Packaging Strategies reached out for commentary on the latest from Bob Dylan: his new whiskey. Called Heaven's Door, the brand harnesses the power of archetypes. Archetypes in play: The Storyteller, The Creator, and The Wizard. Article by Kristin Joker.
Margaret Hartwell, co-author of Archetypes in Branding: A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists, thinks Heaven’s Door Whiskey embodies The Wizard, an archetype that shares characteristics with The Alchemist/Magician, The Warrior and The Provocateur, but is still unique.
“With the packaging based on Dylan’s own ironwork sculptures, it’s no wonder it’s full of symbolism. Dylan’s fierce independence and storytelling are alive in his artwork. When combined with the custom molded bottle, the feeling that gets activated is that the separate elements have been transmuted into something very special. And, of course, the name, taken from the penetrating song, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, triggers the internal knowing that there is something beyond this physical world. Because The Wizard learns his or her craft during long hours of diligent study, practice and meditation, this archetype seems to see with what I would call ‘wisdom vision’ and can inspire a sense of mystery, intrigue and awe—aspects of our existential reality that we can’t explain.”
Hartwell further explains how The Wizard offers an aspect of the Magician that is perhaps less about fantasy and the illusion of magic, and more about the mystical. The Wizard also carries aspects of the Provocateur—activation and insight—as well as aspects of the Warrior—dedication and fortitude.