Archetypes for Structure and Safety
It's often we hear that brands must build trust, but not often we dig deeper into why.
If we consider at evolutionary psychology; our bodies and our minds are hard wired to keep us safe. It is one of our most fundamental, non-negotiable urges. While we live in a modern world now; it is still not without it's own threats, and so our yearning for safety continues (driving much of our behaviour) whether we're aware of it or not
Buying choices are always tied to safety - we need money to survive, and so we must trust whom we are giving our hard earned cash. So how do we get this need for safety met? Archetypal frameworks show us that we find safety through the following:
Firstly; Structure and organisation - the rules that govern society and create order from chaos. The Ruler/Leader Archetype personifies this. Early humans gravitated towards leaders to make decisions, coordinate actions, and resolve conflicts, particularly in dangerous or uncertain situations. They have proven fundamental in our survival and evolution.
Then there's The Caregiver.
Our first experience of safety is (hopefully) in the arms of a doting Caregiver, so it would be a failing to underestimate the resonance of this archetype. Largely seen as softer and maybe less impactful than the more robust leader archetype; our need for protection from harm is still very much alive and well.
Then there's the Creator in us.
When our best plans go to ruin, and we find ourselves unsure of where to turn, there is no better way to make meaning of our pain than art, creativity and expression. In this space of authenticity we can make sense of the world and learn to feel safe being ourselves. We can also innovate to find new solutions for our problems. Maslow also argued that Creativity can only be achieved when one's needs for safety have been met; so the link to security is a tangible one.
Do any of these archetypes resonate for your brand?