Exercise: Module 7, Lesson 1 - Archetype Alignment Challenge

Objective: To sharpen your understanding of the four future consumer archetypes by analyzing how well real-world products and brands align with their distinct values and motivations.

Your Task

For each of the real-world products/brands listed below, you will perform an alignment analysis. Your goal is to determine which archetype the product appeals to most, and which it appeals to least.

The Products/Brands:

1. Substack: A platform that allows writers to start their own paid email newsletters.
2. Patagonia: An outdoor apparel company known for its high-quality gear, environmental activism, and "Don't Buy This Jacket" campaign.
3. TikTok: A social media platform known for its fast-paced, algorithmically-driven feed of short, entertaining videos.

For each of these three products/brands, you must:

1. Identify the archetype it is most aligned with (The Impartialists, The Autonomists, The Synergists, or The Gleamers).
2. Write a brief justification (2-3 sentences) explaining why its core value proposition resonates with that archetype.
3. Identify the archetype it is least aligned with.
4. Write a brief justification (2-3 sentences) explaining why it would fail to connect with that archetype.

Deliverable

Submit a Markdown file with your analysis for all three products/brands.

Example Submission Snippet:

1. Substack

• Most Aligned With: The Autonomists.
  • Justification: Substack directly empowers individual creators to build their own independent media businesses, free from the control of traditional publishing institutions. It provides the tools for self-sufficiency and allows writers to have a direct financial relationship with their community, which strongly appeals to the Autonomist's desire for independence and control.
• Least Aligned With: The Gleamers.
  • Justification: While the content on Substack can be joyful, the platform itself is primarily text-based, functional, and focused on direct communication. It lacks the sensory delight, unexpected beauty, and playful user experience that are core to what the Gleamer seeks in a product.

2. Patagonia

• Most Aligned With: [Your analysis here]
• Least Aligned With: [Your analysis here]

3. TikTok

• Most Aligned With: [Your analysis here]
• Least Aligned With: [Your analysis here]