Carl Gustav Jung speaks about the 12 archetypes you can find in life, stories, and your brand.

Jung has a lot of studies of the roles we take in life, conscious or unconscious, and how we play these roles and attract the opposite in our life. For example, if we play the role of Hero in our life, we tend to attract victims that need to be saved. If we are the Sage, we tend to attract people who need to learn.

The 12 archetypes are the outlaw, the innocent, the sage, the explorer, the Magician, the Hero, the Lover, the Entertainer, the Everyman, the Caregiver, the Ruler, and the creator.

From my perspective, it is not wrong that you attract the people who need you most. The problem is if you are looking for another audience but behaving like someone who does not draw his faithful audience. For example, you can’t act like an Outlaw and imagine you will attract old people. We are not 100% one of these archetypes, but we have a predominant one. So let’s learn more about them to identify your archetype.

1. The outlaw.

Quote: “Rules are made to be broken.”
Characteristics: revolutionary, disruptive, rebellious, combative, free spirit, change agent, righteousness, independence, shock the world.
Fear of: servitude, conformity, complacency, dependence.
Business brands: Virgin, Diesel, Harley-Davidson …
Personal brands: Shia Labeouf, James Dean, Ricky Gervais …
Industry categories: show business, technology, automotive, destruction tools, alternative apparel, body art.
His story: He’s changing the world and has a new vision of solving and seeing the problem. Is more appealing to the youth audience. He usually creates his path. And has a lot of enemies and loyal fans. The outlaw can have problems interacting with authority and must learn to have patience.

2. The Innocent.

Quote: “The glass is half full, not empty.”
Characteristics: safe, optimistic, honest, humble, happy, simplistic, positive.
Fear of: anguish, depravity, complexity, deceit, negativity.
Business brands: McDonald’s, Dove, Innocent…
Personal brands: Audrey Hepburn, Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela …
Industry categories: fashion, architecture, preaching, beauty products, organic, cleaning, and fresh food.
His story: He’s an optimist that craves safety. He wants himself and everyone else to be happy. He has a pure heart and desires action. Is slow to judge and quick to forgive. Free of corruption, the Innocent seeks harmony in the world. The Innocent can become motivational speakers, but they may also have problems due to their over-confidence in people.

3. The Sage.

Quote: “The truth will set you free.”
Characteristics: understanding, knowledgeable, assured, guiding, wise, intelligent, expert, informed, influential.
Fear of: ignorance, insanity, powerlessness, misinformation.
Business brands: Google, BBC, University of Oxford…
Personal brands: Oprah Winfrey, Albert Einstein, Aristotle…
Industry categories: media and news networks, schools and universities, educational businesses, consultancies, and search engines.
His story: He desires to understand the world and share that understanding with others. He tends to be a perfectionist and doesn’t settle for anything but what is proper. He is excellent as a teacher for others as long as he remains aware that he does not possess the absolute truth.

4. The explorer.

Quote: “Blaze your own trail.”
Characteristics: free, exciting, fearless, daring, adventurous, explorer of the unknown.
Fear of: confinement, immobility, entrapment, incarceration, cautiousness.
Business brands: National Geographic, Jeep, Nasa…
Personal brands: Elon Musk, Steve Irwin, Timothy Ferriss…
Industry categories: technology, innovation, extreme sports, outdoor equipment, automotive, adventure travel.
His story: The Explorer wants to discover, explore and be himself. He yearns for freedom, being able to be who he wants without boundaries. Explorers need to have purpose or meaning in their lives. And he is very good at presenting the new ideas he discovered, emanating a contagious enthusiasm. The explorer could have problems interacting with the authority and working on a fixed schedule.

5. The Magician.

Quote: “It can happen.”
Characteristics: powerful, mystical, informed, reassuring, transformative, knowledgeable, visionary, believer, explorer.
Fear of: consequences, stagnation, ignorance, doubt, uncertainty.
Business brands: Smirnoff, Disney, MasterCard…
Personal brands: Martin Luther King, Steve Jobs, Seth Godin…
Industry categories: leadership roles, entertainment, beauty, relaxation, well-being, health, self-development trainer.
His story: He takes people on a transformational journey. He’s turning problems into opportunities, reframing difficulties, empowering people, and creating flexible win-win solutions for all involved in a situation. He is the one who sees the potential in people. The Magician sometimes can be seen by others as too dreamy and non-pragmatic. But the world is created by the ones who see what others can’t.

6. The Hero.

Quote: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Characteristics: master, honest, candid, brave, courageous, perfectionist, defensive.
Fear of: incompetence, cowardice, determination, downfall, incapability.
Business brands: Adidas, Nike, FedEx…
Personal brands: Malala Yousafzai, Rosa Parks, Jane Addams…
Industry categories: sportswear, sports equipment, outdoor/tactical equipment, emergency trade services, and people in leadership roles.
His story: He proves his worth through courage and determination. He needs challenges and wants to save the day. The Hero inspires, motivates, and cheerleads people to do more, have more, and be more. He wants to leave a legacy and doesn’t mind sacrificing for it. The Hero attracts victims, and some victims are not prepared to get rid of this role which brings them some advantages (they have someone to complain to, someone who listens to them and wants to protect them, they are not alone, etc.). Often the Hero can take it as a personal failure if he can’t save everyone he meets. I played this role a lot in my life, and I learned that you couldn’t keep a person that doesn’t want to be saved.

7. The Lover.

Quote: “I only have eyes for you.”
Characteristics: intimate, sensual, empathetic, soothing, close, indulgent, affectionate, loving.
Fear of: rejection, loneliness, isolation, invisibility, contempt.
Business brands: Alfa Romeo, Chanel, Victoria’s Secret…
Personal brands: Marilyn Monroe, Cleopatra, Beyonce…
Industry categories: fashion models, show business, musicians, fragrance, cosmetics, wine, indulgent food, indulgent travel.
His story: He communicates using sensual language and tone. The color red is especially appealing to The Lover. He creates close and lasting relationships to achieve intimacy, luxury, or indulgence. The Lover encompasses all five states of love: parental, familial, friendships, spiritual, and romantic roles. He is very communicative and good at direct contact with his audience. The Lover can require love as significant as his audience, and the problem is that not all of us are open to showing our appreciation and love for others. Many of us need a lot of trust in others to open up.

8. The Entertainer.

Quote: “Life is too short to be serious.”
Characteristics: pleasure, fun-loving, playful, optimistic, happy, laughing, positive.
Fear of: boredom, gloom, sadness, loneliness, negativity.
Business brands: M&M, Old Spice, Dollar Shave Club…
Personal brands: Jim Carrey, Charlie Chaplin, Ellen Degeneres…
Industry categories: comedian, entertaining industry, confectionary, professional services, beer, and child services.
His story: He wants to have fun and live in the moment. The Entertainer sees it as a duty to be a ray of sunshine in everyone’s life around him. He is optimistic and can’t be kept down long due to his ability to see the good in every situation. He can diffuse situations by using his quick wit and humor. The Entertainer can have problems sometimes being himself. Because you can’t always be happy, every person has his or her blue days. Imagine that you must hide this always to make people happy. I like the sincerity of Bo Burnham, who’s not afraid of talking about his depression and stupid things that make us laugh at the less-than-human way of seeing the world.

9. The Everyman.

Quote: “Community and family are everything.”
Characteristics: belonging, friendly, humble, authentic, honest, equal, inclusive.
Fear of: exclusion, standing out, isolation, hostility, disassociation.
Business brands: Ikea, eBay, Amazon…
Personal brands: Will Smith, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon…
Industry categories: home, family life, comfort foods, everyday apparel, automobile for family, influencers.
His story: He sends the message it’s OK to be expected. Welcoming and inviting, he is often family-focused and generally serves a basic need that is not extravagant or over the top. Everyman likes being around people who know and accept themselves. The Everyman can fall on the list of ordinary people without having something unique.

10. The Caregiver.

Quote: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Characteristics: serving, caring, warm, reassuring, supportive, helpful, grateful.
Fear of: anguish, helplessness, ingratitude, neglect, blame, take advantage of him.
Business brands: Unicef, Johnson & Johnson, Cosmo Care…
Personal brands: Mother Teresa, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelina Jolie …
Industry categories: health & aged care, not-for-profits, hospitals, education.
His story: He is a selfless personality driven by the desire to protect and care for others, especially those in need. The Caregiver aims to make people feel secure or nurtured and is focused on generosity and compassion. The Caregiver can have problems setting healthy boundaries in relationships between other needs and his own needs. He is often involved in volunteering and can become a perfect influencer in his field.

11. The Ruler.

Quote: “Power isn’t everything. It’s the only thing.”
Characteristics: controlling, commanding, refined, articulate, assertive, prosperous, status-driven, successful, wealthy.
Fear of: weakness, insignificance, failure, poverty, and deprivation.
Business brands: Louis Vuitton, Mercedes-Benz, Rolex…
Personal brands: Queen Victoria, Margaret Thatcher, Adolf Hitler…
Industry categories: luxury automotive, watch manufacturers, hotels, formal wear apparel, luxury brands.
His story: His goals are to prosper and gain success. He is confident, responsible, and in control of his life and expects the same from others. The Ruler takes control, is motivated by maintaining high standards, and prides himself on being a leader in his industry. The Ruler can have problems trusting other people and not controlling everything. Often his need for control can lead to fatigue.

12. The creator.

Quote: “If it can be imagined, it can be created.”
Characteristics: innovative, inspirational, daring, provocative, creative, original, self-expressive, visionary, imaginative.
Fear of: stagnation, duplication, familiarity, disillusion, indifference.
Business brands: Lego, Apple, Adobe…
Personal brands: Archimede, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci…
Industry categories: arts, design, information technology, marketing, writing.
His story: He wants to create something new and exceptional that wasn’t previously there and has enduring value. He’s striving to bring his vision to life through that expression. The creator can have problems managing his work, setting deadlines, and identifying his work value.

Every archetype has its advantages and disadvantages, and if you can identify your archetype, you will learn where you need to train your skills more.

What archetype predominant do you have? Let me know in the comment section.

Discover your archetype