9 Powerful Brand Storytelling Archetypes (with Examples)

There are generally nine main archetypes in storytelling that dominate any plotline.

You only need to watch the latest blockbuster movie or read a best-selling novel to see this in action.

We go back to these storylines time and time again. They are imprinted in our psyche like strands of DNA.

Why?

Because they work on a deeply profound level and help us make sense of the world.

Stories are the language of the mind.

When we tell stories, we are telling our customers their stories.

Put simply, the nine main story archetypes are as follows:

• Overcoming or Slaying the Monster

• Rags to Riches

• The Quest

• Voyage and Return

• Comedy

• Tragedy

• Rebirth

• Mystery

• Rebellion against ‘The One’

Let’s go through each one with examples and how you can best apply them:

1. Overcoming or Slaying the Monster

Examples: Jack and the Beanstalk, Dracula, The War of the Worlds, Seven Samurai (and its Western remake; The Magnificent Seven), Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc.

How to apply

Think of your audience’s biggest fear or problem. To them, it is a monster, and then slay it with your copy/product/service.

For example, in the weight-release industry, it’s weight.

2. Rags to Riches

Rich Man, Poor Man, Kane and Abel, Trading Places, Cinderella, Aladdin, Great Expectations, Pretty Woman, Beauty and the Beast, etc.

How to apply

Think of some of the most famous people in the public eye. The more ‘tough’ their background story is, the more compelling they seem to become.

We are all in a different position than we were before, and we all want to emulate successful people.

Rags to riches, fat to slim, weak to strong, ugly to beautiful. Think of the opposite, from a negative to a positive, and apply it to your copy/brand story.

3. The Quest

Jason and the Argonauts, Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess, The Lord of the Rings, The Odyssey, Watership Down and Moby Dick.

How to apply

This narrative is inspirational and almost revolutionary. You can include this in your copy by showing your readers how their lives might change with your product or service, recounting the challenges they have faced, and then presenting the solution (which you will provide).

Good for brands that are truly inventive/innovative/bringing something new to the market.

4. Voyage and Return

These stories are about a hero we first see in their dull, ordinary life.

They are about to embark on a journey to a strange, unknown place, land or world.

After the initial shock, they become enchanted, then disillusioned, and finally in personal peril as they must escape back to the safety of their own home world.

The Wizard of Oz, Robinson Crusoe, Alice in Wonderland and Back to the Future!

How to apply

The power behind this one is the degree to which the protagonist has changed when they return to their normal world, i.e. everything is the same, but they are now different – often stronger, richer, wiser or somehow else a better version of themselves.

You need to show the reader:

• That everyone is capable of personal change and improvement

• But sometimes the solution they need will only be found by looking further afield and by exploring less obvious options, ideas and solutions

5. Comedy

This classic archetype is usually characterised by a complicated set of humorous or satirical storylines that often interweave in a farcical fashion but end up in a nice, happy (often romantic) ending.

There are lots of different sub-categories.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Four Weddings and a Funeral or Ghostbusters (the original obv!).

How to apply

If there is one thing guaranteed to get a response, it is making people laugh.

People love to be entertained; however, be warned…they don’t generally like to be mocked. This is where ‘snarky’ copy can fall flat!

6. Tragedy

One word: Shakespeare.

Think Macbeth, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet.

The Greeks were pretty good at this genre, too!

Basically, ‘tragedy’ is the flip side of ‘comedy’.

How to apply

Tragedy, or more accurately, overcoming tragedy, is perhaps the most powerful storyline there is, as it touches on our deepest core emotions.

Charities use it to compel people to donate to their particular cause, and while you may not be a charity, you can tap into your readers’ underlying insecurities and emotions to make them take action.

But do be careful; this is powerful stuff!

7. Rebirth

In essence, the ‘rebirth’ plot line is all about a hero (or heroine) trapped in a living death by some nasty baddie or even a supernatural power.

They are usually eventually freed by a loving act from another individual or by their own personal redemption.

Fairy tales have it well covered in classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, and Beauty and the Beast.

And in the movies, it can be seen to great effect in iconic masterpieces such as The Shawshank Redemption, Groundhog Day, and It’s A Wonderful Life. Not to mention Charles Dickens’ masterpiece, A Christmas Carol!

How to apply

Highlight a specific pain point or problem the reader might be facing, and then show them how, with your amazing help, they can be transformed.

Any brand with a story of transformation can easily benefit from this simple but powerful plot line.

8. Mystery

The outsider trying to discover the truth of a drama or event that has taken place. The main protagonist is often a detective or private eye, and we can often see these storylines played out in pretty much anything featuring the seminal sleuths Sherlock Holmes, Poirot or Miss Marple.

How to apply

Present the reader with a difficult, perplexing problem and then slowly and cleverly reveal the culprit (or solution to a problem) via some cunning deductive reasoning.

Great for SaaS brands that are offering a smart solution.

9. Rebellion against ‘The One’

Think Brave New World, 1984 or The Matrix.

How to apply

Your ‘tribe’ will most probably all have something in common. This also means they will have a common ‘rival’ brand.

In these situations, ‘The One’ can be fairly easy to identify, and once people have a common adversary, they tend to rally around to your way of thinking.

People love to belong.

Get them to belong to you.

Allow them to join your ‘Tribe’.

Great for brands with recognisable competition: Coke/Pepsi, Apple/Microsoft, Airbus/Boeing, Aldi/Lidl, Marvel/DC, Barbie/Cindy, etc.

So, which one of these plots will you be using next?