The Friend Archetype
“All men and women are created equal”
Also called: Regular Guy, Everyman, Guy/Girl Next Door, Realist, Best Friend, Good Old Boy, Regular Jane, The Common Man, The Working Stiff, The Solid Citizen, The Good Neighbour
Core desire: Connection with others.
Goal: To belong, fit in.
Fears: Seeming to put on airs, standing out, being exiled or rejected as a result.
Strategy: Develop ordinary solid values, be down to earth, accessible, hardworking, nice.
Vulnerability: Could lack a distinctive identity and blend in too much
Gift: Realism, empathy, lack of pretence.
Marketing niche: Common touch, solid virtues, gives a sense of belonging.
Share your story about: Your normal life .
Example: Home Depot, eBay
Your customers feel: Understood, included, warm, trusting.
Your customers most fear: Exile, orphaning, abandonment, engulfment
The Friend is a good identity for brands
- Whose use helps people to belong or feel that they belong
- Whose function is something commonly used in everyday life
- With pricing that is moderate to low (or that is an upscale version of a product that would ordinarily be inexpensive)
- Produced or sold by a company with a down-home organisational culture and
- That want to differentiate themselves in a positive way from a higher priced or more elitist brand
Are you the Friend brand? How can you apply this character to your buildings, grounds and interiors? Take our quiz to find out!
