Brand Archetype Series: The Lover
May 24, 2024When it comes to building a business that you love showing up in each day and that naturally attracts your soulmate clients, understanding brand archetypes can be incredibly helpful.
The twelve archetypes, first introduced by psychologist Carl Jung, provide a framework for understanding the different personalities that brands can adopt to build faster connection and trust with their audiences.
Using archetypes in branding goes far beyond the surface. By adopting a specific archetype, you’re inviting your audience into a story where they can see themselves; and showing them the role you’ll play in their journey – will you be the supportive and nurturing Caregiver, the adventurous Explorer, or the accepting Everyperson?
This narrative approach to branding taps into universal truths, stories we’re all familiar with, and emotions everyone understands, making your message so much more relatable and memorable.
When you align your brand with an archetype, you’re essentially creating a living, breathing entity that speaks directly to the heart of your audience. And in today’s busier-than-ever online world, having a brand that feels like a friend or role model can make all the difference in grabbing your audience’s attention
For an overview of all 12 archetypes, check out this blog post. Otherwise, keep reading to discover more about the Lover.
What is the Lover Brand Archetype?
The Lover archetype, also known as the Romantic, is enthusiastic, heartfelt, and an intimate soul.
Brands that embody the Lover archetype live with heart, openly share their passions and make relationships their priority. Their passion, appreciation and good taste make their enthusiasm contagious and exciting.
You can leverage this archetype by creating customized, experiential programs, products and services, and by adding extra-special touches that make clients feel appreciated, seen, and heard.
The Lover’s personality is deep, genuine, exuberant, and open. They are usually not guarded, ordinary, offensive, or deceptive.
The Lover’s core desire is to be deeply seen, heard, known, and loved for exactly who they are, and they are motivated by being surrounded by beautiful things, people and places they love. Their big purpose is to enhance the overall experience of life through intimacy, pleasure, beauty, and quality.
They value vulnerability, collaboration, generosity and connection.
Their strengths include connecting people with their deepest desires while making them feel special and loved. However, their weaknesses include sacrificing their identity by doing anything to please and attract others.
No matter what, the Lover does not tolerate indifference, poor quality, or staying guarded.
The Lover Archetype in Branding
Through their brand, the Lover promises to help you experience greater pleasure in your life and relationships.
They make their clients and audience feel special, seen, and heard.
They achieve this through a unique brand voice that is affectionate, intimate, passionate, and warm.
This voice includes brand messaging such as phrases like, “finer things in life,” “savor the experience,” and “do all things with love.” The Lover may also use words like, “tasteful,” “open,” “quality,” “pleasure,” “special,” and “charm.”
The Lover’s brand visuals are typically elegant, beautiful, and sensual. Common colors are rich jewel tones, bold pinks and reds *or* soft romantic shades; however the Lover can be expressed through a variety of colors which should ultimately be chosen with color psychology in mind.
Images portray related themes, activities, and motifs, such as passion, emotion, vulnerability, and enthusiasm. Imagery that is connection-based and intimate works well for this archetype. Below is an example of a brand moodboard from our Lover Brand Bundle, so you can get a feel for the visuals.
In practice, you’ll find Lover brands singling out clients and community members for special recognition, as well as creating customized, experiential products and services that ignite their clients’ passions.
Lover Brand Examples
Godiva
Godiva, a luxury chocolate brand, perfectly encapsulates the Lover archetype through its association with indulgence, sensuality, and romance.
Godiva chocolates are often given as gifts to convey love and affection, leveraging the brand's reputation for premium quality and exquisite taste to create an emotional and luxurious experience.
Victoria’s Secret
Victoria's Secret has built its brand on the pillars of allure and sexiness, making it a quintessential example of the Lover archetype.
The brand is known for its glamorous lingerie and annual fashion shows that celebrate beauty, fantasy, and sensual aesthetics. It aims to make wearers feel desirable and attractive, directly connecting with the Lover's themes of intimacy and physical appeal.
Dior
Dior, a luxury fashion house, resonates with the Lover archetype by embodying elegance, sophistication, and the celebration of beauty in all its forms. Dior's fashion and fragrances are designed to make consumers feel more attractive and emotionally connected to their sense of style and identity.
The brand often uses imagery and messaging that evoke love, desire, and aspiration, making it ideal for those drawn to the Lover's qualities of charm and grace.
Lover Pop Culture Examples
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe is perhaps one of the most iconic figures associated with the Lover archetype. Known for her glamorous image and sensuous allure, Monroe captivated audiences with her beauty and vulnerability.
Her roles often highlighted her sex appeal and charm, making her a timeless symbol of romantic and physical desirability.
Sofia Vergara
Sofia Vergara’s vibrant and vivacious personality makes her a perfect fit for the Lover archetype. Known for her roles that showcase her fiery charisma and infectious humor, Vergara also exudes warmth and a zest for life, traits that draw people to her both on-screen and off.
When it comes to fashion, Sofia opts for elegant, figure-flattering outfits that highlight her curves and emphasize her sensuality.
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor often played roles that emphasized romance, passion, and complex relationships.
Her violet eyes, exquisite jewelry, and sophisticated fashion choices made her a symbol of elegance and sensuality.
Beyond her on-screen roles, Taylor was also known for her compassion and philanthropic efforts in raising awareness and funds for HIV/AIDS research. This aspect of her life reflects the Lover's deep empathy and care for others.
These brands and individuals not only express the external traits associated with the Lover archetype—such as beauty, charm, and a magnetic presence—but they also evoke deeper emotional responses that resonate with audiences, making them enduring symbols of allure and romantic idealism.
Check out The Rest of This Series
Find Your Brand Archetype
Recognizing your archetype is just the beginning. From there, it’s important to integrate it into every facet of your brand, your messaging, and your visuals in a way that resonates with those you aim to serve.
If you're ready to dive deeper and uncover the archetype that reflects YOUR brand's personality, I invite you to take my brand personality quiz today. Discover which archetype aligns with your brand's essence and how you can leverage this understanding to craft a brand that stands out and speaks directly to the hearts of your audience.
Don't stop here, though. I’m here to support you in creating a purposeful, archetypal brand that makes money AND makes a difference. Explore how we can work together here.
