Brand personality and archetypes

Brand personality is the human profile of a brand — how it behaves, how it speaks and how it reacts, described concretely enough to guide decisions. An identity is a system of many loosely connected elements — a field of endless possibilities where it is easy to get lost. The personality is the compass every visual decision is checked against later.

The five dimensions of brand personality

Brands behave more and more like people, so at Embrand we approach their personality with a model that mirrors the five-factor model of personality (OCEAN) in human psychology:

• structured versus spontaneous;
• uninhibited versus reserved;
• accessible versus luxurious;
• innovative versus timeless;
• pain-solving versus results-driven.

The parallel is useful because people resonate with people who resemble them. If we know the personas well, we can build a brand that reflects their traits — or the traits they want to be associated with in public. For people who are open to new things and sociable, that is an innovative, uninhibited brand. For more anxious and accommodating people, it is more likely an accessible brand that solves a specific pain.

The twelve archetypes

The five dimensions sometimes stay too abstract. This is where Jung's twelve archetypes help — the Hero, the Sage, the Rebel, the Creator and the other eight. The word means "original pattern": universal mythical characters that represent the basic human motivations. They translate personality into story: how the brand speaks, what it stands up against and what role it plays in its audience's life.

People often identify with heroes and brands that remind them of themselves, or with ideals they aspire to. That is why it matters to choose the right personality to resonate.

What it looks like in practice

Two craft beers, two personalities, one shared field — fantasy. Zver has an untameable spirit: an original logotype, mark and mascot illustrations based on mythology — a defiant, uncompromising brand. Отвара за Щастие was created for fantasy enthusiasts and tells a fairy tale on its label — it invites you to taste the magic. If we had to name them by archetype, the first is the Rebel and the second the Magician.

Related terms: Target audience and personas, Mission, vision and values, Brand identity.