American Express: The Role Model for Ruler Brands

In people’s minds, there are the leaders and the followers. The accomplished and the unaccomplished. The American Airlines and the Spirit Airlines. Everybody wants to be American Airlines, but nobody wants to be Spirit Airlines. People naturally want to be among the successful in whatever their passion is. Ruler brands, like American Express, play off of this ambition to achieve corporate success.

American Express has been around for over a century and a half and has distinguished itself as one of the leaders of their market. In 2018, there were 112 million active American Express card users worldwide purchasing from 18 million merchants that accept American Express. The financial services corporation has 120 bank partners and a global network that spans across 130 countries. American Express is a financial giant with enormous influence across the globe.

Today, simply carrying an American Express card in your wallet carries with it certain esteem. People notice when you pull out an American Express Gold Card to pay for your coffee and may audibly gasp if you pull out a Platinum Card. Possessing one of these icons of success gains you immediate respect and admiration. Some of this has to do with the age and success of the company, but a lot of it is due to American Express’’ branding strategy. The corporation utilizes its own status to embrace the Ruler archetype.

Let’s look at specific examples where we can see their Ruler archetype in action:

American Express made alterations to its logo design in 2018 during a period of rebranding but kept the same general look that it has been using for the last forty-five years. It has been simplified in several ways. The gradient that took up the top left corner has been removed and the font was changed to be sharper. By subtracting frills, American Express has made its logo look more classic, employing the common connection between age and prestige to gain status in the minds of customers. American Express calls upon its long history of success to distinguish itself from competitors.

Advertising

As part of their “Powerful Backing”/ “Don’t live life without it” rebrand, American Express released this ad in 2019. It features different people living different kinds of fulfilling lives. A doctor finishes an operation, a bride walks down the aisle, a father holds his young daughter, a woman makes phone calls from her corner office, and a DJ excites a crowd from behind his turntables. All of these people are shown excelling in their own passions, living their dreams of being great at what matters to them. They are influential and admired by those around them. Inspirational music is played on a violin throughout.

The ad encourages audience members to achieve success. The company motivates customers to obtain their personal life goals. When the commercial ends with the message “You keep moving forward. We’ll be right behind you,” American Express communicates that with the brand at your back, you can join a community of prosperous go-getters. You can join the ranks of the respected and accomplished with the support of American Express.

A 2018 American Express ad follows a day in the life of broadway superstar Lin Manuel Miranda. It shows the creator of Hamilton waking up, visiting a classroom of kids, bringing coffee to a beloved costar, and leading a group of broadway singers before inspecting the show’s famous set. He also gives the audience inspirational advice like “Don’t settle for your tenth draft,” and “You get to create the room where it happens.” The commercial fully displays Miranda’s easy likability as well as his unquestionable talent and determined attitude.

Within the last four years, Miranda has become like American royalty. He seems to be loved by the entire American public and is set apart from ordinary people because of his remarkable success. Rather than using him as only a big name to tie the brand to, American Express uses him as a tool to empower the audience. They too can be set apart and rise to the elite. Miranda tells them this, then says, “Just don’t think you have to do it alone.” American Express is even willing to help customers achieve Ruler status. The brand champions exclusivity and prosperity to encourage audiences to be more.

Brand Voice

The American Express voice is eloquent and confident. The brand makes bold statements about where success comes from, what it looks like, and how individuals can accomplish it. The financial company also communicates universal appeal, telling people they can get to wherever they want to be with American Express. With refined language and inspirational ideas, American Express sounds the part of a cultural Ruler.

Public Perception

American Express has left its mark on the American economy through what they have called the Shop Small Movement. It started in 2010 when the company introduced Small Business Saturday to encourage consumers to spend money at small local businesses. The day has become nationally celebrated and has sparked a growing movement to lend more support to local businesses, which then goes on to boost the local economy. The 2019 Small Business Saturday showed record spending with a reported $19.6 billion dollars being spent at small businesses in just one day. The movement is just another example of how American Express wants to lift people into prosperity.

Top 3 Lessons Ruler Brands Can Learn from American Express:

1. Understand that everyone’s ideal life looks different. Encourage everyone to pursue their own goals, not just generic ones.
2. Inspire audiences with real-life stories of likable and successful people. Motivate customers by showing them how cultural icons achieve their influence.
3. Go out and help people get closer to their goals. Like American Express pushing people to support small businesses, use your Ruler brand to show customers that you will do whatever you can to support them in their journey to the top.

Could your brand be a “Ruler” brand like American Express?

Take Ardent’s Brand Personality Quiz to find out which of the 12 brand archetypes you represent.