The Jester
In honor of April Fool’s Day, let’s explore the Jester archetype!
One of Carl Jung’s universal 12 archetypes, the Jester is used in branding as a master category. Categories help teams focus on general profiles to quickly eliminate those that don’t resonate. With a mix of two or three categories, there’s an art to refining them a unique identity.
Common adjectives associated with the Jester imply humor: funny, sarcastic, silly, sly. But there’s more to the jester than jokes.
In medieval royal courts, the jester was both an entertainer and valued advisor to the ruler. Royalty was surrounded by social climbers and politicians with hidden agendas — loyalty could be deceiving. Jesters enjoyed the rare privilege of speaking the truth to the king or queen, masked as humor. Posing as a fool meant their commentary could be dismissed and ridiculed. Choosing the best words to disguise their messages required skill, wisdom and judgement. It was a dangerous role. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to the king could result in banishment or even death.
Tricksters are a variation that found in countless myths around the world, including China, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Africa and North America. They often appear to provide a lesson to the hero. They exhibit high intelligence and often are keepers of secret knowledge. They can play a powerful shadow role, playing tricks on others and defying rules.
Other variations include the clown, comedian, fool, joker, provocateur, fool and shapeshifter.
Today, stand-up comics are our most common jesters. In addition to making us laugh, they can make us think by pointing out underlying truths that make us uncomfortable. Comedians are also a great example of how individuality beyond archetypal stereotypes is critical. Dave Chappelle, Amy Schumer and Trevor Noah’s brands all fall under the Jester/Comic. But their material and audiences are very different. Offending an audience these days can lead to career suicide or banishment, in some ways echoing the experience of a court jester.
If a variation of the jester is part of a project you’re working with, tread lightly. Like a comic, its very important to understand your audience well — and to hit the right note and not offending them. Using humor well for a brand or campaign takes a pro.