What is truth?
A perfectionist by nature, the Sage won’t settle for ambiguity and is on a mission to analyze everything to find the right answer and share it with others. News outlets, museums, and universities fall under the Sage archetype.
Brand archetypes are the secret sauce to creating stronger brands, and are an essential tool for any marketing toolbox! To learn more, read the introduction here.
The SAGE
PROMISE: The truth will set you free.
CORE DESIRE: The discovery of truth
GOAL: To use intelligence to understand the world
FEAR: Being duped; ignorance
STRATEGY: Seek out information; understand processes
GIFT: Wisdom
MOTIVATION: Independence and fulfillment
All About the Sage
The Sage believes the path to happiness is paved with knowledge and that by seeking out the truth and sharing it with others, we can make the world a better place.
Shunning ambiguity, misinformation, misleading claims, and ignorance, whether in itself or in others. Sage brands generally have high levels of consciousness and intelligence.
Snags occur when the Sage becomes too focused on the dogma of objective truth and loses touch with social graces. (You Sherlock Holmes and House fans out there know what I’m talking about.)
There is a neverending quest for absolute answers that could also result in an acute case of “analysis paralysis” and prevent the Sage from ever taking action.
The Sage Brand in Action
Typically touted as “experts,” these brands act as sources of guidance to help consumers feel more informed to make better decisions.
Well-known brands such as Oprah Winfrey, Harvard University, Mayo Clinic, The New York Times, and CNN all position themselves as beacons, shining the light of truth in a dark world.
The Sage brand is a natural fit for any company that places emphasis on research and development, the acquisition of knowledge, or disseminating information.
Examples include institutions of higher education, news sources, research firms, museums, bookstores, and libraries.
Brands that identify with the Sage often use polished and dignified marketing materials and don’t try to impress consumers with superficial fluff or gimmicks.
Sage brands tend to gravitate to a palette of neutral or subdued colors such as gray, navy, or white for their marketing designs and logos.
Accordingly, some Sage brands produce marketing materials that veer from the status quo in an effort to make people see things in a different way.
Adhering always to their quest for knowledge, Sage brands refuse to water down their marketing, as that would be an insult to the intelligence of their customers.
The focus instead is on knowledge and sometimes exclusivity. (Think Ivy League colleges).
Culture within Sage brands is often focused on analysis, learning, research, and planning. These brands encourage freedom of thought and individuality amongst their employees so they can develop the most valuable company asset – expertise.
The Different Levels of the Sage Archetype
Each archetype has levels, with the lower levels being less advanced, while higher levels are more evolved or developed.
Level 1: Conducting a search for absolute truth by looking to experts to provide answers and objectivity.
Level 2: Aim to become an expert through critical thinking and analysis.
Level 3: Achieving expert status through wisdom and a high level of confidence in one’s area of expertise.
All in the Family
There are different aspects of the Sage archetype that can emerge, based on the strength of various attributes. The book Archetypes in Branding breaks the Sage (including the primary Sage) into a total of five to complete the family.
Brand Archetypes — Meet the Sage
Motivated by a desire to seek the truth, Sage values knowledge and learning. With an independent streak a mile wide and a healthy dose of skepticism, the Sage prefers to make rational decisions based on research.
Challenges arrive in the form of arrogance and a rigid reliance on dogma.
Others dread the classic “know-it-all” attitude and accompanying air of righteousness.
Mentor
The Mentors very existence is devoted to sharing wisdom for the benefit and support of others. The ability to remain objective and be a good judge of character serves the Mentor well and ups the level of trustworthiness.
Everything the Mentor does is based on a desire to make sure the right outcomes are reached.
Mentors need to be careful about dispensing all that info because a “helping hand” can easily morph into “an iron fist” if no one’s watching.
Detective
Like all great sleuths, the Detective diligently searches to uncover what is hidden.
A Detective possesses a fondness for puzzles and has a keen eye for empirical evidence, but is also deeply intuitive and relies on instinct.
Even if the Detective doesn’t want to admit it, the search for truth can be a selfish pursuit rather than for the benefit of others and the Detective may land in hot water if the search for truth turns into snooping.
Shaman
Spiritual in nature, although not necessarily tied to religion, the Shaman has a mystical power to see and tell the truth, particularly from a “higher consciousness” or alternative perspective.
(Deepak Chopra is a good example of a Sage brand that would fall into this sub-archetype.)
Dangers abound if the Shaman develops a false sense of power, as that could lead to bogus claims and manipulation.
Translator
As a superb communicator, the Translator taps into universal truths by interpreting the meaning and connecting patterns. An intelligent messenger, the Translator is attracted to communication and language.
Before sharing those divine truths with the world, the Translator would be well served to remember the old saying “Haste makes waste” whenever the urge to make premature conclusions strikes.
Real-world Example of Sage Brands
TED
Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED), is a nonprofit organization known mostly for its informational TED Talks on every subject imaginable.
TED’s mission is to build “a clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers” and they believe in the power of ideas to change the world.
Oprah Winfrey
The Oprah brand positions itself as a source of information and enlightenment. Millions of people turn to her as a source of guidance and truth and accept her word as gospel.
Evidence of the Oprah brand as a strong Mentor is everywhere: The Oprah Winfrey Show, the O, Oprah Magazine, a book club, and even her own television network.
Oprah’s brand pulls double duty as a Mentor (a trusted source of empowering support) and as a Shaman (since many of her topics focus on spirituality).
The Sage Consumer
Sage consumers are a tough bunch. They don’t succumb easily to the “herd mentality” because they recognize the value of independent thought.
But if your brand identifies with the Sage archetype, you will be among like-minded folks when reaching out to your customers.
Consumers enjoy learning for learning’s sake and for the pure joy of adding new knowledge to their memory banks. Brands that are transparent will go a long way with The Sage consumer.
They will not engage or be suspicious of brands that act like they have something to hide.
They revel in hard data and brands that can give them a limitless supply will earn their trust.
When approaching Sage consumers, don’t engage in high-pressure sales and marketing tactics. Instead, give them the information they need to make an informed decision.
Since intelligence is the trait they prize above all else, it’s no surprise that Sage consumers aren’t afraid of products with a challenging learning curve.
Talking down to your audience or coming on too hard are sure ways to turn off a Sage consumer.
Is Your Brand a Sage?
While most companies will perform some type of research and development, and hopefully don’t consciously strive to misinform, there are some brands for which knowledge and truth are top priorities, no exceptions.
If your company’s mission is to seek the truth and provide expertise or information with others, or if you place value on knowledge, your brand is the Sage archetype.
Still not sure which archetype defines your brand? Take the brand archetype quiz to find out your results and then check out an overview of the 12 brand archetypes to learn more.