Innocent Archetype
Earning Trust with a Nuanced Pure and Honest Brand (with Design Examples)
Pure, honest and optimistic, the Innocent Brand Archetype is one of Jung’s 12 Brand Archetypes.
If you’re wondering, how can you build a Innocent 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 Innocent brand that feels unique to them.
So I decided to create this guide, just for you.
Innocent archetype in branding: What is it?
Let’s first dive into the Innocent brand persona in its pure, undiluted form.
Innocent archetype symbolism
The Innocent archetype is often associated with purity and represents the instinctual drive to seek goodness. The Innocent archetype is often associated with simplicity, a sense of childlike wonder, and an innate trust in the goodness of the world. It represents a longing for a life free from complications and deceit.
For people interacting with an Innocent brand, the Innocent archetype suggests joy, simplicity and comfort.
The Innocent’s…
DESIRE: To experience paradise
GOAL: To be happy
FEAR: Doing something wrong or bad that will provoke punishment
TRAP: May be perceived as naive or dependent
GIFT: Faith and optimism
STRATEGY: Do things right
Businesses that embody a healthy Innocent archetype prioritise honesty, transparency, and simplicity in their marketing. They maintain a genuine and trustworthy image.
In The Hero & The Outlaw, Margaret Mark talks about 5 Innocent Levels:
THE CALL: A desire for purity, goodness and simplicity
LEVEL 1: Childlike simplicity, naive, dependent, obedient, trusting, idyllic
LEVEL 2: Renewal, positive, reinventing, reframing, cleansing, reentering the Promised Land
LEVEL 3: An almost mystical sense of oneness, whereby Innocence comes from values and integrity, not outer experience; being, not doing
THE SHADOW: Denial, repression
“Okay, the Innocent Brand Archetype sounds like what I’m going for. What next?”
If the Innocent archetype feels like a good fit, fantastic! Before we get too deep into the world of Jung and the Innocent 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.
“Elise managed to draw my personal brand out of me like some kind of magic. With her guidance through archetype reflection, my brand is now so authentically me!
“Elise is one of those rare talents. I know she has produced for my business the most original and creative branding in my industry.
My favourite part of her branding process was finding out my Archetypes. This approach was so impactful but also a lot of fun! I learnt so much about myself, what makes me unique, and how I was going to show up and most of all, stand out in my industry. The experience made me feel so much more connected to my business and my brand.
Now, because my brand has been built on the foundation of my own, unique archetypes, every time I send an email with my signature, share a link to my website, or produce a document with my branding, I feel proud to, because it’s beautiful, professional, it’s authentic and it feels like me. The confidence that that gives you as a business owner, is priceless. Branding undoubtedly gives you that edge that never stops returning on its investment.
If you’re on the fence, get off – Elise is worth her weight in gold.“
– Shanley King – Art of Wealth Co.
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 an Innocent brand
Is Your Brand an Innocent? Let’s talk about brand values now.
Ask yourself: Is the goal of your company to help people feel good, safe and whole? Does your company value honesty, transparency, vulnerability, and simplicity? If you answered yes, it is very likely your brand has Innocent 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.
“You helped me to understand myself AND my business and how I could marry the two together so that my business branding was speaking for me and through me.
The brand archetypes were a huge part of bringing that to light for me. I definitely felt more aligned and connected with what we were building and my business vision.“
– Elise Osborne – Helping Hearts Psychology
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 Innocent 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.
Innocent archetype and brand differentiation
Jung proposed a variety of different subcategories for the Innocent archetype, each reflecting a different dimension of the Innocent. We can use these to add layers of nuance to an Innocent brand.
Child
Dreamer
Idealist
Innocent
Muse
Leveraging these will help you bring more nuance to your Innocent brand identity. Ideally, you will go further than this and blend multiple archetypes together without leaning into cliche characteristics.
Innocent archetype and target audience
The Innocent archetype delivers a customer experience that feels pure, authentic, and uplifting. The delivery of the experience should feel simple, honest and joyful.
The branding suggests to customers that they can fulfil their longing for a perfect world — an idyllic life full of happiness and wonder for the little things.
Naturally, industries that prioritise the well-being of individuals, the environment, and the future generation – like whole foods and organic products, health and wellness, sustainable fashion and beauty, children’s products and services, and eco-friendly home goods – tend to have Innocent energy.
Strengths and weaknesses of the Creator Archetype in marketing and advertising
To craft an Innocent brand that resonates, my best advice is to inspire a sense of wonder in the simple things in life. The Innocent’s strength is helping people believe in magic, possibilities and happy endings.
The flip side is that Innocent brands can appear naive and sometimes have trouble being taken seriously.
Innocent branding examples
Here are examples of the Innocent archetype in marketing and design in the wild.
Here are some of the Creator brands I’ve had the pleasure of working with.
Designing for the Innocent archetype
Innocent archetype and visual branding
Innocent archetype visuals are uplifting, natural, wholesome, youthful, and idyllic. When it comes to brand storytelling, visuals should be focused on the simple things, goodness, innocence, the magic, beauty and joy that can be found in everyday moments and the world around us.
Here is a curated Pinterest board I’ve created for the Innocent archetype.
Innocent archetype design and colour psychology
Innocent brand colours can range from pastels (like sherbert and party food) to softened multi colours (think a bouquet of flowers in natural soft colours) or clean minimalism (light beiges and warm greys). Colours have a gentler presence than other ‘colourful’ archetypes such as Creator (bright, expressive and experimental) or Jester (intense and attention-attracting).
Ultimately, this colour palette evokes a feeling of purity, joy, warmth, and spontaneity.
A word on the Innocent 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.
Innocent archetype and typography
The Innocent brand gravitates to fonts that feel wholesome and natural, have a youthful or childlike quality, and are clean, simple and easy to read. There should be an openness to the lettering and clean rounded shapes. The style of typography can be playful in a minimal way.
Innocent archetype and photography
Open, uplifting, and bright, Innocent photography aims to capture beautiful moments and details in life. Think joyful interactions, simple pleasures, a laughter or smile, or shimmering light through a tree.
Innocent archetype and brand messaging
The Innocent brand voice is gentle, earnest, kind, positive, sincere, and soothing. The voice inspires customers to see the world through innocent eyes, where hope and optimism abound.
Their voice says: “Embrace the beauty of simplicity and find joy in the little things. We believe in a world where purity and goodness prevail. You are in safe hands with us, because transparency and authenticity guide our every action.”
Branding with the Innocent archetype – Practical tips
Here are actionable tips to bring your Innocent brand to life with visual storytelling techniques.
Tips for showcasing your Innocent brand on Instagram
- Embrace a clean and uncluttered aesthetic that highlights the beauty of simplicity. Your goal is to radiate a sense of purity, simplicity, and optimism.
- Share visuals that evoke feelings of innocence and joy. Incorporate bright and soft colours, gentle pastels, and whimsical elements that resonate with your brand’s ethos of purity.
- Innocence is often best expressed through genuine reactions and candid moments. Use images and videos that demonstrate this.
- Highlight playful elements in your content, such as joyful interactions with your product or playful design elements.
- Showcase your brand’s positive impact on people’s lives. Share success stories, testimonials, and heartwarming experiences that embody the innocence of genuine happiness.
- Use storytelling and language that evokes feelings of innocence, sincerity, and hope.
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.
Innocent Archetype
Earning Trust with a Nuanced Pure and Honest Brand (with Design Examples)
Pure, honest and optimistic, the Innocent Brand Archetype is one of Jung’s 12 Brand Archetypes.
If you’re wondering, how can you build a Innocent 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 Innocent brand that feels unique to them.
So I decided to create this guide, just for you.
Innocent archetype in branding: What is it?
Let’s first dive into the Innocent brand persona in its pure, undiluted form.
Innocent archetype symbolism
The Innocent archetype is often associated with purity and represents the instinctual drive to seek goodness. The Innocent archetype is often associated with simplicity, a sense of childlike wonder, and an innate trust in the goodness of the world. It represents a longing for a life free from complications and deceit.
For people interacting with an Innocent brand, the Innocent archetype suggests joy, simplicity and comfort.
The Innocent’s…
DESIRE: To experience paradise
GOAL: To be happy
FEAR: Doing something wrong or bad that will provoke punishment
TRAP: May be perceived as naive or dependent
GIFT: Faith and optimism
STRATEGY: Do things right
Businesses that embody a healthy Innocent archetype prioritise honesty, transparency, and simplicity in their marketing. They maintain a genuine and trustworthy image.
In The Hero & The Outlaw, Margaret Mark talks about 5 Innocent Levels:
THE CALL: A desire for purity, goodness and simplicity
LEVEL 1: Childlike simplicity, naive, dependent, obedient, trusting, idyllic
LEVEL 2: Renewal, positive, reinventing, reframing, cleansing, reentering the Promised Land
LEVEL 3: An almost mystical sense of oneness, whereby Innocence comes from values and integrity, not outer experience; being, not doing
THE SHADOW: Denial, repression
“Okay, the Innocent Brand Archetype sounds like what I’m going for. What next?”
If the Innocent archetype feels like a good fit, fantastic! Before we get too deep into the world of Jung and the Innocent 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.
“Elise managed to draw my personal brand out of me like some kind of magic. With her guidance through archetype reflection, my brand is now so authentically me!
“Elise is one of those rare talents. I know she has produced for my business the most original and creative branding in my industry.
My favourite part of her branding process was finding out my Archetypes. This approach was so impactful but also a lot of fun! I learnt so much about myself, what makes me unique, and how I was going to show up and most of all, stand out in my industry. The experience made me feel so much more connected to my business and my brand.
Now, because my brand has been built on the foundation of my own, unique archetypes, every time I send an email with my signature, share a link to my website, or produce a document with my branding, I feel proud to, because it’s beautiful, professional, it’s authentic and it feels like me. The confidence that that gives you as a business owner, is priceless. Branding undoubtedly gives you that edge that never stops returning on its investment.
If you’re on the fence, get off – Elise is worth her weight in gold.“
– Shanley King – Art of Wealth Co.
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 an Innocent brand
Is Your Brand an Innocent? Let’s talk about brand values now.
Ask yourself: Is the goal of your company to help people feel good, safe and whole? Does your company value honesty, transparency, vulnerability, and simplicity? If you answered yes, it is very likely your brand has Innocent 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.
“You helped me to understand myself AND my business and how I could marry the two together so that my business branding was speaking for me and through me.
The brand archetypes were a huge part of bringing that to light for me. I definitely felt more aligned and connected with what we were building and my business vision.“
– Elise Osborne – Helping Hearts Psychology
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 Innocent 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.
Innocent archetype and brand differentiation
Jung proposed a variety of different subcategories for the Innocent archetype, each reflecting a different dimension of the Innocent. We can use these to add layers of nuance to an Innocent brand.
Child
Dreamer
Idealist
Innocent
Muse
Leveraging these will help you bring more nuance to your Innocent brand identity. Ideally, you will go further than this and blend multiple archetypes together without leaning into cliche characteristics.
Innocent archetype and target audience
The Innocent archetype delivers a customer experience that feels pure, authentic, and uplifting. The delivery of the experience should feel simple, honest and joyful.
The branding suggests to customers that they can fulfil their longing for a perfect world — an idyllic life full of happiness and wonder for the little things.
Naturally, industries that prioritise the well-being of individuals, the environment, and the future generation – like whole foods and organic products, health and wellness, sustainable fashion and beauty, children’s products and services, and eco-friendly home goods – tend to have Innocent energy.
Strengths and weaknesses of the Creator Archetype in marketing and advertising
To craft an Innocent brand that resonates, my best advice is to inspire a sense of wonder in the simple things in life. The Innocent’s strength is helping people believe in magic, possibilities and happy endings.
The flip side is that Innocent brands can appear naive and sometimes have trouble being taken seriously.
Innocent branding examples
Here are examples of the Innocent archetype in marketing and design in the wild.
Here are some of the Creator brands I’ve had the pleasure of working with.
Designing for the Innocent archetype
Innocent archetype and visual branding
Innocent archetype visuals are uplifting, natural, wholesome, youthful, and idyllic. When it comes to brand storytelling, visuals should be focused on the simple things, goodness, innocence, the magic, beauty and joy that can be found in everyday moments and the world around us.
Here is a curated Pinterest board I’ve created for the Innocent archetype.
Innocent archetype design and colour psychology
Innocent brand colours can range from pastels (like sherbert and party food) to softened multi colours (think a bouquet of flowers in natural soft colours) or clean minimalism (light beiges and warm greys). Colours have a gentler presence than other ‘colourful’ archetypes such as Creator (bright, expressive and experimental) or Jester (intense and attention-attracting).
Ultimately, this colour palette evokes a feeling of purity, joy, warmth, and spontaneity.
A word on the Innocent 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.
Innocent archetype and typography
The Innocent brand gravitates to fonts that feel wholesome and natural, have a youthful or childlike quality, and are clean, simple and easy to read. There should be an openness to the lettering and clean rounded shapes. The style of typography can be playful in a minimal way.
Innocent archetype and photography
Open, uplifting, and bright, Innocent photography aims to capture beautiful moments and details in life. Think joyful interactions, simple pleasures, a laughter or smile, or shimmering light through a tree.
Innocent archetype and brand messaging
The Innocent brand voice is gentle, earnest, kind, positive, sincere, and soothing. The voice inspires customers to see the world through innocent eyes, where hope and optimism abound.
Their voice says: “Embrace the beauty of simplicity and find joy in the little things. We believe in a world where purity and goodness prevail. You are in safe hands with us, because transparency and authenticity guide our every action.”
Branding with the Innocent archetype – Practical tips
Here are actionable tips to bring your Innocent brand to life with visual storytelling techniques.
Tips for showcasing your Innocent brand on Instagram
- Embrace a clean and uncluttered aesthetic that highlights the beauty of simplicity. Your goal is to radiate a sense of purity, simplicity, and optimism.
- Share visuals that evoke feelings of innocence and joy. Incorporate bright and soft colours, gentle pastels, and whimsical elements that resonate with your brand’s ethos of purity.
- Innocence is often best expressed through genuine reactions and candid moments. Use images and videos that demonstrate this.
- Highlight playful elements in your content, such as joyful interactions with your product or playful design elements.
- Showcase your brand’s positive impact on people’s lives. Share success stories, testimonials, and heartwarming experiences that embody the innocence of genuine happiness.
- Use storytelling and language that evokes feelings of innocence, sincerity, and hope.
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.
Comments +