This is a series on brand personality examples. Learn more about brand personality and the 12 brand personality examples to understand their importance and ubiquity in business.
The Creator Archetype
Pining for the realization of their aesthetic and vision, “The Creator” is poetry and creativity in motion. As a visionary, “The Creator” is focused solely on creating something that has never been created before. Their raison d’etre is to create, and to create with authenticity. Generic, mundane and conformist ideals are rejected in lieu of their own, inspired by their deep love for the freedom of expression.
Brands with this personality are driven by both the creative process and the result, ensuring that these two parts of a whole are perfect and complimentary. High levels of quality control and value are emblematic for these brands, and they won’t stop until they’re able to meet their own standards of perfection. If not already on their own journey for aesthetic perfection, they’re helping others foster their own creativity and inventiveness, providing them with the tools necessary to create their own, authentic ideas.
Mass-produced, unoriginal and uninspired products, services and ideas are the bane of “the Creators.” Finely crafted, beautiful things of distinction are what appeal the most to Creators, and this eye for detail is extended to their client base. Although expensive, consumers who aggregate towards brands with “the Creator” personality purchase aesthetically pleasing and high-quality products and services as a form of self-expression – demonstrating their love for beauty and originality
The Creator – Personality Profile
Common industry trends: Digital design tools and design, consulting, architecture, and publishing firms.
Values: Creativity– Expression, innovation, and imagination.
Philosophy: Have trust in the creative process but most importantly, trust yourself as a creative.
Fears: Failing to deliver on their vision – being uncreative.
The Creator – Brand Examples
Design services, artistic tools and materials distributors, and anything else that helps give form to vision are suited to emulate this brand presonality.
Here are a few examples.
Adobe
With its full suite of creative tools ranging from graphic design and video editing to photography tools and audio mixing, Adobe is the be-all-end-all when it comes to creative design. No other brand or company has come close to offering the same amount of creative options as Adobe does. Their creative suite alone has over 22 different tools on offer for creatives to pour their creative juices into, but it’s not just their product offerings that embody the Creator brand personality.
When it comes to design, a lot of creativity gets stifled from higher-ups who are often disconnected from the design inception process, or from stakeholders who can’t see the creative forest for the trees.
Adobe isn’t like that.
Their own company policy has led to the abolishment of the employee performance review in order to create a company culture that fosters less competition and more creativity.
When it comes to a Creator brand personality, it’s Adobe’s core philosophy that aligns it the most to this persona. The Creator personality is focused on supporting artists, creativity, and creative freedom. Creators are about being genuine in their art, purposeful in their direction, and passionate in their goals.
Adobe isn’t there to guide your hands, they’re there to provide you the tools.
Imagination, inspiration, and innovation are all core tenents for Creator brand personalities, and Adobe strives to support these qualities through their official brand messaging.
Adobe’s “Get Inspired” series highlights how selected creators utilize Adobe tools to create art. While these tools showcase Adobe’s tools, the promotion isn’t heavy-handed nor are they tutorials on how to copy or recreate the works shown – they’re simply highlight reels of how creatives around the world use Adobe tools to achieve their creative vision.
Crayola
The best Creator brands are the ones who help enable creativity, imagination, and innovation through the use of tools and platforms instead of classes and services. Promoting self-expression this way paints the Creator brand as a helper or an aide, as any good brand these must be. A brand, be they Creators or not, must never take the spotlight away from their audience or steal their glory, a tenant that Crayola understands well.
Crayola’s marketing material is a great example of this. Kids are encouraged to draw whatever it is they like, even if it’s a “purple brick road” or an “indigo toad.” Their washable sidewalk chalk with 48 colours is promoted with the expression “use one, use all if you so choose,” leaving the audience with the power of expressive choice.
When it comes to creativity, you never wanted to be pigeon-holed into a decision that you don’t fully stand behind. While not as comprehensive as Adobe’s full suite of 22 creative tools, Crayola still encourages self-expression through its offering of 48 different colours.
How to Emulate the Creator Brand Personality
The Creator brand personality is a difficult brand to emulate. Creatives are imaginative, free-spirited, and hate to be tied down to one specific tool or focus in life and inspiring brand loyalty for this kind of audience is difficult. For Creator brands, it’s all about being an ally and a supporter.
Don’t handhold your audience into using tools that limit their creative expression or pigeonhole them into platforms that don’t allow them to express themselves the way that they truly want to. To emulate the Creator brand, a focus on freedom and openness instead of uninventive utility is paramount.
As Bob Ross once said, “all you need to paint is a few tools, a little instruction, and a vision in your mind.” Art is freedom – it’s about making others see what you make. Encourage that freedom of expression with your tools and you’ll be well on your way to being a creative.
