I normally never fly Southwest. But this time, the experience unexpectedly taught me more about archetypes in branding than any book or workshop has in months.
I only book Southwest when the timing works or I’m traveling more than usual. The no-seat-assignments frenzy and the one-snack-for-all situation have never been my thing.
But on this flight, I met the Jester.
Not the archetype in theory. The archetype embodied. Alive. Joyful. Completely himself.
He danced down the aisle with an oversized pencil, an American flag apron packed with soda cans, and a kind of presence that made the whole plane feel lighter. While the other flight attendants took orders quietly, he engaged, delighted, and brought the moment to life.
When he noticed me journaling, he flipped on my light with a flourish.
“Are you writing a novel? You’ve been filling pages like crazy.”
“Just journaling,” I said.
“That’s writing,” he replied. “Six minutes a day can make you a novelist.”
He laughed, swirled away, and left the energy of possibility behind him.
As we landed, I felt a genuine curiosity. What has he written? What had moved through him that he chose to capture in words? He had turned a basic flight into something human, memorable, and full of meaning.
And here’s where archetypes in branding come alive.
He wasn’t performing. He wasn’t pretending. He wasn’t following an employee handbook.
He was being himself — fully, wholeheartedly, earnestly.
And because of that, he changed the environment around him.
Why Archetypes in Branding Matter
We talk about archetypes as tools, frameworks, or positioning devices. But they’re more than that. They are expressions of who we naturally are, when we stop trying to fit into a mold.
This flight attendant embodied the Jester archetype without effort. And it worked because it was genuine.
He changed the energy of the space simply by living his story out loud.
Here’s what he taught me.
1. Live full out
The Jester archetype doesn’t do anything halfway. His presence wasn’t a performance… it was his essence. He reminded me that connection doesn’t come from being polished. It comes from being fully present.
2. Authenticity is the strategy
No one else on that plane could have done what he did because it wasn’t theirs to embody. This is exactly what archetypes in branding help us understand: your power comes from the qualities only you can express.
3. Serve with readiness
His apron was stocked. His energy was up. His eyes were scanning for need. He didn’t wait to be asked. He anticipated.
That’s what unforgettable brand experiences are built on — readiness, warmth, and presence.
4. Earnestness is magnetic
Earnestness is rare. It’s easier to hide behind irony, detachment, or coolness. But earnestness is what creates trust and connection. It’s what gives your brand its humanity.
Bringing Archetypes in Branding Back to Your Work
The world doesn’t need more perfect performers.
It needs people willing to live their story full out, to turn the ordinary into art, to make connection a priority, to serve from the heart in ways only they can.
Archetypes in branding aren’t about labels. They’re about recognizing the energy you naturally carry… and letting that be seen.
If you’re ready to bring more truth, depth, and resonance into your brand, here’s where to begin.
Your story doesn’t need more polish.
It needs more you.
