Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM JULY 2019 46 W hen my chiropractor arrives at work, she dons a lab coat that's inscribed with her name. She complains that it ruins the look of the great outfits she's wearing underneath, but on the other hand, it fulfills a worthy purpose by transforming her into a more focused version of herself. The moment she slips on the lab coat, she is transformed into a professional healer and an experienced, intuitive doctor. The lab coat gives her the power of the Caregiver archetype. Psychologist Carl Jung believed that we adopt mental symbols to help us understand complex concepts. Example: we use logos to symbolize companies, sports teams, and brand lines. After years of global research, Jung identified 12 basic, universal archetypes that characterize the hopes and dreams of people everywhere. Jung said: "There are forms or images of a collective nature which occur practically all over the earth as constituents of myths and, at the same time, as individual products of the unconscious." The word archetype comes from Greek roots: "the original pattern from which copies are made." Marketers have embraced Jung's archetypes to personify how brands and organizations are seen and experienced. Jung's 12 basic archetypes are: Ruler, Creator/Artist, Sage, Innocent, Explorer, Rebel, Hero, Wizard, Jester, Everyman, Lover, and Caregiver. Examples: Home Depot is Everyman, Crayola is Creator, and Harley- Davidson is Rebel. As part of helping companies create their brand evolution programs, I offer a workshop where I help the teams identify their organizational archetypes. Often, the teams will merge two or more archetypes to craft their own unique version. Examples: Innovative Champion, Wise Caregiver, Collaborative Adventurer, Supporting Sage. How can Jung's timeless archetypes help modern businesses? As a leader, you need your team to be on the same page regarding what most deeply defines your company. You want them to be headed in the same direction. Abstract concepts alone cannot unify beliefs or behaviors. Jim Collins expressed this in Good To Great, where he said that we need to get the right people in the right seats on the bus, headed in the same direction. If you imagine that the mission statement on the conference room wall is doing the trick, you may be mistaken. You care deeply about your beliefs and you work hard to help your team align with them. Identifying your brand's archetype will help everyone put on the same lab coat. Holding the same archetype will help them be consistent when they're dealing with your company's pressing challenges – innovation, customer service, engagement, etc. The brands that are able to evolve most successfully embody the company's unique and deeply held beliefs, wrapped around a galvaniz- ing archetype. A strong archetype helps anchor your abstract beliefs into a strong image that's ownable by all the unique personalities on your team. They can then build on the archetype to create stronger customer service, stimulate innovation, amplify their purpose, and unify their identity. The financial team can be a Hero, the customer service team can be an Innovator, and the maintenance team can be a Sage. Archetypes make teams more sturdy and united. An active archetype spotlights the ways you want your team members to show up as their own unique and best selves. Leveraging a strong brand archetype helps you: • Tether a deeper alignment between your culture and brand • Foster a greater sense of belonging in your brand culture • Attract and retain people – both customers and employees • Guide your brand-culture strategy, and activate your core values • Implant a unique brand identity that's actionable by each individual team member in a wide variety of situations Jung's archetypes have helped me help leaders evolve their brands and get their cultures on the same page. For the past 25 years, Steve has served as an advisor and consultant on brand strategy, organizational life, and humanized marketing strategy, working with companies such as Samsung, Habitat for Humanity, New Balance, Sony, LG, Amazon, NFL and MLB franchises. Steve is a regular speaker for TEDx, Creative Mornings, CES, HOW Conference, Social Venture Network, American Marketing Association, and AIGA conferences. Steve has published two books, Brand Love and Loyalty and Humanizing the Customer Journey, as well as a forthcoming book, The Evolved Brand: How to Impact the World Through the Power of Your Brand. He has been featured in Business Week, Brand Week, Ad Age, Conscious Company Magazine, MarketingProfs, and HOW magazines. Steve leads his own brand and business strategic consultancy, Mth Degree. Contact: steven@theMthDegree.com, 619-234-1211 or www.theMthDegree.com RO Steven Morris On Brand WHAT IS YOUR BRAND'S PERSONA?

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