WONDER TWIN POWERS ACTIVATE!!!
Today we’re talking about combining archetypes in the process of coming up with a brand strategy.
Listen in to hear how Kevin and his twin sister pretended to the Wonder Twins.
Here are some of the big ideas when combining two archetypes:
- It’s possible to pair archetypes, but you have to be careful
- The energy level is a strong indicator if two archetypes can be paired, but that’s not 100%
- There are a handful of pairs that are obvious “no go” combos
- And, of course, we have the prom King and Queen … those popular pairs that everybody loves.
If you and your team have taken the FREE questionnaire at BrandArchetypes.com AND you’re at the point of selecting your archetype, you MAY have been drawn to the idea of combining two of them.
Check out Episode 22 – Picking an Archetype
There are a lot of considerations, pros, cons, traps, pitfalls, benefits. Basically, before trying to combine two archetypes, do your homework, and put in a lot of thought and consideration.
For example, when picking two archetypes, there’s a strong tendency to just flip-flop back and forth between the two…. Not create a new strong focus that’s based on two archetypes.
Energy Levels When Combing Archetypes
The energy level is a good indicator of combinations. So, it’s very rare we find a super high energy archetype, combined with a super low energy archetype. For example, I’ve never seen an Outlaw combined with an Innocent.
This is not to say that it can’t happen. It just means there’s a built-in conflict that will constantly need to be addressed. An example where two dramatically different archetypes CAN be combined is The Neighbor combined with The Jester. This one works because it’s less about the high-low energy combo, as much as it’s playing “fun” with “an easy-going nature.
You CAN combine any two archetypes but when you have a topic that pushes these two options to opposite sides of the spectrum, it becomes much more difficult to pull off.
Archetypes that would be hard to combine
There are combinations that would be suuuuuuper difficult to pull off.
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- Some questionable combos might be:
- Lover / Mother (ewwww)
- Outlaw / Innocent
- Jester / Guru (have you seen the photo of Einstein sticking out his tongue? Yes, it’s funny, but you INSTANTLY find yourself in a mindset where Einstein’s brilliance is suddenly out of mind.)
- Hero / Innocent (Super baby?)
- Some questionable combos might be:
Bottom line: You have to consider whether there is a built-in conflict with the two archetypes that are being combined. If so, you’ll likely be addressing this on an ongoing basis.
Popular Archetype Combinations
What are some of the popular combos?
The first combo we’ve already pointed out belongs to a larger group – archetypes combined with The Neighbor. — Neighbor/Jester. The easy-going nature of The Neighbor archetype easily draws business owners to it. the only ones we’ve never seen combined with The Neighbor are The Ruler and The Outlaw. This kind of demonstrates the flexibility of The Neighbor and the value of being easy to work with.
Similarly, an archetype that gets combined with others a LOT, is The Magician archetype. Instead of being a focus, the concept of changing people’s lives magically can become a conceptual layer within the overall plan … as opposed to being the main focal point.
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- So, some common combos might be:
- Hero/Magician – Magically save the day
- Guru/Magician – Affect positive change through knowledge, facts, wisdom
- So, some common combos might be:
One last example where one archetype can be combined with lots of others…The Mother brings a sense of caring and high-touch customer service.
The Wrap Up
So, really, what it comes down to is ANY two archetypes can be combined! Some feel “off” and should probably be avoided. Some fit like a hand in a glove and a lot of organizations are drawn to them. Regardless of the difficulty in combining any two, you need to be fully aware of how the ideas get combined so you don’t revert to that huge mistake of flip-flopping.
If you’re considering combining two archetypes, you most definitely will face some challenges. And, these particular challenges will surely cause you to have questions. Feel free to contact us!
Marketing Mayhem
Links we mentioned:
The Cereal Killer Chronicles Book
