Harness your power, take charge

The Ruler brands promise control.

Essence: Authority. Responsibility. Superiority.

• Does your brand position itself as an expert and an authority in your field?

• Does your brand assume a leadership role?

• Does your brand strive to be the best at what they do?

• Is your brand successful at turning chaos into order?

• Does your brand act responsibly?

• Does your brand inspire trust and loyalty in your target audience?

• Is your brand at the top of the game?

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

Purpose: Create order out of chaos, build a prosperous community and generate stability and security, be the best.

Alter egos: The role model - the leader - top dog - the manager - the aristocrat - the responsible citizen - the sovereign - the judge - the patriarch - the high achiever

Personality traits: Confident - responsible - well-connected - political - productive - naturally dominant - trustworthy - authoritative - influential

Ruler brand example

Mercedes-Benz is a good example of a brand that embodies the Ruler archetype.

The good

The Ruler is confident and responsible and likes to assert his/her authority. Ruler brands like to take charge and they secure positive outcomes and a thriving community by exercising control. They strive to be the best of the best and they come across as polished and serious. Ruler brands inspire trust and loyalty in their target audience. They view themselves as a role model and they encourage their customers to do their best and to take responsibility for their own lives. People crave stability and the Ruler brands will happily oblige and create order from chaos.

The bad

At their worst, the Ruler brands can come off as bossy, too political and hierarchical and unwilling to delegate. They can be manipulative and abuse their powers to dominate others. More than anything else, they fear being overthrown. Ruler brands also fiercely dislike chaos or being perceived as weak.

The believers

The Ruler audience gravitates towards items or services that elevate their status or enhance their image in society. They're often natural leaders or at the very least high achievers who value special treatment that makes them feel important. The Ruler brands will show their customers how they can be rulers too.

The brands

You can easily find Ruler brands in the security, technology, finance and governmental sectors. Ruler brands also frequently offer premium products and services. In their communication, they focus on making their audience feel successful or influential. They like to emphasize their sense of power by using an authoritative voice and traditional, sophisticated imagery.