Transformation. Making dreams come true. Changing what it now to what could be through magic. Understanding the way the universe works and then getting things done. This is what the 'Magician' archetype is all about. The character who manages to pull solutions out of the bag without everyone quite knowing exactly how they have done it.
Archetypes are recognisable patterns of human behaviour which are often amplified in stories. In turn, stories are the way we make sense of the world around us. For those involved in the disipline of 'managing meaning' (e.g. storytelling and branding) archetypes become a powerful tool. They help teams build extraordinary meaning and create remarkable creative work because archetypes enable communication on a deep psychological level. More on the power of archetypes here.
In this post we will review the Magician brand archetype building on the work of Margret Mark and Carol S Pearson in their book "The Hero and the Outlaw".
An introduction to the Magician Archetype
Magicians are about transformation. They are true visionaries and use win-win solutions in order to achieve success. They make change happen but there is an element of magic and mystery about how it will occur. Using their mystical ways the magician likes to make dreams come true. They are all about transformation and apply their skills to bring about change. Their passion is to find successful outcomes in everything they put their hand to.
Desire: knowledge of the laws of how things work
Goal: to make dreams come true
Greatest Fear: unanticipated negative consequences
Strategy: develop a vision and live it
Vulnerability: being manipulative
Talent: finding win-win solutions
Motto: "It can happen"
Examples
The energy drink Red Bull plays heavily on the magician archetype promoting transformation through it's use
Examples of images and brands which embody the Magician Archetype can be found on my specially curated Pinterest board here. Note: I will be frequently updating this board as I come across new Magician images so bookmark it!
Brands which embody the Magician: Polaroid, Mastercard, Disney, Lynx, Red Bull, Dyson, Cadbury
Motivations
The Magician sits in the quadrant of archetypes which serve the customer motivation of 'Mastery & Esteem'. It appeals to those who want to overcome an obstacle in their way.
