Blog > Is Cinderella the key to Creating a Great Brand for Your Small Business?
Did you know that Cinderella is one of the most well-known stories around the world? It comes in hundreds of forms and guises, but it is not always the same Cinderella. The main thrust of the story is however similar; a poorly treated girl who wins the heart of a rich and powerful man.
How can Cinderella help you create a brilliant brand for your business?
Cinderella helps us see the power of archetypes. These are hard wired into all of us, into our psyches. Carl Jung, the psychologist, saw them as collectively inherited data that we all carry with us. For example we all carry within us an idea of a ‘mother’ archetype or an ‘evil’ archetype. How many teenage girls have an anguished ‘Cinderella’ moment when they feel hard done by, and wish that their Prince Charming would come and find them and whisk them away from it all?
A Gift for Your Business
There are 12 to 15 archetypes which are used repeatedly in marketing and advertising. I see these archetypes as a gift for small business owners who don’t have a big marketing budget. You can harness the archetype that best fit your business and use it to speak to your customers in a way that instantly connects with them at a deep level. This can help you cut down on marketing spend and effort, whilst at the same time delivering increased sales.
Here are some of the most common archetypes used in advertising. Is your brand any of these?
- Is it The Sage whose experience and wisdom shows people a path to success?
- Is it The Magician who can transform customers either inside or out?
- The Innocent who offers something that makes you feel wholesome and pure?
- The Maverick who is shaking up the market and doing something different for the common good?
- The Jester who surprises and jokes to bring a smile to your face and at times communicate a serious message?
- The Nurturer who cares and protects?
All of these archetypes strike a chord with customers. Identifying which archetype your brand relates to can really help you to create a clear and compelling brand and message.
For example, if you have a Magician archetype your brand values could be around surprise, positive change, being a catalyst. You can develop a clear brand strategy that helps you stand out from your competitors. Your website and marketing material then all fall into line. Most importantly you have a story to tell around this archetype…..and as the oft repeated tale of Cinderalla shows, we all love a good story.