Lover Brand Archetype
The Lover brand archetype is all about creating relationships and evoking emotions.
I mean that’s what we think of when we think of a lover, right? Someone who looks for ways to make others feel special. Maybe you think of Valentine’s Day and that friend who always gives the most amazing gifts...the gifts that are catered to each person and really make you feel special and appreciated. That type of gift-giver is probably a lover!
The Lover celebrates the happiness of being human. They usually enjoy physical touch and encourage intimacy. Lovers are full of passion. They tend to have a magnetic energy that is warm and welcoming. The Lover can encapsulate many types of love - familial, parental, spiritual, or romantic. And they are always working on self-improvement.
In business, the Lover archetype tends to focus heavily on aesthetic appeal. They are an advocate of all things beautiful and sensual.The Lover enjoys sharing experiences with others. Their goal is to be as attractive as possible, and to stimulate a desire in their audience to be intimate and passionate. They use adjective rich language, which conveys their passion. Their customers value their aesthetic and appearance. And customers are also drawn to them as premium brands as they make them feel more attractive.
This archetype likes to create an emotional response and a connection with customers.The Lover services customer motivation of “Belonging & Relationships.” Typical colors for the Lover brands are a deep red, pink and gold. Lover archetypes can be found in cosmetic, fashion and jewelry industries.
The Lover brand archetype fears being alone. As they thrive on personal connections, relationships, and sharing experiences, the thought of being alone is scary. They have a weakness of trying to please others too much. The Lovers can also be concerned with their overall perception from others. They may at times be jealous which can be a vulnerability.
So what Lover brands do we see in our day to day?
Victoria's Secret is a good example of the Lover archetype. Victoria's Secret leans into the desire to make people feel special. They are a sexy company, but they sell their products in a tasteful way that promotes intimacy. They appeal to both men and women. Women feel empowered, beautiful, and sensual in their products. Men are drawn to the intimacy and beauty their products enhance. Victoria's Secret centers itself on its relationship with its customers, the customer’s relationship with themselves, and also the customer’s relationships with their partners. Victoria's Secret’s mission is to inspire and empower its customers. But their mission is deeper than that. They also strive to “be a force for good in the world in their shared values, and our dedication to living them in everything we do.” Consumers value the quality and appearance of Victoria's Secret products. They are considered a more premium lingerie company and consumers are willing to pay a higher price point than at a big box store because of the connection the brand builds.
Another Lover brand is Godiva chocolate. Godiva is LUXURY in the chocolate space. It is rich and elegant. Focusing on deep browns and golds in their marketing screams LUXURY. They make chocolate sexy with an air of sensuality. Godiva focused a lot of messages on sharing these delicacies with others; buying chocolates for your lover on Valentine’s Day or on Christmas will make them feel special and appreciated. This marketing connects them with their consumers. It encourages consumers to forge personal connections through chocolate. As a company, the chocolatiers of Godiva are passionate. Their founder even says he was “seduced by chocolate” as he “dedicates his life to it”. It's that colorful language that conveys passion and builds relationships. They LOVE chocolate and they want to share that love and deep connection with others.
Lovers activate their archetype in a few ways:
Ideas that empower customers to be intimate, bold, daring, and romantic in other aspects of life can also be irresistible to the Lover consumer mindset.
Create brand messaging that makes customers feel loved not only by the others around them but also by themselves.
Make customers feel wanted and included. The customers of the Lover fear being unwanted or alone. Strive to ease their concerns to build trust and safety.
Connection. Love does not mean sex. You don’t necessarily need to use sexual appeal to attract customers. It’s more about connection than anything else.
As a Lover archetype, connecting, empowering, and supporting your audience will go a long way.
Are you a LoverBrand Archetype? Read about color palettes and font pairings for the Lover, or curate a mood board from some of our favorite Lover Inspiration images on Pinterest.
