Series E
Archetypes
Guardian
What if the key to fostering feelings of protection and safety in consumers was as simple as channeling an ancient archetype? Prepare to be enlightened as we venture into the realm of the 'Guardian' archetype and uncover its profound influence in brand communication. We delve into the guardian's essential traits—nurturing, vulnerability, stability, and a whole lot more. Listen as we uncover how major brands such as Johnson and Johnson, Volvo, Coleman's, P&G, and Centre Parcs have skilfully woven narratives of love, protection, comfort, and balance into their branding, solidifying their place in the market through the powerful lens of the guardian archetype.
Transcript
Michael Campion: Closely related to the Warrior is the Guardian, and the emotional effect is not confidence in this case, but is protection.
Bob Sheard: The emotional effect of the Guardian is protection. If you want your consumer to feel protected in your communication or by your communication, and protected by using your products, then you choose the Guardian role. The place of the Guardian is the place of safety. It's the ritual of nurturing and it's the time of vulnerability. The rational values that this uses is stability, supportive and selflessness. The emotional values are strength, compassion and love. What this brand stands for is security. What this brand stands against is insecurity. In culture, we love this brand, it's Mary Poppins, it's Marlin in Finding Nemo, it's Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side, it's Ben Cash in Captain Fantastic, it's Mrs Weasley in Harry Potter, and the narratives of this are maternal love, protection, paternal comfort, living in balance, being nourished and the narratives of nurturing. And those are evidenced in the brands that we consume that adopt the Guardian role. Obvious ones like Johnson and Johnson, Volvo, Coleman's, Proctor and Gamble and Center Parcs all use the narratives of love, protection, comfort, balance, nourishment and nurturing. It's a very strong role when it comes to family oriented products.
Michael Campion: I guess if one was to try and inject a little bit of excitement into a brand, but it was authentically a Guardian, you'd have to make it a hybrid with something else. Or is it possible to find a little bit of excitement within the Guardian archetype?
Bob Sheard: Well, I think Volvo is one of the coolest brands on the planet and I think they achieved that through a product expression of safety that enables you to go and do things that are extraordinary. So, Volvo, I'm recalling the Stuntman ad from the early 90s, which was a really powerful ad, and I think they still benefit from that, but it pivoted off Volvo being able to protect you in extreme circumstances. So, yeah, I think you can blend it, but I think it's still doable depending on the creative treatment.
