What do the Apple, Victoria's Secret and IKEA brands have in common? They're all from the same archetype.
The brand are "Creators," according to a case study from marketing firm Added Value.
It's all about how consumers are able to use the brands to create their own identities. Creator brands allow people to "tap into their potential and re-invent themselves — their minds, personalities, environments, bodies, ambitions, and dreams," according to the report.
How do these brands manage to do this? Since there's a focus on self-creation, one big way is by allowing the individual to have choices, yet still fit with the brand. For instance, Victoria's Secret offers a wide variety of styles, but every product still promises one thing — a flattering figure.
And the brands make sure you have the information to make those choices. Apple allows for intimate testing in its retail stores, while IKEA has showrooms and design apps.
"The most successful Creator brands let people bask in their self-creation," says the report. "But at the same time, the brands themselves are linked to consumers’ satisfying experiences and end results."
Below are the charts that show how high these brands scored on Added Value's index. Note that IKEA actually scored highest out of all of them as a Creator brand.
