ARCHETYPES IN A COSMETIC BRAND

The purpose of the present research was to discover the archetypes that could be inferred from the discourseof consumers about a cosmetic brand in South Africa.Five interviews were conducted among the French community in South Africa. The interviews wereconducted using the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) in order to tap a level of associationswith a cosmetic brand not studied before.The research starts with a review of the literature regarding the archetypes as defined by Carl Gustav Jungand continues by looking at literature on consumer research pertaining to consumption rituals and the notionsof beauty, the body, and the use of adornments.The research found that three major archetypes were held by the consumers interviewed: (1) the archetype ofmother nature, (2) the archetype of innocence, and (3) the archetype of home. These findings have two majorimplications: first, it can help marketing practitioners in the cosmetic industry find archetypes they can use asconsistent leitmotiv in their brand building exercise, therefore ensuring brands' enduring success. Second, inthe fields of consumer research and marketing research, the findings give further support to the notion thatconsumer choices are not only based on the traditional information processing model, but are also rooted inthe deeper emotional and spiritual realms