Investigating brand archetypes: unveiling the perceived image of Jabal Al-Weibdeh neighborhood

Abstract

The study aims to explore and investigate human traits in places, drawing from the concept of brand archetypes introduced by Carl Jung. Looking at the city of Amman as the main brand and Jabal Al-Wiebdeh neighborhood as a sub-brand, it questions the conventional approach of creating a single umbrella city brand and advocates for a Selective Endorsed brand architecture strategy that embraces the diversity of the city’s brand and allows for a customized approach to place branding. The paper taps into the place brand image, as perceived by the community, with a specific focus on exploring brand archetypes in neighborhoods through a "bottom-up" approach. This will ultimately aid city officials in understanding place brand making to facilitate alignment of the perceived brand image with the intended brand identity. The brand archetype was identified through mixed research methods, including interviews and surveys. Findings demonstrate the identification of brand archetypes in places, revealing the potential emergence of distinct archetypes within neighborhoods, different from those of the city. Additionally, the findings reveal a correlation between the community’s narratives and their emotional attachment to the place, influencing the perceived brand archetypes. This emphasizes the need for a customized approach to city branding, which recognizes and highlights key neighborhoods, by acknowledging the community’s role in comprehending the place brand image.