A Feast of Flavors: Archetypes Determine Brand Personality and Brand Voice
November 1, 2024
Every brand has its flavor. What’s yours?
Over the years, at your Thanksgiving feast, each family member has developed a specialty. You know Sam will be standing at the smoker, infusing that luscious turkey with just a hint of hickory. You’ve never tasted anything that compares to Nick’s homemade cornbread stuffing and buttery rolls. Each dish stands out for its unique textures and seasonings.
Consider marketing your brand using the same methods as your Thanksgiving table. As a business owner, your skills and talents lend themselves to a special niche – the distinct dish that you offer to your clients. For your company to be successful, you need to develop the right strategy to showcase your specialty. Your website serves as more than a generic place setting – it reflects your flavor, and your distinctness.
Why Flavor Matters in Branding
Your “flavor” is your brand’s unique personality. In marketing, sameness doesn’t get remembered. How can your flavor stand out? Through math, actually. At JamboJon, we have perfected a way to help you nail an authentic brand personality through our FREE brand archetype quiz. Before we do any website development or marketing strategy discussions, our tried-and-true formula allows you to explore a variety of flavors and pin down what best matches your business. Each archetype offers a different user experience–whether it’s motivating your audience, educating them, or helping them fall in love with your services. When you identify your primary archetype(s), you’ll be better equipped to create a flavor that’s consistent, memorable, and impactful.
The Brand Voices
Just for fun, here’s a sampling of how a few of the brand archetypes would say,
“I don’t like turkey. Please pass the mashed potatoes. I’d love a slice of pumpkin pie while you’re at it.”
1. The Innocent: Pure, optimistic, and honest. This archetype communicates with simplicity and positivity.
2. The Explorer: Adventurous, fearless, and driven to discover new frontiers. This voice resonates with those who seek freedom and self-discovery.
3. The Sage: Wise, knowledgeable, and focused on understanding the world. This archetype educates and informs, offering a deep sense of trust.
“While turkey has its merits, I find the layered simplicity of mashed potatoes much more satisfying. A balanced pumpkin pie will complete the meal."
“Turkey? Not a fan. Let’s ditch it and roast lamb instead. Pass that pumpkin pie first, then throw in some potatoes.”
4. The Hero: Bold, courageous, and inspiring. The Hero motivates others to achieve greatness and overcome obstacles.
5. The Outlaw: Rebellious, disruptive, and independent. The Outlaw doesn’t follow the rules but forges its own path.
6. The Magician: Visionary, transformative, and filled with wonder. This archetype creates extraordinary experiences, making the impossible possible.
7. The Jester: Fun, playful, lighthearted. The Jester brings joy and entertainment to its audiences.
“Who needs turkey when you got smashed ‘tatoes? And punkin pie? Come on, now. Don’t desert the dessert!”
“Turkey’s okay, but I’m all about the mashed potatoes. And pumpkin pie? Can’t go wrong with a classic!”
8. The Regular Guy/Girl: Approachable, relatable, down-to-earth. This archetype speaks to the everyman, fostering a sense of belonging.
9. The Caregiver: Compassionate, nurturing, and protective. This archetype focuses on providing care and support.
“You enjoy the turkey, but I’ll take the mashed potatoes. How about a slice of pumpkin pie for everyone at the table?”
10. The Creator: Imaginative, inventive, and focused on self-expression. Creators build and design, bringing something new into the world.
11. The Ruler: Powerful, authoritative, and in control. The Ruler commands respect and order.
12. The Lover: Passionate, sensual, and devoted. This archetype connects through emotion and intimacy.
The Secret Ingredients to Brand Personality
Once we determine your brand archetype, we push your flavor to the limit. To do so, three elements must work in harmony with each other:
1. The Visuals
2. The Actions
3. The Voice
Feast With Your Eyes
As soon as Nana announces that dinner’s ready on Thanksgiving, you arrive at the table, admiring the place settings, and the plating of each dish. You strategize what to eat first, and how much. In essence, you feast with your eyes before you even put one morsel into your mouth.
Your brand is no different! When someone visits your website, it should exude flavor that informs all the visual elements. You create an ambiance with the colors, design, images, typography and clarity. Your personality shows in what you say (before you even say anything). If your company sold children’s fantasy books, your site would look vastly different than if your company hosted murder mystery parties. Think of how the visual elements bring your personality to life.
Ready, and . . . Action!
When Robin announces she’s bringing someone to Thanksgiving this year, your family goes on high alert to find out more about her “plus one.” You observe the way he treats Robin, and if he looks your dad in the eye when he shakes hands. Does he play with the kids? Does he chew with his mouth closed? In a short time, you’ve summed up a little bit about the poor guy simply by the way he behaves.
Not surprisingly, your brand personality also shows in HOW you share your message. When you hover over a product picture, do your clients hear heavy metal clanging in the background? Do puzzle pieces randomly fall from the header and land in quirky places throughout the site? Does your collection of awards roll onto the screen, one by one? Every button a client pushes and every animation that slides across the screen serves a purpose. This enhances how your clients perceive you.
It’s Not Just WHAT You Say, But HOW You Say It
In marketing, your flavor profile begins and ends with your company’s “voice,” or the wording choices. Your voice has a distinct tone, feeling, and experience you create for your audience. Getting that right flavor can mean the difference between a bland dish and a Michelin Star meal. A watered-down version of someone else’s rhetoric only means that your message gets skipped at the dinner table.
The words on the page should instantly create an emotional connection with your customers. Whether you’re serious and authoritative, or adventurous and bold, your voice shapes how people feel about your brand. Emotional connections drive consumers to buy from you, return to your services, or recommend you to others.
Pull Up a Chair
Guess what? At JamboJon, we’ve already done the legwork for you. Your brand archetype informs ALL THREE: the design choices, interactive elements and the voice for your website. We’ve made it simple. We have a full guide to help you navigate how to create a mouth-watering flavor your clients find irresistible.
This November, the JamboJon team invites you to take our FREE Brand Archetype Quiz. Join us in our Feast of Flavors as we explore the power of brand personality. Whether you’re just starting out, or looking to refine your brand’s identity, our team is here to help you discover the flavor that will set you apart from the competition and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
I see you rubbing your palms together, your eyes fixed on the oven timer. We won’t keep you.
