Archetype
Definition in my words:
Cultural and other unconscious biases that have been embedded into us over time. In some way, they are a shorthand to many social realities we live with. They also help us in making sense of things around us.
Note: Sometimes this principle can intersect with other principles like stereotypes and concepts like learned conventions.
Example from Universal Principles of Design (my source):
Harley Davidson motorcycles. The motorbike designs and positions its motorcycles as an outlaw, living outside the society. They have even built a community around the outlaw archetype.
Harley Davidson Imagery (observe no helmet)
Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/shfrazierpics/6886086359/
Example of Archetype from a source online:
Apple uses archetypes very effectively. It positioned itself as the ‘The Rebel’ in its famous 1984 Macintosh launch commercial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYecfV3ubP8
Apple used archetypes again in early 2000s in its famous “I’m Mac and I’m a PC.” The brand highlighted its personality by contrasting itself against the dullness of a generic Microsoft PC.
Mac showcased itself as an individualist, easy going and a symbol of openness and self-expression. It was not a rebel anymore but it sure was not the establishment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eEG5LVXdKo
This subtle but important change in stance might have had to do with the fact that Apple was not as small as it was back in 1984 and thus it had to evolve its image accordingly.
Example of archetype from everyday life:
Land Rover Discovery – the explorer archetype
Land Rover Discovery and Range Rovers is an example of an explorer archetype in action. The car is designed to explore, and it connects with the explorer in all of us. Its high ground clearance, four-wheel drive, powerful engine, head lamp vipers are just some of the many features that are designed to help it wade through water, drive through deep snow and climb a sand dune in the middle of a desert. All this so that it can enable you to explore freely. (Jeep’s Wrangler does this too, for much less).
Watch this to see Land Rover capabilities in action https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU6a9oIAP6M
Watch this for fun