The CITIZEN
The CITIZEN archetype is perfect for brands that help people feel ‘affiliated’ with one another through the purchase of ‘every day’ products and services.
Brands that adopt this archetype tend to have a down to earth, no-nonsense quality that makes them seen genuine and authentic.
Famous CITIZEN characters include the cast of ‘Cheers’ (where everybody knows your name) and the main characters in the ‘The Full Monty’.
If your business helps people enjoy simple tastes and pleasures then the CITIZEN archetype could be a great fit for your brand. CITIZEN brands often may encourage teamwork, togetherness and problem solving as a group.
The CITIZEN is democratic, but not necessarily political. It promotes the idea that ‘all men and women are created equal’.
Brands that use the CITIZEN archetype usually provide reassurance that it’s ok to enjoy the status quo.
If your business is founded on authentic, down to earth values, without pretence, then this archetype may be a relevant match for you.
The Citizen - Key Facts
Motto
We’re all in the same boat
Also Known As
Advocate, Everyman, Regular Guy/Girl, Friend, Networker, Servant
Why People Love You
You seem very real and normal. You’re ‘down to earth’
Goal
To belong & fit in
Human Desire
To connect with others
Brand Values
Hard-working, Approachable, Dependable, Community
Brand Behaviours
Develops ordinary solid virtues, displays the common touch
Brand Characteristics
Humble, Collaborative, Honest, Loyal, Practical, Friendly, Democratic, Common Sense
Famous CITIZEN Brands
GAP: “GAP mission statement is to democratize fashion and make shopping fun again. To bring incredible style and quality to families the world over .”
MCDONALDS: “Our aim is to provide a fun and safe environment where our customers can enjoy good food made with quality ingredients at affordable prices”
Related Archetypes
Archetypes which also have Belonging as their human driver – LOVER & JESTER
Want to know more about the CITIZEN archetype?
Access everything you could possibly need to know about the CITIZEN, including swipeable ideas for your brand, in my shop:
The CITIZEN BRAND DNA BLUEPRINT $10
A strategic and visual reference document built specifically for the Citizen archetype — covering everything from your brand values and personality to your colour palette, typography, imagery direction and real brand examples.
What’s inside:
- Your core brand truths – motto, goal, human desire, values and behaviours
- The characteristics that make this archetype compelling to customers
- The shadow side – what to watch out for and how to avoid it
- How this archetype shows up across its subtypes
- Colour palette inspiration with hex codes and rationale
- Typography recommendations for headings, body, accent and social media
- Imagery direction with Canva & Unsplash search terms
- Real brand and public figure examples showing the archetype at its best
- Industries where this archetype works
- Expert note on how to stand out
The CITIZEN AI BRIEFING KIT $49
This is built for the person doing this on their own. No team, no marketing department, no budget to bring in outside help, just you, showing up every day, trying to keep every plate spinning at once, the content, the emails, the actual running of the business. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been going a while, this was built for exactly that.
You don’t need any of the following: a marketing background, previous experience using AI, technical skills, existing content, or a following. You need your Brand DNA Test result and around 90 minutes.
What’s in the kit
- Video instructions explaining exactly how the kit works
- A full written How To guide, covering every section step by step
- A pre-populated template, already containing your CITIZEN Brand DNA and instructions for Claude (Please note this is optimised for use with Claude, but you can adapt for other AI tools if preferred)
- Two example completed templates, one product or service business, one personal brand, so you can see what a strong answer looks like
- Your CITIZEN Brand DNA Blueprint, a PDF reference guide matching your specific result
What it does for you
- Gives you a full-time marketing and brand assistant, ready to work
- Saves you the cost of hiring help, and the time of building everything from scratch
- Improves the quality of everything AI produces for your brand
- Makes your output sound like you, not like everyone else using the same generic prompts