Hero Archetype
Rescuing Your Audience with a Nuanced Confident and Courageous Brand (with Design Examples)
Bold and courageous, the Hero Brand Archetype is one of Jung’s 12 Brand Archetypes.
If you’re wondering, how can you build a Hero brand that embraces nuance and deeply connects with your people, you’ve come to the right place.
Many of the entrepreneurs and businesses who reach out to me feel confused about how to create a multifaceted, nuanced Hero brand that feels unique to them.
So I decided to create this guide, just for you.
Hero archetype in branding: What is it?
Let’s first dive into the Hero brand persona in its pure, undiluted form.
Hero archetype symbolism
According to Jung, Hero brands inspire people by showing them what’s possible, empowering them to overcome their fears and take charge of their lives.
The chief Hero archetype characteristics are courage, daring, and determination.
Hero brands exude strength, resilience and confidence in their drive to make the world a better place.
Paving the way with bravery, the Hero archetype embodies the heroic spirit and the willingness to overcome challenges in the pursuit of noble goals. They dig deep to find strength in the face of adversity and achieve greatness.
The Hero’s…
DESIRE: Prove one’s worth through courageous and difficult actions
GOAL: Exert mastery in a way that improves the world
FEAR: Weakness, vulnerability, “wimping out”
TRAP: Arrogance, developing a need for there to always be an enemy
GIFT: Competence and courage
STRATEGY: Become as strong, competent, and powerful as you are capable of being
Businesses that embody healthy Hero archetype demonstrate a strong sense of purpose, take bold actions to make a positive impact, and inspire others to overcome their own challenges.
These businesses are driven by a noble cause or mission and strive to create meaningful change in the world. They lead by example, taking courageous steps to address societal issues or industry limitations.
Hero brands create a culture of excellence, encouraging their teams to excel and surpass their own limits. They provide the necessary tools, support, and opportunities for personal and professional growth, allowing individuals to unlock their full potential.
In The Hero & The Outlaw, Margaret Mark talks about 5 Hero Levels:
THE CALL: The bully kicks sand in your face or someone tries to intimidate or abuse you; a challenge beckons; someone needs you to help defend him or her
LEVEL 1: The development of boundaries, competence, mastery, expressed through achievement, motivated or tested through competition
LEVEL 2: As with a soldier, doing your duty for your country, organisation, community, or family
LEVEL 3: Using your strength, competence, and courage for something that makes a difference to you and to the world
THE SHADOW: Ruthlessness and obsessive need to win
“Okay, the Hero Brand Archetype sounds like what I’m going for. What next?”
If the Hero archetype feels like a good fit, fantastic! Before we get too deep into the world of Jung and the Hero archetype, I want to share a little secret as a Branding Expert: Being too tethered to Jung’s original psychology and clinging to one single generic archetype will shoot your brand in the foot.
Why? Humans connect with humans. We are all unique combinations of our innate natures and experiences.
As a result, our brands need to reflect what our businesses bring to the table in an authentic way. We build trust by aligning our presentation with our business experience (behaviour).
I’m sure you’ve noticed many brand strategists insist on a rigid approach to brand strategy. They teach their clients that a business has to wholeheartedly embody one single archetype, perhaps with a secondary support, paving the way for generic sameness.
But embodying one single archetype leads to generic brands that don’t connect with anyone. Especially if you want to stand out from your competitors in a saturated market that is continually growing.
It is human nature to explore and meld ideas together in new interesting ways. Evolution is inevitable!
Yes, we do need to narrow the field to make sure that we have a style and personality to embody. We cannot be all things to all people.
But we can and should create beautiful, unique combinations that allow us to embrace what sets us/our business apart, instead of feeling guilt or shame at not perfectly fitting into the current boxes.
When we begin to think about what drives us, how we approach problems, our unique way of delivering our services, products or solutions… a more fascinating brandscape begins to take shape.
Brand archetypes offer a method to explore your brand, not a dogma to rigidly follow.
The best brand identities, the ones that will feel truly unique, authentic and connect with your audience, are always a multi-faceted combination of archetypes.
A strong brand strategy, rooted in a curated duo or triad of archetypes, is what will give your brand clarity while differentiating you from your competitors.
“I had tears reading how you’ve captured my purpose, my people and my why SO DAMN WELL. Seriously, it’s totally given me a really clear direction and sense of purpose.
I think you’ve hit the perfect mark between rebellion, expression, glamour, sophistication and rock and roll!“
– Danee – Killer Queen Creative
As you bring more dimensionality to your brand, you’ll foster more trust because you’re being more human.
Practical questions to help you identify if your brand is a Hero brand
Is Your Brand a Hero? Let’s talk about brand values now.
Ask yourself: Is the goal of your company to make a positive impact and create meaningful change? Does your company value courage, determination, and integrity? If you answered yes, it is very likely your brand has Hero energy.
To attract the right customers, maintain their trust and get the most from your marketing dollars, you should do all you can to communicate this philosophy to your customers.
“I was so impressed by Elise’s comprehensive deep dive into my core offering, mission and values. No stone was left unturned. My stunning new brand assets are timeless and reflect her understanding of my business and the audience we want to attract into our community. I’m now in a happy place to move my business forward with pride.“
– Rita De Michele – Onus app
To diagnose the true motivator behind your brand (which is the crucial first step to discover your most aligned brand archetypes), take my brand motivator quiz.
How to make your Hero brand identity truly memorable and unique
In my work with my clients, I always work to help them claim a combination of archetypes, rather than a single one. Since Jung’s brand archetypes are naturally fluid and flow across one another, there are endless ways to blend them together.
For example, one wing might look like a Motivator (an archetype that highlights how you want to make people feel) and one wing might be your Approach (how you deliver that feeling). Different combinations of archetypes can create vastly different brand identities.
“I’m so in love with Elise and the recent brand strategy work she did for me! I was over the moon with the results and it really felt like she got EXACTLY what the core of my brand was, and developed it in a concise, strong and cohesive way.
I’m so glad I engaged with her to bring my new website to life – I feel like I’ve learned so much and have a much clearer view on what I’m about! I highly recommend her wherever you are in the branding process – whether you’re just starting out, or if you’re refining your brand and taking it to the next level like me. Thank you Elise, you’re a superstar!!”
– Danee – Killer Queen Creative
If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article, it’s to let go of your preconceptions about what a certain brand archetype must look like.
Hero archetype and brand differentiation
Jung proposed a variety of different subcategories for the Hero archetype, each reflecting a different dimension of the Hero. We can use these to add layers of nuance to a Hero brand.
Athlete
Hero
Warrior
Rescuer
Liberator
Leveraging these will help you bring more nuance to your Hero brand identity. Ideally, you will go further than this and blend multiple archetypes together without leaning into cliche characteristics.
Hero archetype and target audience
The Hero archetype delivers a customer experience that is empowering and transformative. They aim to inspire and uplift customers.
Typical industries include personal development, fitness, healthcare, emergency services, social justice, environmental conservation, coaching and education. These businesses often have Hero energy because they care about transformation and improvement.
Strengths and weaknesses of the Hero Archetype in marketing and advertising
To create a Hero brand that resonates, my best advice is to motivate people to move boldly towards their goals and dreams. Encourage people to be courageous in the face of adversity or fear.
The Hero’s strength shines through in their ability to inspire people to own their power and motivate others to achieve mastery through determination and drive.
The flip side is that it’s easy for Hero brands to be perceived as arrogant, egotistical or elitist, and thus lose sight of the true purpose of the brand and those it serves. Remember not to become too aggressive or set goals that are too far out of reach.
Hero branding examples
Here are examples of the Hero archetype in marketing and design in the wild.
Here are some of the Hero brands I’ve had the pleasure of working with.
Pattern Room combines the essence of the Rebel with Engineer (Magician) and Hero.
Designing for the Hero archetype
Hero archetype and visual branding
Hero archetype visuals are typically strong, dynamic, powerful, disciplined, and focused. For example, the brand may be presented as a powerful presence, symbolised by a lion or race car.
Imagery can feature natural terrain requiring skill and agility, machines and offices where people are getting things done, or animals and vehicles moving fast.
When it comes to brand storytelling, the graphics should be impactful, goal and achievement-oriented, and promote strength and motivation. Hero brands use strong colours, defined lines and shapes.
Here is a curated Pinterest board I’ve created for the Hero archetype.
Hero archetype design and colour psychology
Hero brand colours are often strong, bold and high contrast to present an image of power and impact. We can also see black and white as well as some softer colours, including gold. Though these will still be used in a high contrast way, with clean lines and defined shapes.
A word on the Hero archetype design and colour psychology
The use of colour in your brand design instantly affects the emotions and moods of the people viewing your brand.
Planning out your brand’s colour scheme can be challenging. I have two practical tips for you: 1) I recommend using primary and secondary colours that contrast well and 2) not being afraid to break traditional colour schemes in your industry.
Corporate colour schemes tend to be minimal while creative brands can include more colours.
If you know your audience belongs to a certain culture, always consider the meaning of the colours you choose within the context of that culture.
Hero archetype and typography
Hero brand typography is typically going for statement impact. Think bold font styles that complement clear and direct brand voice in a shorter statement style. Sometimes we’ll see marker fonts that look like a motivational message that someone would write on their mirror or a sticky note to remind them of their goals when they wake up each day.
Hero archetype and photography
Hero photography should feel dynamic, capture interesting angles and use crops to highlight movement, strength and strong angles. Shots from below can create a feeling of being mighty, while looking up and off into the distance can express drive towards dream or goal, focusing on what lies ahead. Facial expressions capture the essence of determination and strength.
Overall, the photography should portray strength, confidence and focus, capturing challenges and challenges overcome.
Hero archetype and brand messaging
The Hero brand voice is bold, inspiring, confident, and empowering.
Their voice says: “You have the power within you to overcome any challenge. We believe in your potential and are here to support you on your journey.”
Branding with the Hero archetype – Practical tips
Here are actionable tips to bring your Hero brand to life with visual storytelling techniques.
Tips for showcasing your Hero brand on Instagram
- Inspire and empower others to conquer challenges, take bold action, and strive for improvement.
- Opt for powerful and vibrant colour schemes with strong, saturated, and bold colours that exude energy and enthusiasm.
- Showcase stories of individuals or clients who have achieved remarkable success with the help of your brand. Highlight their journey, accomplishments, and the positive impact your brand has had on their lives.
- Share instances where your brand or followers have made a significant impact on their communities or the lives of others. Celebrate acts of kindness, bravery, and leadership.
- Craft compelling captions that use action-oriented language, encouraging your audience to take charge of their lives and embrace challenges head-on.
- Demonstrate your brand’s growth and evolution over time. Share your journey and obstacles you’ve overcome to inspire your audience to do the same.
Curious to discover your Brand Archetype? Start by taking this quiz to uncover your Core Motivator.
Pass the Salt, founded by Elise Elliott, is a branding studio devoted to shaking up brand strategy, design and creative direction for entrepreneurial dreamers, doers and shakers who smirk at rules and high-five at the adventure of exploration.
Elise’s branding framework helps clients find language for their authentic business identity, connect with their dream audience and find greater ease in their business.
Hero Archetype
Rescuing Your Audience with a Nuanced Confident and Courageous Brand (with Design Examples)
Bold and courageous, the Hero Brand Archetype is one of Jung’s 12 Brand Archetypes.
If you’re wondering, how can you build a Hero brand that embraces nuance and deeply connects with your people, you’ve come to the right place.
Many of the entrepreneurs and businesses who reach out to me feel confused about how to create a multifaceted, nuanced Hero brand that feels unique to them.
So I decided to create this guide, just for you.
Hero archetype in branding: What is it?
Let’s first dive into the Hero brand persona in its pure, undiluted form.
Hero archetype symbolism
According to Jung, Hero brands inspire people by showing them what’s possible, empowering them to overcome their fears and take charge of their lives.
The chief Hero archetype characteristics are courage, daring, and determination.
Hero brands exude strength, resilience and confidence in their drive to make the world a better place.
Paving the way with bravery, the Hero archetype embodies the heroic spirit and the willingness to overcome challenges in the pursuit of noble goals. They dig deep to find strength in the face of adversity and achieve greatness.
The Hero’s…
DESIRE: Prove one’s worth through courageous and difficult actions
GOAL: Exert mastery in a way that improves the world
FEAR: Weakness, vulnerability, “wimping out”
TRAP: Arrogance, developing a need for there to always be an enemy
GIFT: Competence and courage
STRATEGY: Become as strong, competent, and powerful as you are capable of being
Businesses that embody healthy Hero archetype demonstrate a strong sense of purpose, take bold actions to make a positive impact, and inspire others to overcome their own challenges.
These businesses are driven by a noble cause or mission and strive to create meaningful change in the world. They lead by example, taking courageous steps to address societal issues or industry limitations.
Hero brands create a culture of excellence, encouraging their teams to excel and surpass their own limits. They provide the necessary tools, support, and opportunities for personal and professional growth, allowing individuals to unlock their full potential.
In The Hero & The Outlaw, Margaret Mark talks about 5 Hero Levels:
THE CALL: The bully kicks sand in your face or someone tries to intimidate or abuse you; a challenge beckons; someone needs you to help defend him or her
LEVEL 1: The development of boundaries, competence, mastery, expressed through achievement, motivated or tested through competition
LEVEL 2: As with a soldier, doing your duty for your country, organisation, community, or family
LEVEL 3: Using your strength, competence, and courage for something that makes a difference to you and to the world
THE SHADOW: Ruthlessness and obsessive need to win
“Okay, the Hero Brand Archetype sounds like what I’m going for. What next?”
If the Hero archetype feels like a good fit, fantastic! Before we get too deep into the world of Jung and the Hero archetype, I want to share a little secret as a Branding Expert: Being too tethered to Jung’s original psychology and clinging to one single generic archetype will shoot your brand in the foot.
Why? Humans connect with humans. We are all unique combinations of our innate natures and experiences.
As a result, our brands need to reflect what our businesses bring to the table in an authentic way. We build trust by aligning our presentation with our business experience (behaviour).
I’m sure you’ve noticed many brand strategists insist on a rigid approach to brand strategy. They teach their clients that a business has to wholeheartedly embody one single archetype, perhaps with a secondary support, paving the way for generic sameness.
But embodying one single archetype leads to generic brands that don’t connect with anyone. Especially if you want to stand out from your competitors in a saturated market that is continually growing.
It is human nature to explore and meld ideas together in new interesting ways. Evolution is inevitable!
Yes, we do need to narrow the field to make sure that we have a style and personality to embody. We cannot be all things to all people.
But we can and should create beautiful, unique combinations that allow us to embrace what sets us/our business apart, instead of feeling guilt or shame at not perfectly fitting into the current boxes.
When we begin to think about what drives us, how we approach problems, our unique way of delivering our services, products or solutions… a more fascinating brandscape begins to take shape.
Brand archetypes offer a method to explore your brand, not a dogma to rigidly follow.
The best brand identities, the ones that will feel truly unique, authentic and connect with your audience, are always a multi-faceted combination of archetypes.
A strong brand strategy, rooted in a curated duo or triad of archetypes, is what will give your brand clarity while differentiating you from your competitors.
“I had tears reading how you’ve captured my purpose, my people and my why SO DAMN WELL. Seriously, it’s totally given me a really clear direction and sense of purpose.
I think you’ve hit the perfect mark between rebellion, expression, glamour, sophistication and rock and roll!“
– Danee – Killer Queen Creative
As you bring more dimensionality to your brand, you’ll foster more trust because you’re being more human.
Practical questions to help you identify if your brand is a Hero brand
Is Your Brand a Hero? Let’s talk about brand values now.
Ask yourself: Is the goal of your company to make a positive impact and create meaningful change? Does your company value courage, determination, and integrity? If you answered yes, it is very likely your brand has Hero energy.
To attract the right customers, maintain their trust and get the most from your marketing dollars, you should do all you can to communicate this philosophy to your customers.
“I was so impressed by Elise’s comprehensive deep dive into my core offering, mission and values. No stone was left unturned. My stunning new brand assets are timeless and reflect her understanding of my business and the audience we want to attract into our community. I’m now in a happy place to move my business forward with pride.“
– Rita De Michele – Onus app
To diagnose the true motivator behind your brand (which is the crucial first step to discover your most aligned brand archetypes), take my brand motivator quiz.
How to make your Hero brand identity truly memorable and unique
In my work with my clients, I always work to help them claim a combination of archetypes, rather than a single one. Since Jung’s brand archetypes are naturally fluid and flow across one another, there are endless ways to blend them together.
For example, one wing might look like a Motivator (an archetype that highlights how you want to make people feel) and one wing might be your Approach (how you deliver that feeling). Different combinations of archetypes can create vastly different brand identities.
“I’m so in love with Elise and the recent brand strategy work she did for me! I was over the moon with the results and it really felt like she got EXACTLY what the core of my brand was, and developed it in a concise, strong and cohesive way.
I’m so glad I engaged with her to bring my new website to life – I feel like I’ve learned so much and have a much clearer view on what I’m about! I highly recommend her wherever you are in the branding process – whether you’re just starting out, or if you’re refining your brand and taking it to the next level like me. Thank you Elise, you’re a superstar!!”
– Danee – Killer Queen Creative
If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article, it’s to let go of your preconceptions about what a certain brand archetype must look like.
Hero archetype and brand differentiation
Jung proposed a variety of different subcategories for the Hero archetype, each reflecting a different dimension of the Hero. We can use these to add layers of nuance to a Hero brand.
Athlete
Hero
Warrior
Rescuer
Liberator
Leveraging these will help you bring more nuance to your Hero brand identity. Ideally, you will go further than this and blend multiple archetypes together without leaning into cliche characteristics.
Hero archetype and target audience
The Hero archetype delivers a customer experience that is empowering and transformative. They aim to inspire and uplift customers.
Typical industries include personal development, fitness, healthcare, emergency services, social justice, environmental conservation, coaching and education. These businesses often have Hero energy because they care about transformation and improvement.
Strengths and weaknesses of the Hero Archetype in marketing and advertising
To create a Hero brand that resonates, my best advice is to motivate people to move boldly towards their goals and dreams. Encourage people to be courageous in the face of adversity or fear.
The Hero’s strength shines through in their ability to inspire people to own their power and motivate others to achieve mastery through determination and drive.
The flip side is that it’s easy for Hero brands to be perceived as arrogant, egotistical or elitist, and thus lose sight of the true purpose of the brand and those it serves. Remember not to become too aggressive or set goals that are too far out of reach.
Hero branding examples
Here are examples of the Hero archetype in marketing and design in the wild.
Here are some of the Hero brands I’ve had the pleasure of working with.
Pattern Room combines the essence of the Rebel with Engineer (Magician) and Hero.
Designing for the Hero archetype
Hero archetype and visual branding
Hero archetype visuals are typically strong, dynamic, powerful, disciplined, and focused. For example, the brand may be presented as a powerful presence, symbolised by a lion or race car.
Imagery can feature natural terrain requiring skill and agility, machines and offices where people are getting things done, or animals and vehicles moving fast.
When it comes to brand storytelling, the graphics should be impactful, goal and achievement-oriented, and promote strength and motivation. Hero brands use strong colours, defined lines and shapes.
Here is a curated Pinterest board I’ve created for the Hero archetype.
Hero archetype design and colour psychology
Hero brand colours are often strong, bold and high contrast to present an image of power and impact. We can also see black and white as well as some softer colours, including gold. Though these will still be used in a high contrast way, with clean lines and defined shapes.
A word on the Hero archetype design and colour psychology
The use of colour in your brand design instantly affects the emotions and moods of the people viewing your brand.
Planning out your brand’s colour scheme can be challenging. I have two practical tips for you: 1) I recommend using primary and secondary colours that contrast well and 2) not being afraid to break traditional colour schemes in your industry.
Corporate colour schemes tend to be minimal while creative brands can include more colours.
If you know your audience belongs to a certain culture, always consider the meaning of the colours you choose within the context of that culture.
Hero archetype and typography
Hero brand typography is typically going for statement impact. Think bold font styles that complement clear and direct brand voice in a shorter statement style. Sometimes we’ll see marker fonts that look like a motivational message that someone would write on their mirror or a sticky note to remind them of their goals when they wake up each day.
Hero archetype and photography
Hero photography should feel dynamic, capture interesting angles and use crops to highlight movement, strength and strong angles. Shots from below can create a feeling of being mighty, while looking up and off into the distance can express drive towards dream or goal, focusing on what lies ahead. Facial expressions capture the essence of determination and strength.
Overall, the photography should portray strength, confidence and focus, capturing challenges and challenges overcome.
Hero archetype and brand messaging
The Hero brand voice is bold, inspiring, confident, and empowering.
Their voice says: “You have the power within you to overcome any challenge. We believe in your potential and are here to support you on your journey.”
Branding with the Hero archetype – Practical tips
Here are actionable tips to bring your Hero brand to life with visual storytelling techniques.
Tips for showcasing your Hero brand on Instagram
- Inspire and empower others to conquer challenges, take bold action, and strive for improvement.
- Opt for powerful and vibrant colour schemes with strong, saturated, and bold colours that exude energy and enthusiasm.
- Showcase stories of individuals or clients who have achieved remarkable success with the help of your brand. Highlight their journey, accomplishments, and the positive impact your brand has had on their lives.
- Share instances where your brand or followers have made a significant impact on their communities or the lives of others. Celebrate acts of kindness, bravery, and leadership.
- Craft compelling captions that use action-oriented language, encouraging your audience to take charge of their lives and embrace challenges head-on.
- Demonstrate your brand’s growth and evolution over time. Share your journey and obstacles you’ve overcome to inspire your audience to do the same.
Curious to discover your Brand Archetype? Start by taking this quiz to uncover your Core Motivator.
Pass the Salt, founded by Elise Elliott, is a branding studio devoted to shaking up brand strategy, design and creative direction for entrepreneurial dreamers, doers and shakers who smirk at rules and high-five at the adventure of exploration.
Elise’s branding framework helps clients find language for their authentic business identity, connect with their dream audience and find greater ease in their business.
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