A field guide
Compare archetypes.
Twelve pairings of the twelve archetypes that get confused with each other most often. Side by side, dimension by dimension. Use these when you suspect your brand might be reading as the wrong one.
No. 01
Lover vs. Jester
Both promise pleasure. The Lover wants another; the Jester wants any.
Compare them →
No. 02
Creator vs. Magician
Both bring new things into being. The Creator builds; the Magician reveals.
Compare them →
No. 03
Sage vs. Ruler
Both speak with authority. The Sage earns it. The Ruler holds it.
Compare them →
No. 04
Explorer vs. Outlaw
Both refuse the beaten path. The Explorer is leaving; the Outlaw is fighting.
Compare them →
No. 05
Caregiver vs. Everyman
Both serve the customer first. The Caregiver protects; the Everyman belongs.
Compare them →
No. 06
Innocent vs. Sage
Both refuse cynicism. The Innocent trusts on faith; the Sage trusts on evidence.
Compare them →
No. 07
Hero vs. Caregiver
Both take action for someone else. The Hero acts to be recognized. The Caregiver acts because someone needed it.
Compare them →
No. 08
Hero vs. Innocent
Both refuse the cynical position. The Hero overcomes the difficulty. The Innocent decides it isn’t the whole truth.
Compare them →
No. 09
Sage vs. Magician
The Sage knows; the Magician sees. Sage credibility is cumulative; Magician credibility is moment-of-impact.
Compare them →
No. 10
Outlaw vs. Caregiver
The Outlaw refuses the system; the Caregiver maintains it. Almost never confused for each other — but a brand that tries to be both will tear in half.
Compare them →
No. 11
Lover vs. Caregiver
Both promise the customer is held. The Lover wants to be wanted. The Caregiver wants the customer to be okay.
Compare them →
No. 12
Ruler vs. Hero
Both read as “powerful” brands. The Ruler is. The Hero does. Position vs. performance.
Compare them →
A note on the same-archetype comparison
The Nike vs. Patagonia reading lives on the Diagnostic page.
The pairings above all compare two different archetypes. The deepest comparison on the site is between two brands that share the same archetype (both Heroes) but read as opposites on every other layer. That one runs as a scrollytelling on the Diagnostic page rather than as a table, because it’s what the Five Layer Diagnostic was built to demonstrate.