You have probably noticed that fairy tales and myths from different countries are often similar. The names of heroes and legends may differ. But the plot, moral and meaning are repeated. Regardless of culture, language or era, there are common symbols that people around the world perceive in the same way. Certain patterns, which seem to be ‘written’ in us, trigger specific emotional and behavioural responses. This is how the concept of archetypes came about.

In 1919, Swiss psychologist Carl Jung introduced the concepts of the ‘archetype of personality’ and the ‘collective unconscious,’ which forms typical behaviour patterns and transmits experiences and emotions.

For almost a century, this topic was the domain of psychology. But in 2001, American researcher Carol S. Pearson published the book The Hero and the Outlaw, in which she explored how to use archetypes in business.
In this article, a leading specialist at HLTS Co. Ltd not only described brand archetypes, but also looked at how purely theoretical knowledge can be used in online business.

An archetype in marketing is a universal image, a combination of certain qualities, characteristics, values, and communication patterns. Archetypes determine how the target audience perceives a brand and what emotions and expectations they experience.

There are 12 archetypes that can form a holistic image of a large company, a product, or a person. Once the archetype has been identified, a strategy can be developed that will evoke the right associations in the audience.

An archetype determines how the target audience perceives the brand, what emotions and expectations they experience. It is a kind of personification of what the customer will want and buy later, according to experts at HLTS dropshipping company.

In online marketing, an archetype influences recognition. Through photos, colours, presentation, font, product descriptions, and the style of responses in comments. The secret is to first understand who your customer is. What is their personality like? What is important to them - security, freedom, challenge, a sense of belonging? Only then can you choose an archetype for your business that will resonate with this particular customer.

In advertising, the archetype suggests how to speak:

• Hero - short and powerful: ‘Overcome. Act. Win.’
• The Caregiver- gently: ‘We are here for you. We will help you.’
• The Rebel - sharply: ‘Stop living by other people's rules!’

The archetype determines the colour, font, and visual style:

• The Sage - clean lines, minimalism, blue/grey.
• The Jester - bright colours, playful font.
• The Lover - soft, warm tones, aesthetics.

An archetype on social media is not just a profile design, but a clear line of behaviour and a defined image

• Jester - memes, humour, simplicity.
• The Sage - facts, analytics, explanations.
• The Creator - creativity, unconventional ideas, inspiration.
• The Lover - emphasis on feelings, visuals, atmosphere.
• The Friend - emphasis on usefulness, accessibility.

Small and medium-sized businesses do not need to try to ‘look big.’ In a crowd of competitors, they need to stand out by offering something that large businesses cannot. Professionalism and an individual approach. To promote themselves, they need to be understandable and recognisable. This is where the brand archetype helps, according to managers at HLTS company.

1. Choose one archetype and stick to it. This will simplify all your advertising decisions, from banners to stories.
2. Be yourself and don't blindly copy the ‘big’ and ‘famous’. Choose what really suits your niche.
3. Keep in mind that you are the face of the brand. Especially in small business. If you are emotional, choose the Creator or the Lover. If you are rational, choose the Sage or the Hero.
4. An archetype is a filter. Texts, visuals, design, and customer responses all pass through it.
5. You are selling a product and an emotion. For a technology website, this could be the Sage or the Magician. For a service business, it could be the Creator or the Lover.
6. Define your target audience. If it is young people, it is better to choose the Jester or the Rebel archetype. For older people, choose the Hero, the Caregiver, or the Ruler.

An archetype is not a limitation; it sets the tone and framework. It makes it easier to write posts, stories, and texts for the website. If your advertising is restrained and ascetic today, you publish a joke or meme on social media tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow you play on sentimentality, the customer will be confused. HLTS company recommends choosing an archetype and consistently building all marketing decisions around it: from the tone in stories to responses to reviews.