Insights

The Magician Archetype

Avatar Jan Gevers

By Jan Gevers

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Brand archetypes humanize your brand by giving it a well-defined multidimensional personality your audience can relate to. They distinguish you from the competition and speak in a clear voice that cuts through the clutter.

Not sure yet which archetype corresponds to your brand?

A transformative experience from vision to reality

The Magician brands promise power.

Essence: Power. Mystery. Imagination.

  • Does your brand have a significant impact on your customers?

  • Does your brand capture the imagination?

  • Does your brand deliver transformative results?

  • Is your brand able to see opportunities and bring to life a unique vision?

  • Is your brand inventive and continuously striving for improvement?

  • Does your brand delve deeper to fully understand your audience’s conflict and devise the best possible solution?

If you have responded yes to many of the questions above, your brand may be best represented by the Magician archetype.

Purpose: To make dreams come true, to realize a vision.

Alter egos: The visionary - the wizard - the inventor - the charismatic leader - the catalyst - the transformer - the shaman

Personality traits: Spiritual - values magical moments - holistic - inspiring - engaging - charming - intuitive - masterful - confident - intelligent - knowledgeable - influential - perceptive - inventive - curious - awe-inspiring - charismatic - driven - ambitious

Magician brand example

The Disney brand embodies the Magician archetype.

The good

The Magician brands are intelligent, driven and charismatic. They strive to understand the universe and they believe that there is more to the world than can be seen by the naked eye and that any limits we deal with are self-imposed. These brands are also highly intuitive. They provide a unique perspective and are able to envision possibilities. They have access to a vast pool of implicit knowledge and power and are able to manipulate elements to produce the desired outcome. Consequently, the Magician is often regarded as having near mystical qualities.

The Magician brands offer magical moments: transformative experiences that excite, captivate and amaze. Whether it's making the impossible possible, making dreams come true or turning problems into opportunities, the Magician is a catalyst for change. They harness their knowledge to create something from nothing, leaving others in awe.

The bad

The Magician’s biggest fear is that their exploration has inadvertent negative repercussions. They would also hate to be seen as merely a vehicle with a hollow purpose. On a bad day, they show a manipulative, dishonest streak and they can lose touch with reality. Additionally, they quickly lose patience if others fail to be excited about their vision.

The believers

The Magician brands make a promise to individuals that they will make their dreams come true. They will use their impressive skill set to generate a win-win solution for all parties involved. They also address their audience’s deep desire for self-transformation and they empower their customers and motivate them to trust their instincts. The Magician brands offer intriguing products and services designed to help their customers grow wiser and become an agent of change capable of influencing others.

The brands

Many technology brands identify with the Magician archetype. It's an archetype that also meshes well with any brand that is transformative, user-friendly and that focuses on expanding the mind. It suits brands that aim to provide magical moments or even transform lives. That being said, Magician brands should be mindful that they're always able to deliver the transformative results that they promised. Marketing-wise, the Magician can charm their audience with imaginative and inspiring advertising.

Disney, Pixar, Tomorrowland, Dyson, Steven Spielberg are the examples of the Magician archetype.

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