Rebel Brand Archetype
The Rebel. How cool does that sound?
The Rebel Brand Archetype can go by many names… you might hear it referred to as the Maverick, the Outlaw, or the Misfit. Regardless of what you call it, this archetype always embodies the same desires: challenging the status quo with their non-traditional style.
The Rebel forges their own path! They are perfectly comfortable with disrupting what’s considered “normal.” For their dreamy clients, the Rebel challenges rules and traditions. They don’t like conformity and are very impactful to society, oftentimes being key to social change. The Rebel is a natural influencer.
What personality traits come to mind when you think about The Rebel? How about risk-takers, brave, outspoken, and sometimes radical? The Rebel embraces disruption, so they are largely outspoken. We could go as far as to say our Rebel friends are even revolutionary. They operate with a fierce passion to change the existing way things are done. Their motto? “Rules are made to be broken.” Of course, The Rebel is a progressive leader.
A Rebel’s biggest fear is being powerless. They thrive on the power of disruption, so to be stripped of that power is a very real concern for them. They never want to feel dependent on someone or something. They deeply value their freedom and the freedom of their customers. The Rebel also fears conformity. This goes hand in hand with losing power. Conformity makes it difficult for the Rebel to disrupt the “norms” around them. It could also potentially distract their target audience, making it hard for them to enact change.
In business, The Rebel archetype is best suited for brands and products that enable customers to express their unorthodox personalities and desires, such as statement jewelry, tattoos, and motorcycles.
An immediate standout for the Rebel Archetype is Harley-Davidson. When I think of Harley-Davidson, I immediately think of someone wearing leather, maybe tattooed, rebellious, riding through the desert or some barren place in dark tinted glasses… definitely no helmet! Basically, the picture in my head screams “wild freedom”. Can you see it, too? Harley-Davidson brands itself as being a “timeless pursuit of adventure. Freedom for the soul”. Well, that sure fits the Rebel, right? Aside from flashy motorcycles, Harley-Davidson is chalked full of innovation. When the company first started, it disrupted the norm and quickly changed the way people viewed two-wheel transportation. One of their guiding leadership principles is to have courage - “to take risks and go against the norm.” They encourage that thinking across their entire organization and outwardly onto their consumer base. Their products are always bold and push the envelope on what is possible.
Netflix is another great example of the Rebel Archetype. Netflix is a MAJOR disruptor. Do you remember back when we used to go to the video store for movies?! Blockbuster, anyone?! When Netflix first came out, they were taking a risk! They were asking consumers to stop going to the video store and instead pick the movies they wanted to watch from an online website and then wait for them to come in the mail. People were like “What is this queue and how long am I on it?” It seemed like a massive shift at the time. They challenged the structures that had existed for years around movie rental. They didn’t create a brand new product but simply looked at a different solution to the same old problem. And this appealed to the consumers who were either tired of the way video rental was managed or who are always looking for the next best thing. Or, who like me, racked up embarrassingly high late fees. The Rebel’s goal is to “destroy what isn’t working.” And for Netflix, that was brick-and-mortar video stores. But Netflix didn’t stop after its first idea. They have continued to adapt themselves over time to stay competitive. Netflix has shifted from a mailed service to digital streaming, to now feature hundreds of “Netflix Original” shows and movies. I think it's safe to say that Netflix isn’t afraid to push its boundaries as a Rebel Archetype.
Now let’s get into activating your Rebel Archetype.
Show your customers that you will be standing right next to them as they bring about a revolution. Rebel customers are motivated partly by anger, and partly because of the thrill of anarchy. They want to know that they have support.
Go against stereotypical societal norms and regular routine habits. Connect these into campaigns with a like-minded segment
Introducing new solutions to the same old problems are sometimes enough to catch a Rebel customer’s attention. You don’t always have to focus on creating a new and innovative product or solution.
Are you a Rebel Brand Archetype? Read about color palettes and font pairings for the Rebel, or curate a mood board from some of our favorite Rebel Inspiration images on Pinterest.
Get out there and use your Rebel Archetype to disrupt some norms, drive social change and impress your dreamy clients.
