability to research, Bridge connections, and Uncover what is hidden, Tenacity, Instinct | Dishonorable use of information, Selfish personal motives, Snooping, Tendency to blame others |
| Mentor | Sage | To support other’s character development by teaching and training them ; To deliver information and share Wisdom | Ability to pass on wisdom and support others toward reaching their highest potentials, Good listening skills, Objectivity, Accountability and Presence, Excellence judge of character | Tendency to become controlling or prescriptive if attached to success, Susceptibility to burnout from supporting others if not balanced with support of self. |
| Sage | Sage | To transcend the personal to uncover the symbols hidden in life’s challenges; To impart wisdom so that mistakes will not be repeated ; Thinking as what defines human experience; To aim for Truth | Wisdom, Intelligence, Truth seeking, Clarity of thought, Rational decision making, Prudence, Talent as a diligent researcher | Fear of being duped or ignorant, Susceptibility of being disconnected from reality, Dogmatism, Righteousness or Arrogance, Lack of action |
| Shaman | Sage | To be of service to humanity by using their ability to access different ways of seeing and their mystical connections ; To be the medium between the visible and invisible; To allow others to connect with their spirit | Power to see and tell the truth, Spiritual nature that is tied to neither religion nor dogma, Sensitivity to nature and the cycles of life, Ability to straddle worlds as an interediary or messenger | Self-importance and aggrandizement of gifts, Manipulation, False sense of power |
| Translator | Sage | To be the messenger of meaning, acting as the bridge between cultural ideas; To cross boundaries | Skills as an intuitive communicator, Ability to make unexpected connections to reveal meaning, Gift of inference, Seeing patterns, Tracking symbols, Proficiency at interpreting and mediating | The ego’s interference with real meaning, Temptation to force meaning behind in time, Lack of accountability |
| Ambassador | Sovereign | To bring people together to see disputes resolved through mediation and consensus building | Broadmindedness, Diplomacy, Communication, Clarity, Sensitivity, Prioritization, Loyalty | Misuse of influence, Indirection, Erosion of confidence, Tendency to prioritize others |
| Judge | Sovereign | To balance justice and compassion; To punish bad behavior to retain order; To be fair, balanced and just | Discernment, Justice, Wisdom, Compassion, Fairness, Balance | Tendency to use normative comparisons, Susceptibility to being seduced by power, Narrow-mindedness, Manipulation |
| Patriarch | Sovereign | To be responsible for protecting others through a lineage of power and leadership; To make others feel secure through good governance; social order and stability | Protection, Selflessness, Leadership, Courage | Abusive control, Tyranny, Domination |
| Ruler | Sovereign | To be in power and control through one’s own effort; To use this power to lead towards a vision | Power, Confidence, Dominion, High status, Leadership | Fear of loss of control and chaos, Entitled arrogance, Authoritarianism, Righteousness |
| Sovereign | Sovereign | To be royal and exude an untouchable quality of privilege; To impose tradition and exemplify divinity; To expand the kingdom; The highest expression of collective power — showing what can be achieved through cooperation | Rank, Tradition, Benevolence, Assumed authority, Inherited responsibility, Nobility, Stability | Entitlement, Dictatorship, Self-service, Greed, Figurehead status, Irrelevance |
Links
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Archetypes in Branding — A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists by Hartwell and Chen - primary source. See their collection of cards.
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Takes some inspiration from Jungian Archetypal Characters.