Brand Archetypes & Metaphors

#1 The Loyalist

McDonald's.

Everyone knows what it is. Everyone has eaten there at least once in their lives. We see it everywhere. We know how the food is like, how the service is like. Many people are loyal to it and eat there every so often because they are used to the food and service there. They are all certain of the brand.


#2 The Hero

Nike.

We all know what it is. We all know that it produces quality sportswear. Very few if not none question its products or services. The brand is trustworthy and reliable in producing quality sportswear.


#3 The Wise Old Man

Ya Kun Kaya Toast.

Old style food, old style atmosphere. This brand tries to uphold traditions, incorporating a few modern things to stay in the era, but keeps the heritage.


#4 The Creator

Lego.

The brand promotes self-expression. People are forced to come up with designs and execute them using the product.


#5 Mother of Goodness

Dettol.

A caring, nurturing brand. Products are mainly for one's health, cleanliness and well-being.


#6 The Little Trickster

Fanta.

The brand is known to be fun-loving, cheerful, colourful, and helps people to have a good time with its products.


#7 The Enigma


Anything & Whatever.

The brand packages its drink products in a way that all the packaging is generic. There is no way of telling what drink you get (unless some observant ones guess from the ingredient list). It gives a feeling of uncertainty. You don't know if the flavor you get will be something you like or not until you drink it. Because of this enigma element, people who purchase this product are either just adventurous or can't make up their minds.


#8 The Anti-Hero

Harley-Davidson.

The brand spells "danger", "wild", "unrepentance" using elements such as engines and fire. It provokes you to bring out your inner rebel.


#9 The Change Master

Volkswagen.

Helps people feel free, pioneering, express their individuality. For people who wish to differentiate themselves from a comformist brand.


#10 The Ultimate Strength

IKEA.

Its products are of everyday functionality and produced with a down-home organizational culture. However, it isn't just any ordinary furniture shop for most people. It has proven its worth, earned many people's trust in producing quality furniture with excellent service.


#11 The Siren

Victoria's Secret.

One word: Seduction.
The brand provokes your guilty pleasures.


#12 The Powerbroker

Microsoft.

We all know what it is. The brand probably has the world in the palm of its hand. The world wouldn't be able to survive without it. It is a powerful brand of domination and control. (There's also Apple.Inc, but they're not as widely used as Microsoft.)

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Here on, I'll be picking 3 of the brands above and analyzing them further with the help of Zaltman's Marketing Metaphoria.

• Balance
• Transformation
• Journey
• Container
• Connection
• Resource
• Control

#1 Ya Kun Kaya Toast

• Balance

In eating, consumers reflect imbalance as overeating or stuffed. Ya Kun Kaya Toast's products are meant for breakfast or snack, not for a proper meal. This leads to balance as consumers would eat just the right amount for themselves here.

• Container

Memories store our individual histories and identities. Ya Kun Kaya Toast is a heritage center, preserving traditional food and ambience.

• Resource

Our resource is the core of our existence. Back in the olden days, Ya Kun Kaya Toast was a resource for many people. Its good quality yet cheap food have sustained and many people still patronize Ya Kun Kaya Toast for old favourites. For Ya Kun Kaya Toast, although it sells many types of traditional breakfasts (french toast, half boiled eggs, etc.), its "bread and butter" is still its signature kaya toast.


#2 Anything & Whatever

• Balance

In Anything & Whatever 's case, it's imbalance. Consumers who purchase the product will most likely be unaware of what he/she is about to consume. It may be something he/she may not like, but that is the risk of this product.

• Journey

Anything & Whatever conveys an unknown journey with possibly unpredictable outcomes. People who pick this product holds the courage of thriving into unknown waters. There is also the choice of picking predictable outcomes though, like simply purchasing another beverage product which you would be able to obviously tell what you are about to consume.


#3 Microsoft

• Balance

Microsoft's good reputation, high quality products and services give consumers a sense of balance. It's Public Relations. People love and trust PR.

• Transformation

Back when computers were just invented, Microsoft was the one true brand. People who have never touched such technology went through transformation in their lives by being exposed to Microsoft's trade. Until now, Microsoft keeps developing and improving new systems and programs in order to transform people's lives once more.

• Connection

Microsoft helps consumers be connected to the world, to the industries, to their friends and family, to work, to trends. Using the programs that Microsoft invented, people are able to express themselves easier using digital means, and also transmit information with ease.

• Control

Microsoft pretty much controls the world now (with Apple.Inc not far behind). People all around the world are now so dependent on computers, internet, and other high-tech forms of communication invented by Microsoft. If one day, all these were to be taken away, people would go out of control.