Archetyping

Archetyping

Define brand character and audience archetypes after strategic foundation and before equity, verbal identity, or art direction. Archetypes provide a coherent relationship and pattern of behavior. They are not costumes, moodboards, or a substitute for customer evidence.

When to invoke

• When the compound-brand workflow reaches brand character
• When positioning needs a psychologically coherent brand relationship
• When naming, voice, or art direction needs character guidance
• When an existing brand has a list of traits but no behavioral model
• When mapping audience overlap across a portfolio or branded house

Inputs

Require the approved philosophy, customer and demand model, positioning, customer language, founder behavior, product experience, and cultural context. Do not select an archetype from an abstract quiz.

Brand character

Load references/brand-character.md. Define:

• Primary and secondary archetypal pattern
• Core desire and fear
• Brand role and customer relationship
• Three or four behavioral traits
• Anti-traits and shadow failure
• How character behaves under pressure
• Range across channels without personality drift
• Symbols, stories, or figures that clarify the character

Use Jung, Mark and Pearson, Aaker, Kapferer, and cultural figures as lenses. Choose the smallest model that explains the brand.

Audience archetypes

Keep audience archetypes distinct from ICPs. ICPs identify economically useful customers; archetypes describe motivations, identity, tensions, and desired transformation. Use both when the business model requires qualification and the brand needs human understanding.

Approval

Present two or three character models with evidence, risks, and downstream implications. Recommend one. Require human approval before equity, verbal identity, or art direction.

Dependencies

• foundation/marketing-os
• marketing-science/research
• positioning/{relevant brand} when available

Quick checklist

• Strategic foundation is approved
• Character comes from evidence and philosophy
• Archetype is expressed as behavior and relationship
• Shadow and anti-traits are explicit
• Audience archetypes and ICPs are not conflated
• Two or three models were presented with a recommendation
• Human approved the model before identity execution