Abstract

Most of large well-known brands are formed around one out of twelve archetypes, which help to

distinguish the personality and identity of the brand, while at the same time forming a specific

target audience. The Ruler and The Hero archetypes both correspond with control and power,

however they have different points of view of these things. The United States Marine Corps

represents The Hero, because this organisation concentrates on the challenges and tasks needed

to complete in order to become better and obtain the aforementioned power and control. On the

other hand, a company built around The Ruler archetype, like “Cartier” is principally driven by

the desire to showcase the power and assert dominance by their luxurious products.
 The Hero and The Ruler Archetypes

Although the main principle of any company is to sell goods and/or services, people cannot help

but feel some sort of affiliation to one brand to another. What is more, most of the time that

inclination is subconscious. Nearly every one of those brands are built with the use of brand

archetypes, that are linked to specific basic human desires (“How To Use Brand Archetypes To

Hack The Mind Of Your Costumer”, 2019). Generally, there are 12 distinguished archetypes, which

function as a framework for constructing the personality and identity of a company. The

principal reason of their prominence is that archetypes characterise universal patterns of

behaviour that we all instinctively understand (“How To Use Brand Archetypes To Hack The Mind

Of Your Costumer”, 2019). Therefore, a brand with a clear archetype is instantly more relatable

and more notable to its target audience. Research has found that companies with “tightly

defined” archetypal identities experienced significantly larger growth than those with

characteristics from many different archetypes. Since there is such a large number of archetypes,

this essay will only discuss in detail The Hero and The Ruler with their respective counterpart

companies the Marines and “Cartier”.

The Hero ties in with the desire of mastery, thus it is concerned with the bettering of oneself

through determination and hard work. This archetype pertains to the need to defeat challenges,

outwork others, save the world and in doing so prove one’s worth to both themselves and the

world. It is no surprise that most sportswear brands choose to institute this archetype into their

image. However, non-profit organizations like the United States Marine Corps or simply the

Marines also joins this group. The first and most clear indicator of the Marines affiliation with
The Hero archetype is their color scheme – red, white and blue. After that, the core values of the

Marines correspond to mastery, courageousness and defense. Their fears are albeit harder to

determine, nonetheless the ones given with the definition of the archetype seems rather accurate

– cowardice, incompetence and incapability. The last but certainly not the least is their slogan

“until every battle is won” which highlights the determination, grit and dedication of this

organization. The Marines strive to become better and stronger while simultaneously upholding

their heritage, traditions and integrity. For these reasons, it is safe to say that, The Hero archetype

validly defines the character, foundation and mission of the Marines

The other archetype in this analysis is The Ruler, which is not radically different from The Hero,

nevertheless it has strong distinguishing qualities of its own. This kind of brand is much more

associated with luxury and power that confirms a status than the hardships of earning it.

Companies that build themselves around this archetype are focused on exclusivity and the V.I.P.

aspect of their products. Their image and voice come of highly refined and articulate and the

baseline of their identity constitutes of control and power. The inherent prosperity that is

reflected by this archetype also undeniably correlates with confidence and success. At a first

glance, a jewelry manufacturer like “Cartier” does not seem to present itself in this fashion, yet

further dissection of the company’s image and identity proves otherwise. As with the Marines,

the first sign is the predominant colors used by the brand – dark red and greyish black. Then

there is the prominent feeling of superiority, which makes clear, that the last thing this brand

wants to associate itself is weakness, poverty or destitution. The driving forces of “Cartier”

evidently are prosperity, wealth and even more so status. The company is proud of its luxurious

merchandise, showcasing it even in their slogan “The Jeweller of Kings”, which might sound

slightly pompous but is actually true - they have created crowns, headpieces and jewelry for the
Royal Family of England. This only adds to the notion of power and one-of-a-kindness they are

exerting by their branding and marketing strategies. All of these given qualities ensure that

“Cartier” rightfully belongs among brands built according to The Ruler archetype.

To conclude, archetypes are an integral part of a successful business, hence the all-encompassing

tendency for every worldwide brand to have a distinct archetype or at least a strong lenience

towards one. By forming their identities in this fashion, companies not only introduce their

preferred audience and form an instantly recognizable image, but also layout the foundations for

loyalty and allegiance between them and the costumer. The two archetypes analyzed in depth

were The Hero and The Ruler. While both of them can be described as dominant the first one is

more concerned with the path to power and its difficulties while the later – with the

demonstration and consolidation of the power already in possession. The Marines fit The Hero

archetype for its determination and effort to be the best and “Cartier” conforms with The Ruler

because of its focus on luxury, prosperity and status.

References:

How to use Brand Archetypes To Hack The Mind Of Your Costumers [EXAMPLES].

(2019, March 24). Retrieved from: https://iconicfox.com.au/brand-acrhetypes/

Our Purpose. (2019). Retrieved from: https://www.marines.com/who-we-are/our-

purpose.html

https://www.cartier.com/