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The Sage
The Teacher, The Investigator, The Mentor
The Sage brand archetype seeks the truth and wants to find the good and the wisdom in all situations. Sage brands will promise learning and teaching knowledge and therefore will often make use of their higher levels of vocabulary or symbolic imagery.
Guided by truth-seeking, the Sage is most fulfilled by finding answers to the most challenging questions. Whilst demonstrating intelligence, knowledge and keen problem-solving skills, Google is probably the most significant Sage of our time.
On a good day, the sage will be wise, open-minded and articulate. However, at their worst, they can be seen as self-absorbed or cold to some.
The Sage – Brand Archetype Key Characteristics
Key Attributes: Expert, Thinker, Philosopher, Reflective, Advisor, Teacher, Confident, In-control, Wisdom, Intelligence, Planner
The Sage Brand Archetype Explained:
The Sage is the best brand archetype at developing significant expertise such as gathering information in almost any situation so that it is useful to others. A Sage brand will trust its customers to be able to grasp difficult ideas and understand intellectual in-jokes. Sage brands should watch out for being too patronising though.
Sage brands will promise Wisdom
Customers of the Sage believe that knowledge and information come from growth and are constantly looking for new sources of information. Customers are likely to be drawn in by advertising that challenges them to think in a completely different or new way.
Sage’s core motivation is to use intelligence and analysis to understand the world. After all, the truth will set you free.
AUDI – “It Couldn’t Be Done”
This Audi advertisement fits with the Sage brand archetype as it tells its story through time, challenging the impossible and planning for the future. You could also put this in the Hero brand archetype but, as it is teaching and using its knowledge to get better and better through generations it fits better in the Sage.