THE SAGE
The truth will set you free
The Sage seeks to gain knowledge in order to become wise and share their expertise with the world. They are energized by analysis and research that can lead to more elegant solutions. They are generous in sharing their knowledge and encourage others to also embrace the pursuit of wisdom. However, they know few truly will.
This archetype is also called the Advisor, Contemplative, Detective, Evaluator, Expert, Investigator, Mentor, Oracle, Philosopher, Planner, Professional, Researcher, Scholar, Teacher, or Thinker.
The 12 Brand Archetypes were developed and articulated in "The Hero and The Outlaw" by Margaret Mark and Carol Pearson
SAGE MARKETING OPPORTUNITY
The Sage archetype might provide a suitable identity for your brand if:
It provides expertise or information to your customers
It encourages customers or clients to think
The brand is based on a new scientific breakthrough or esoteric knowledge
The quality of the brand is supported by hard data
You are differentiating the product from others whose quality or performance is questionable
MARKETING APPROACH | Appeal to logic & attraction to wisdom versus conventional promotion
TONE | Intelligent, fact-based, decisive, sophisticated, deep, humane, understated authority
VALUE PROPOSITION | Helps customers find happiness
CUSTOMER FEAR | Entrapment, Selling Out & Emptiness
SAGE MINDSET & TRAITS
GOAL | To leverage intelligence and analysis to grow wise. Seeks to share expertise to benefit mankind.
STRATEGY | Using research, objectivity, diligence and self-reflection, the Sage seeks knowledge and mastery
MOTIVATION | Independence and fulfillment
CALL | Confusion, doubt, deep desire to find the truth
CORE DESIRE | The discovery of truth
GIFT | Wisdom, Intelligence
CHAMPIONS | Truth, intelligence, analysis, learning, individuality, critical thinking
SUPER POWERS | Leading visionary exploratory conversations to develop novel approaches to age old problems
SHADOW | Disconnection from reality. Being driven by facts, they can lack interest in emotions
TRAP | Analysis paralysis can be caused by endlessly studying details for the sake of learning
FEARS | Being fooled or misled; appearing ignorant
TURN-OFFS | Superficiality, ignorance, ambiguity, status quo, gimmicks
LEVELS OF THE SAGE
LEVEL 1 Search for absolute truth, desire for objectivity, looking to experts (Apprentice)
LEVEL 2 Skepticism, critical and innovative thinking, becoming an expert (Practitioner)
LEVEL 3 Wisdom, confidence, mastery (Master)
SIMILAR BRAND ARCHETYPES
SOURCES
Mark, Margaret, Pearson, Carol, (2001). The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes Hardcover - (Amazon Affiliate Link) pages 13, 18, 88-90, 100
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.