Your Desire
being revolutionary
Your Goal
to overturn what isn't working
Your Strategy
shake things up
The Rebel’s purpose in life is to shake up the status quo
The Rebel makes others uncomfortable with the status quo in hopes of evoking change, whether personally or for a greater community. The Rebel is a countercultural force capable of releasing society’s taboos (sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll anyone?) and does so by tapping into the shadowy part of human nature.
Your Motto
rules are made to be broken
Your Fear
to be powerless or ineffectual
Your Achilles Heel
crossing over to the dark side, crime
The Rebel archetype may be right for your brand identity if:
- it has customers or employees who feel disenfranchised from society
- it helps retain values that are threatened by emerging ones, or paves the way for revolutionary new attitudes
- it is low to moderately priced
- breaks with industry conventions
- it is an agent of change, advocate for the disenfranchised, allowing people to vent or break with conventions.
Brand Culture
counter-cultural, encouraged to challenge the status quo
Brand Voice
will swear, speak blatantly without fear of reprimand
Brand Experience
liberating, challenging, exciting and rebellious
The Rebel Mood Board and Design Voice
The Rebel Family Members
The Rebel family is comprised of the main Rebel Brand Personality that focuses on disrupting the status quo, going against the norm and creating radical change. There are six members of The Rebel family that can help you hone the personality with nuances that may represent your brand better.
Rebel Archetype Examples
Harley Davidson
The only time a 40-year-old accountant is feared is when he rides into town on the back of a Harley!
As the most tattooed logo in the world, this brand bucks the status quo and offers its clients an opportunity to harness an alter ego that they otherwise would never experience.
Virgin
Virgin is not a brand to adhere to the status quo.
Just the name Virgin is outlandish and rebelling against the boundaries of acceptability – keeping in mind that this would have been an incredibly rebellious name back in the 80’s. Always pushing the boundaries they have cemented themselves as the rebel airline that chooses to do things differently.
Legend has it that Branson and business partner Powell saw themselves as business virgins which lead to the name. Whether in banking, travel, entertainment, health and fitness or communications the Virgin brand has become one of the most disruptive brands with an insatiable curiosity to become early adopters of, well, pretty much everything!
Other Rebel Brands
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Personal Brand Examples
The Rebel Brand Colours
Rebel Archetype Imagery
Use your 5 Senses to enhance The Rebel Brand
A great brand experience will touch on as many of the five senses as possible. Be imaginative and see how you can implement as many touch points as possible into your branding to create a memorable brand experience.
Sight
The natural place to want to start from a visual perspective with The Rebel is dark colours such as blacks and greys, deep midnight or petrol blues, or red for dramatic effect. However, there can also be an element where colour can play a shock value – for example, a hot pink associated with a male brand or the riot of colour that is found in street art and graffiti. Steer clear of light, bright and colourful imagery. Dark interiors, neon light and smoky surrounds or images will enhance the brand. From an interior’s perspective, they may err towards minimalism or monochromatic palettes.
Sound
Not for the faint-hearted, loud rock music where aggressive sounds of the distorted electric guitar are readily used. Heavy metal, blues rock and alternative metal and the strong use of drums that gets the heart racing.
Smell
The Rebel falls under the ‘Fire’ category of scents. These are Oriental and woody with scents of exotic resins, musky woods and heady, rich spices. The woods include amber, sandalwood and patchouli, which are often combined with the spicey and oriental scents of cinnamon and vanilla. The complexity and drama of these aromas are far from subtle and tend to take centre stage and be very long-lasting.
Taste
Rebels may often be vegetarian, vegan, paleo or the like due to their stand for or against something. However, they are just as likely to tuck into a huge T-bone if their passions don’t lie towards a particular cause. They take their coffee strong and their whisky neat.
Touch
Leather, whether it is well worn, waxy, patent or suede, is the key fabric for the traditional Rebel. Other tactile finishes such as snakeskin, crocodile, velvet, fur, metal and glass are also very on-brand.
Smell is a very emotive sense. Few things can take us back to a specific time and place as a particular scent. It can create a mood from the second you encounter it.
We have broken the Michael Edwards Fragrance Wheel into quadrants – Earth, Water, Wind and Fire.
Earth: Calm and authentic, these scents are refined and sophisticated. They are very grounded, strong and determined.
Brand Personalities: The Explorer, The Ruler, The Sage
Water: Lively and charming, while cheerful and full of ideas, the Water quadrant sparks spontaneity, laughter, festivity. Filled with energy and vitality, these scents are direct, unpretentious and sparkling.
Brand Personalities: The Entertainer, The Hero, The Neighbour
Air: Gentle, sensitive and dreamy, Air scents have a maternal discretion and reserved nature. They also reflect creative characters, gentle strength and determination.
Brand Personalities: The Caregiver, The Creator, The Innocent
Fire: Seductive, moody and impossible to forget. Fire scents evoke a sense of mystery, intrigue and attraction.
Brand Personalities: The Magician, The Rebel, The Seducer
Meet the Archetypes
Based on the concepts of 12 Personality Archetypes by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, we believe that in modern society these 12 Archetypes can be effectively utilised in branding a business, and give them attributes that can enhance or cement their message. These personalities are based on different motivations for the observer.
