Once you understand your brand’s archetype or set of archetypes (most brands express the characteristics of more than just one archetype), you can use the Brand Flywheel method to help you meet your mission.

1. Your Mission

Craft a mission rooted in your archetype’s core desire—whether it’s discovery for the Explorer, connection for the Lover, or wisdom for the Sage. This sets the tone and basis for all future flywheel activities.

2. Ground Yourself

Align your brand’s internal values, voice, and behaviors tightly to the archetype. For the Ruler, this means order and leadership; for the Creator, it means endless originality—ensuring everyone on your team embodies the brand personality.

3. Tell Your Story

Express your brand narrative in a way true to your archetype. Caregiver brands might tell stories of compassion and support, Explorer brands of adventure and freedom. This fosters emotional resonance and makes your flywheel relatable. With your brand personas in mind, tell stories that engage constituents who are in all the different stages of the marketing funnel: awareness, interest, desire, and action.

4. Capture Business

Engage your market by meeting customer needs in a way that reflects your archetype’s strengths: Hero brands inspire action, Everyman brands assure reliability, trust, and belonging, Lover brands promise beauty and intimacy.

5. Delight and Inspire

Surpass expectations through experiences that reinforce your archetype—Jester brands add humor, Sage brands offer insightful learning, Creator brands encourage co-creation. Double-down on those who have invested in you through purchasing your goods and services. This is probably the most powerful element of the Brand Flywheel Method: you continue to invest in these people because they believe in you and what you stand for.

6. Engage Ambassadors

Recruit loyal fans whose values mirror your archetype, empowering them to spread the word. For example, Outlaw brands foster communities of rebels, while Magician brands recruit those who believe in transformation. Some people pay good money to walk around wearing Harley-Davidson shirts and jackets. Others pay commensurate amounts of money outfitting themselves with Disney shirts, bumper stickers, and mouse-ear hats. These are your loyal fans- keep them happy!

7. Pass Go, Collect $200

Reinvest momentum into the brand, using feedback and advocacy to refine how you embody your archetype. The flywheel keeps spinning, and with each turn, engagement, loyalty, and reputation grow.

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Here are some ways to build on your brand’s signature strengths add unique momentum at every flywheel stage:

• Hero: Motivate ambassadors with challenge-driven campaigns and achievement stories (Red Cross’s #GiveBloodSaveLives campaign).
• Caregiver: Turn delighted customers into empathetic advocates who help others discover your brand (The St. Jude Storied Lives Podcast).
• Explorer: Ground your brand in freedom, and reward discovery in your community by spotlighting adventurous fans (The North Face’s sponsored athletes).
• Creator: Use user-generated content and behind-the-scenes peeks as part of “Delight and Inspire” (Lego showing off users’ unique creations)
• Jester: Make “Delight” synonymous with entertainment, sharing playful moments that fans want to talk about (Think Old Spice commercials).

We’ll continue looking at ways to harness your brand’s archetype to keep your Brand Flywheel spinning in future posts!