Is the open road calling?
Does your business wrap itself around exploration? Is your brand all about setting out to discover the great unknown, one that celebrates new perspectives and expanded horizons? Or, perhaps, your business brand is motivated by inner discovery and staying true to the authentic self. Does any of this sound familiar? Then it sounds like your business is the Explorer.
For businesses that embrace the Explorer archetype, your shared characteristics include the desire for new experiences and adventure. The search for truth and for getting the most out of life are also strong motivations.
The Explorer archetypal family is made up of five personas, and while they share many aspects of exploration and curiosity, they also have big differences.
For example, while the Explorer archetype, one of the twelve core archetypes in the full group of sixty, is about pushing boundaries, the other personas in the family have different motivations. What, then, do the other personas represent?
The Other Archetypes in the Explorer Family…
As facets of the Explorer, these archetypes exemplify different ways of searching to get the most out of life.
The Adventurer is the one who rises to the challenge. Any challenge.
Focused, organized and daring, this archetype is in search of the next thrill, feeling fully alive and understanding there may be discomfort as well as joy along the journey.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino as the Adventurer.
As the Adventurer, the Hard Rock Hotels say “anything can happen,” appealing to the like-minded who thrive on the unknown. They also throw down the gauntlet when they say, “What you get out of the experience is up to you.” Appealing to the daring and independent-minded, this Explorer brand does all it can to help you awaken your senses and feel the fullness of life.
The Generalist is the Renaissance brand, one that has a passion for experiences in culture, science and the arts.
So many things to learn and explore! This archetype is interested in, well, practically everything and, while talented and skillful, is also eager to move onto the next new thing.
Sir Richard Branson as the Generalist.
Yes, he’s a man. But he’s also the founder of the Virgin group and a brand himself, one that has tremendous business impact. In fact, there are now more than 40 Virgin companies worldwide, employing approximately 71,000 people in over 35 countries in sectors as diverse as travel, communications, health, banking and leisure.
As the Generalist, Richard has challenged himself with many record-breaking adventures, including the fastest ever Atlantic Ocean crossing, a series of oceanic balloon journeys and kitesurfing across the Channel. He has described Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial space line, as being “the greatest adventure of all.”
The Pioneer is the groundbreaker, the innovator, with a need for discovery.
This archetype strives to be first—the first to introduce a product to the market or the first to discover a new technology, concept or art form..
Gary Vaynerchuck as the Pioneer.
Gary is considered one of the leading global minds on what’s next in culture, relevance and the Internet. Known as “GaryVee,” he is described as one of the most forward thinkers in business – he acutely recognizes trends and patterns early to help others understand how these shifts impact markets and consumer behavior. Whether it’s emerging artists, e-sports, NFT (non-fungible token) investing or digital communications, Gary is not afraid to “go there,” and he understands how to bring brand relevance to the forefront. He is a prolific angel investor with early investments in companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Venmo, Snapchat, Coinbase and Uber.
Gary is also the pioneering entrepreneur behind VaynerX, which is a holding company focused on contemporary communications and production. It houses ad agencies, production companies, publishers, a speaking bureau, and a talent agency.
The Seeker is one who must know, who is always learning, and leaves no stone unturned.
Patient and full of perseverance, this archetype questions everything in the search for truth and a deeper meaning in life.
To The Stars as the Seeker
With the tagline “Bringing you the future,” this company is all about “turning the world on to new ideas and new possibilities.” To the Stars is an award-winning, vertically-integrated company with aerospace, science and entertainment divisions. While the entertainment division publishes albums, books, TV shows and films, the science and aerospace divisions are devoted to the “outer edges of science” such as investigating unidentified flying objects. To The Stars embodies the characteristics of the Seeker in every way as they reach far and wide for wisdom and truth.
Is your brand an Explorer? What and how you search defines the kind of Explorer you are…
We hope you were intrigued by this discussion of the Explorer archetypal family and the important nuances among the personas.
👉 Dive into archetypes and how to use them to empower your brand.
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If you want to explore the world of archetypes and how they are used in brand management, we highly recommend the book Archetypes in Branding: A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists, written by Margaret Hartwell and Joshua C. Chen.
