THE HERO

WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY

The Hero seeks to improve society through courageous acts and to leave behind a legacy in hopes that they will inspire others. They are motivated by their constant need to prove to themselves and others that they are capable of enduring the most difficult of challenges in order to improve society as a whole. They crave the gratification that comes from this.

This archetype is also called the Athlete, Champion, Competitor, Crusader, Dragon Slayer, Liberator, Rescuer, Soldier, Superhero, Team Player, Victor, or Warrior.

Hero Marketing Opportunity

Nike+Logo
Duracell+Logo
Red+Cross+Logo
Army+Logo

The Hero identity may be right for your brand if:

  • You have an invention or innovation that will have a major impact on the world

  • Your product helps people perform at their upper limit

  • You are addressing a major social problem and asking people to step up to the plate to help address it

  • You have a clear opponent or competitor you want to beat

  • You are the underdog and want to rival the competition

  • The strength of your product or service is its ability to do a tough job efficiently and well

  • You need to differentiate your product from one that has problems with follow-through

  • Your customer base identifies itself as good, moral citizens

 

MARKETING APPROACH | Exemplifying mastery to overcome societal adversity, and by doing so, leaving behind a positive and inspiring legacy

TONE | Competent, Confident, Courageous, Direct, Disciplined, Encouraging, Empowering, Goal-Focused, Inspirational, Proud, and Motivated

VALUE PROPOSITION | Helps people act courageously

CUSTOMER FEAR | Ineffectuality, impotence, powerlessness

 
 

 

Hero Mindset

Tom+Brady
JFK
Steph+Curry
Barack+Obama

GOAL | To improve the world and inspire others through their determination and courageous acts

STRATEGY | To motivate others and encourage bravery, strength, and competency in order to overcome challenges

MOTIVATION | Risk & Mastery

CALL | The bully kicks sand in your face or someone tries to intimidate or abuses you; a challenge beckons; someone needs you to help defend him or her

CORE DESIRE | Prove one’s worth through courageous and difficult actions

GIFT | Competence and courage

CHAMPIONS | Achievement, Competence, Courage, Determination, Discipline, Mastery, Strength, and Self-Sacrifice

SUPER POWERS | Commitment and determination to triumph adversity through courageous acts

SHADOW | Ruthlessness and obsessive need to win

TRAP | Arrogance, developing a need for there always to be an enemy

FEARS | Inability to accomplish their goals; being perceived as weak and cowardly

TURN-OFFS | Angst, Fear, Cynicism, Distress, Introversion, Skepticism, and Vulnerability

 

LEVELS OF THE HERO

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, or organization, community, or family

LEVEL 3 Using your strength, competence, and courage for something that makes a difference to you and to the world

 

 

The 12 Brand Archetypes

Archetypal+Values+Grid

So what is a ‘Brand Strategy’?

SOURCES

Mark, Margaret, Pearson, Carol, (2001). The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes Hardcover - (Amazon Affiliate Link) pages 15, 53-262

The authors developed the 12 Brand Archetypes as a tool for marketing in 1995 and explained their methodology and ideas in their seminal book. Some of the content on this page are ideas cited directly to maintain correctness and some have been paraphrased where possible.