Reading list, December 2023

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Miranda July's celebration of everyday heroism with quirky characters; Robert Downey Sr.'s satirical critique in "Putney Swope." Quentin Dupieux, aka Mr Oizo’s deadpan humour and surreal narratives. Published works by Joseph Campbell, Maureen Murdock, and Zeno Franco explore universal hero journeys, feminist perspectives, and the psychology of heroism. Iconic characters like Liz Lemon and Deadpool add humour to their heroic narratives. While businesses, including Old Spice, Snickers, and Poo-Pourri, define themselves as hero brands through humorous campaigns.

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Archetype → Hero

Rasa → Hāsyam

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December 2023

Artistic expressions channelling archetype in rasa

• Everyday heroism: Miranda July, an American filmmaker, artist, and writer whose work often explores quirky and unconventional characters. Her work often celebrates the quirks of everyday life. July's characters often engage in acts of everyday heroism, such as breaking out of social norms, expressing vulnerability, or challenging the status quo in small but meaningful ways. The way her characters navigate challenges and interact with the world often involves a whimsical and comedic sensibility, providing a unique lens through which to explore heroism.

• Humour as social commentary: "Putney Swope" is a 1969 American satirical comedy film written and directed by Robert Downey Sr. The film is known for its irreverent and provocative commentary on race, advertising, and corporate culture. The film serves as a vehicle for social commentary and satire, with Putney's character embodying a critique of racial stereotypes, consumerism, and corporate greed. As a token African American executive who unexpectedly becomes the leader of an advertising agency. Despite the absurd circumstances of his appointment, he seizes the opportunity to make significant changes within the agency, reflecting a sense of personal agency and empowerment.

• Deadpan humour: Quentin Dupieux, under his alias Mr. Oizo, is known for his surreal and unconventional music videos that often align with the unique and absurd narratives found in his films. Many Mr. Oizo music videos feature protagonists who are unconventional or defy traditional expectations. The use of deadpan humour and satire, present in both Dupieux's films and music videos, creates a distinctive tone.

Published ideas of archetype in rasa

• Hero's journey: Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces." This work, published in 1949, explores the concept of the hero's journey as a universal mythological motif found in various cultures throughout history. Joseph Campbell, a comparative mythologist, identified common stages and archetypes that appear in the stories of heroes across diverse cultures and religions. Campbell outlines the monomyth of hero's journey, a narrative pattern that involves a hero leaving their ordinary world, facing trials and challenges, undergoing transformation, and returning with newfound wisdom or a boon for their community.

• The Heroine’s Journey: Maureen Murdock's work provides a feminist perspective on the Hero's Journey. In "The Heroine’s Journey," she explores the unique challenges and narratives of female protagonists and critiques traditional hero narratives from a gender perspective.

• The Banality of Heroism: Co-authored by Zeno Franco and Philip Zimbardo, This article explores the psychology of heroism in everyday life. It discusses the factors that lead individuals to engage in heroic acts and challenges simplistic notions of heroism by examining the complexities involved.

Characters channelling archetype in rasa

• Liz Lemon in "30 Rock" (TV series, 2006-2013): Liz Lemon, portrayed by Tina Fey, is the head writer of a comedy sketch show. Her character's quirks and comedic situations add humour to her attempts at managing work and relationships, making her a relatable and comedic hero.

• Juno MacGuff in "Juno" (film, 2007): Juno, played by Elliot Page, is a teenage girl dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. Her wit and humour, combined with a sense of responsibility, make her a modern comedic heroine navigating complex life decisions.

• Deadpool in the "Deadpool" film series (2016-present): Deadpool, portrayed by Ryan Reynolds, is an unconventional and irreverent superhero known for breaking the fourth wall. His humour, anti-hero antics, and self-awareness add a comedic twist to the superhero genre.

Channelling the archetype in rasa for business

• Old Spice: "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" (2010): Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign features Isaiah Mustafa in a humorous and over-the-top portrayal of a confident and suave character. The campaign became a viral sensation, using humour to redefine the brand's image.

• Snickers: "You're Not You When You're Hungry" (2010-present): Snickers' ongoing campaign revolves around the idea that people become different personalities when hungry. It often features celebrities in humorous situations, and the central message is that eating a Snickers can return you to your normal self.

• Poo-Pourri: "Girls Don't Poop" (2013): Poo-Pourri's humorous campaign challenges taboos around bathroom-related topics. The "Girls Don't Poop" commercial features a confident and unapologetic character, presenting the product as a hero in awkward situations.

Tell us how these stories made you feel, and where they lead your thinking. We’d love to know.

Reading List, September 2023

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This reading list explores published ideas, artistic expressions, characters, and business channelling the Lover archetype in adbūtam rasa.

Tell us how these stories made you feel, and where they lead your thinking. We’d love to know.

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Archetype → Lover

Rasa → Adbūtham

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September 2023

Artistic expressions channelling archetype in rasa

• The Lover’s gaze: Leonardo da Vinci - "Mona Lisa": Leonardo's masterpiece, the "Mona Lisa," is often seen as an embodiment of the Lover archetype. The subject's enigmatic smile and gaze have captivated viewers for centuries, representing a sense of mystery and emotional depth.

• Lover’s journey: "Rest Energy" (1980): In "Rest Energy," Abramovic and Frank Uwe Laysiepen, AKA Ulay held a taut bowstring with an arrow pointed at Abramovic's heart. The tension and risk in the performance evoke themes of trust and the deep emotional connection between the two artists.

  • "The Lovers" (1988) was another performance (Abramovic and Ulay) that started at opposite ends of the Great Wall of China and walked toward each other, meeting in the middle after three months. This epic performance can be interpreted as a representation of their enduring love, dedication, and the emotional journey they undertook together.

  • 30 years later, when Marina Abramović was performing “The Artist Is Present” at the MoMA, a performance in which she stood still, staring for one minute at one person from the audience, in total silence, Ulay showed up. A band called How I became the bomb wrote a song about the intense love story between the famous performer Marina Abramović and Ulay.

• Connection to the divine: Michelangelo - "The Creation of Adam" - The iconic fresco depicts the moment when God breathes life into Adam. The tender touch between God's finger and Adam's hand can been interpreted as a symbol of the Lover archetype, representing the connection between humanity and the divine.

• Harmony of Opposites: The composition of "The Kiss" involves a balance of opposites - the masculine and feminine, the earthly and the divine. This harmony of opposites is a characteristic of the Lover archetype, which often seeks to unite contrasting elements and find completeness in the beloved.

• Vulnerability of connection: Bon Iver - Perth (Stripped): The intense emotional connection in both the visual and audio elements aligns with the passionate nature of the Lover archetype. The candid, heartfelt footage of Heath Ledger, evokes a sense of love and loss, and the attempt to connect with someone or something no longer present. This significant emotional theme, in conjunction with Heath Ledger's tragic death at the time, demonstrates the vulnerability of the lover.

• Devotion and commitment: U2 - I will follow - The Lover's deep emotional attachment and passion can be channelled to signify loyalty and hope. This intense emotional commitment resonates with the passionate nature of the Lover archetype. In this case, the live performance was broadcast using one of the largest satellite link-ups of all time, capturing the moment and showcasing music's power to unite a massive global audience for a humanitarian cause.

• Sensuality: Pamplem'House - Remembrance - Deep house music often relies on emotive melodies, soulful vocals, and stirring harmonies to create a strong emotional connection with listeners. We often find it incorporates sensual and seductive elements in its sound, such as smooth rhythms and hypnotic beats. Mixed with ethereal and otherworldly soundscapes through synthesizers, ambient textures, and reverb effects; the Lover archetype can be tuned to evoke a sense of wonder and amazement.

• Contemplative beauty: Yusef Lateef - Love Theme From Spartacus - The piece is known for its deep emotional resonance. The composition has a sensual and romantic quality, with the saxophone melody and the lush orchestration creating a mood of intimacy and connection. Lateef's performance and the composition's arrangement have a transcendent quality.

• Self-acceptance: Peter Tosh - I Am That I Am - The lyrics of the song convey a sense of deep emotional connection and love for the self. The philosophical depth of the nature of identity can evoke a sense of wonder and amazement in the listeners. The process of self-realization and acceptance often leads to a sense of wonder and enlightenment.

Published ideas of archetype in rasa

• Rasa theory; In Indian aesthetics, a rasa literally means "nectar, essence or taste". It is a concept in Indian arts denoting the aesthetic flavour of any visual, literary or musical work that evokes an emotion or feeling in the reader or audience, but cannot be described. It refers to the emotional flavors/essence crafted into the work by the writer or a performer and relished by a 'sensitive spectator' or sahṛidaya, literally one who "has heart", and can connect to the work with emotion, without dryness.

• Connection to nature: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, published in 1962, is a groundbreaking book that embodies the Lover archetype's deep connection to the natural world and evokes a sense of wonder about the environment. She (Carson) expressed her admiration for the beauty and complexity of ecosystems, and questioned the ethics of prioritizing profit over the environment's health. 

• Transcendentalism: Transcendentalism, a philosophical movement of the 19th century, emphasized the inherent goodness of people and nature, as well as the importance of individual intuition and experience. Transcendentalists like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau encouraged a sense of wonder about the natural world and the interconnectedness of all things.

• Eastern Philosophies (Buddhism and Taoism): Eastern philosophies like Buddhism and Taoism emphasize the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of love, compassion, and wonder. Buddhism, for example, encourages loving-kindness (metta) and compassion (karuna) as central virtues.

• Aesthetics: As a branch of philosophy, it (Aesthetics) explores questions related to beauty, art, and appreciation. Philosophers like Immanuel Kant delved into the wonder and subjective experience of beauty, and their ideas intersect with the Lover archetype's appreciation for the beautiful and the sublime.

Characters channelling archetype in rasa

• New lover: In Baz Luhrmann's 1996 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, the love between the two are portrayed as youthful and impulsive lovers. Their love transcends social boundaries and familial conflicts, emphasizing the depth of their emotional connection, which is a central aspect of the Lover archetype. Luhrmann's decision to set the story in a contemporary, urban backdrop adds a sense of freshness and wonder to the classic tale. The juxtaposition of Shakespearean language with modern visuals and technology creates a unique and extraordinary atmosphere. The film also explores the theme of fate, which plays a significant role in the lovers' tragic destiny.

• Innocent lover: Edward Scissorhands demonstrates an extraordinary ability to create intricate and beautiful sculptures with his scissorhands, which  reflects his passion for art and beauty. His artistic talents contribute to the sense of wonder in the film, as they showcase his unique perspective on the world. He also forms a deep connection with Kim another main character in the story; his love for her is genuine and unwavering. Like many Lover archetype characters, Edward's story has a tragic dimension. His inability to fully integrate into society and his sense of alienation contribute to the bittersweet nature of the character.

• Perpetual optimist: Amélie is a whimsical and introverted character who finds wonder in the small pleasures of life. Her acts of kindness and her ability to see the extraordinary in the ordinary are central to her character as a Lover archetype.

• Hopeless romantic: WALL-E is a sentient robot left to clean up a post-apocalyptic Earth. He discovers wonder in the artifacts of human civilization and in the form of a plant. His longing for companionship and connection with EVE adds depth to his character.

• Genius lover: 

  • Lionel Wendt: Photographer, pianist, filmmaker and critic from Sri Lanka. The photography of Lionel Wendt is heavy with moods and tends to induce visual poetry or music in viewers. Looking into Lionel’s history, this is not surprising. Being a brilliant pianist trained at the Royal Academy, Wendt’s musicality undoubtedly penetrated his photographic works. With his mastery in light and shade and against the backdrop of the 43 Group that led the modernist movement in Sri Lankan arts, Lionel always seemed to capture the serene opulence of this island in a way only someone deeply in love with this world could. We see it in many of Lionel’s works with perfect metrics of shimmering waters or glistening skins, elegant distributions of black and white or halftone gold that he masterfully captured.

  • Matty Matheson: Chef, TV personality, and restauranteur is the zealous Lover that doesn't hold back in what he does. Matheson has an interesting duality between both Lover and Humorist archetypes. However, the Lover in him is very much what fuels the humour of his shows; because Matheson is so into his food that it becomes funny to watch him pour pounds of butter and all other kinds of delicious goodness into his food, along with an obvious love for culinary crafting. Fantastic food seems to be his love language and what underpins his genius. His delivery is often a mix of hāsyam rasa (humour) and adbūtam (wonder).

  • Leonardo da Vinci was a Renaissance polymath known for his extraordinary talents in art, science, and invention. His deep fascination with the natural world, his artistic creations like the "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper," and his innovative designs for flying machines and other inventions reflect a sense of wonder and boundless curiosity.

• The merciful prophet: Prophets often exhibited deep spiritual love, devotion, and awe for the divine, as well as a profound sense of wonder about the mysteries of existence. Their teachings often emphasized love, compassion, and a deep connection to God. In most religious traditions, the prophets exhibited qualities of the Lover archetype, including love, devotion, and a sense of wonder about the divine and the mysteries of existence. Anandamayī is a perfect example of the merciful Lover prophet.

Channelling the archetype in rasa for business

• Poetry in commercial stories; Poetry maps a story that can only be felt rather than be ‘understood’ through information. Some businesses use poetry to convey subtleties like value and desirability. The sari store Rithihi and fashion brand The Summer House.

• Emotional Resonance: Coca-Cola's "Share a Coke" campaign used the Lover archetype by featuring personalized Coke bottles with people's names. The emotional connection of sharing a Coke with a loved one was a central theme, creating strong emotional resonance.

• Storytelling: The "Love Has No Labels" campaign by Ad Council featured a kiss cam at an NFL game, showcasing diverse couples and families sharing kisses. This campaign told a powerful story about love's inclusivity and acceptance.

• Loyalty: Apple's annual holiday commercials often feature heartwarming stories of families and friends coming together during the holiday season. These ads reinforce brand loyalty by associating Apple products with emotional moments.

• Sensory appeal: Perfume and fragrance advertisements often rely on the Lover archetype, using sensual imagery, music, and visual aesthetics to evoke desire and emotional connections with the product.

• Self love: Dove's now iconic "Real Beauty" campaign aimed to humanize their business by celebrating natural beauty and encouraging self-love. It featured real women and their personal stories, promoting a sense of authenticity.

• Emotional connection: Airbnb's "We Are Here" campaign focused on authentic travel experiences and emotional connections between hosts and guests. The campaign emphasized genuine interactions and relationships forged through travel. Identifying audience emotions and understanding them is key to succeeding here. With Pepsi we find this classic example of an ad that went catastrophically wrong in its story message. This story suffered severe backlash because it completely misplaced the emotion behind the sentiment its audience had. 

• Intimate messaging: Jewelry and luxury fashion brands often tailor their Lover archetype-based messages differently for couples planning to get engaged (romantic love) and for families celebrating special occasions (love within a family).

• Cultural differences: In global campaigns, brands must consider cultural differences in the expression of love and affection. What is considered romantic or appropriate can vary widely across cultures, so messaging needs to be culturally sensitive. See how the failure to incorporate cultural differences in expressing the Lover’s vision fell short of communicating the message in this attempt by a young protestor in Sri Lanka to hand a flower to a police officer. A red rose is an unusual symbol to South Asian culture to identify with friendship or universal love, where it’s a symbol of, specifically, romantic love. A cup of tea or the mango symbolizes friendship in South Asia.

Reading List, July 2023

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We create supplementary reading lists as a way to give you an insight into the inspirations and thinking behind our monthly stories. These reading lists take you behind the story, revealing the process of its making.

Tell us how these stories made you feel, and where they lead your thinking. We’d love to know.

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Archetype → Humorist

Rasa → Kārunyam

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July 2023

Artistic expressions channelling archetype in rasa

• The Humourist in Karunyam seems to adopt a light-footed approach to difficult truths. What are the artistic characteristics of a story that eases and lightens the tension brought on by a difficult subject matter? It’s difficult to say because there seem to be two polar opposite approaches to art directing such a story. On one side there seems to be an affinity for nostalgic or classic bygone eras; and on the other hand, we see a lot of childlike imaginary worlds. If we had to identify a particular trend amongst the examples below; a popular approach to working with the humourist archetype in this rasa, is their ability to be funny at their own expense; in other words, they don’t take themselves too seriously.

  1. The Tu Vuo' Fa' L'Americano song from the 1958 Italian film Toto, is an example of charm and rhythm being used to evoke the rasa. The Lyrics playfully reference American stereotypes.

  2. Another example of this soft playful storytelling is the 1986 Paul Simon video (and song) You Can Call Me Al, directed by Gary Weis. Here two narratives are happening simultaneously; crossing over one and other at the same time. The colour palette, comical contrast in size between Paul Simon and Chevy Chase, their matching clothes and their childish playful interactions combine, illustrate this archetype and rasa appropriately.

  3. We couldn’t unpack this archetype and rasa without mentioning Bobby McFerrin’s 1988. Don't Worry Be Happy; a video and song that both embody the easy-breezy ramble of the Humourist in Karunyam.

Published ideas of archetype in rasa

• 2010. The Trickster. H. Bloom, B. Hobby. Bloom’s Literary Themes, Infobase Publishing: The figure of the Trickster is all but universal in the world’s cultures, and generally emerged from shamanistic origins. Folklore and anthropology are essential to the study of the Trickster. This is a volume about the literary theme of the trickster.

• 1942. A. Camus. The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays. translated by Justin O'Brien. New York: Vintage Books. Translation originally published by Alfred A. Knopf, in 1955. Originally published in France as Le Mythe de Sisyphe by Librairie Gallimard: One of the most interesting thought seeds connecting to the wisdom of the humorist archetype comes through the works of Albert Camus and his philosophy of absurdity. In ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’—where he compares our human existence to the story of the Greek king condemned to roll a boulder uphill for eternity as punishment for his attempts to defy death—Camus suggests that life is, in fact, meaningless. He also suggests that finding joy in life’s meaningless struggle is the only way to overcome the absurdity of the situation. As Camus puts it: “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.” Maybe, we are Sisyphus. And maybe, we are shouldering a pointless boulder up a mountain. But what if, meaning is what’s encountered when going up the mountain laughing?

• 1880. Don Quixote. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (Translated by John Ormsby, 1997). The Project Gutenberg: Don Quixote’s initial reception in the Seventeenth Century was as a work of humour; Cervantes’ ability to reflect and imitate reality through the ironic juxtaposition played a focal role in driving the plot. However, humour’s level of importance becomes clouded with time, as the novel’s distinct link to the circumstances in which it was created and the effects of cultural change could perhaps affect its level of significance in the modern mind. Over time, the humour of this classic story becomes less important than the moral values and literary instruction offered and becomes a vehicle through which the author was able to satirize the overstated chivalric romances of the time and engage with topics of importance.

• 2023, Live to laugh; unpacking the Humorist. Public Works. What role does the Humorist play in society and how can Humorist brands connect with their audiences through this understanding? This post by us at Public Works is primarily to help our clients understand the Humorist archetype in relation to their business; it sheds some light on the Humorist and how it can be brought out through brand storytelling.

• What is the effect of humour on memory recall? Does humour or laughter influence memory; does mood influence the effects of humour? Co-authored by Tunku Saraa-Zawyah Tunku Badli and Mariam Adawiah Dzulkifli, of the Department of Psychology, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

• Professor Bernard Chazelle (Eugene Higgins Professor of Computer Science) of Princeton University, examines the relation of humour to power. Particularly how humour, whether hurtful or not, can be inextricably tied to a sentiment of superiority, in addition to questioning the liberating power of transgressive comedy, and identifying that it is self-awareness that allows us to inject ourselves into the narrative of humour; through the power of reflexivity, humour itself has become the unassailable force.

• Hynes and Doty, in Mythical Trickster Figures (1997) state that every trickster has several of the following six traits:

  1. fundamentally ambiguous and anomalous

  2. deceiver and trick-player

  3. shape-shifter or master of disguise

  4. situation-inverter

  5. messenger and imitator of the gods

  6. sacred and lewd bricoleur

• 2017, Disarming People With Laughter, Creating Our Own Lives Podcast looks at humour beyond a tool for survival, and considers it as a tool for success using the experiences of Alexis Wilkinson, a writer on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Characters channelling archetype in rasa

• In the 1985 American black comedy mystery film Clue, (based on the board game), directed by Jonathan Lynn, Colleen Celeste Camp plays Yvette the Maid, a young and rather jiggly housemaid. Her costume dress is skimpy, and revealing, and is noticed by most in the story, yet she plays the part without noticing much; she seems to pretend to not notice her obvious presence.

• 2009, The Invention of Lying written and directed by comedian Ricky Gervais and writer Matthew Robinson in their directorial debuts. The film stars Gervais as the first human with the ability to lie in a world where people can only tell the truth; it plays on the Humorist’s ability to flip ideas and facts and manipulate the truth to their advantage.

• 2003. Captain Jack Sparrow, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. Walt Disney Pictures

  1. This character is particularly noteworthy due to its role in the story. Pirate of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski admitted, "The first film was a movie, and then Jack was put into it almost. He doesn't have the obligations of the plot in the same ways that the other characters have. He meanders his way through, and he kind of affects everybody else." Additionally, his character is what is called an “Honest Thief”; it’s an oxymoron often used to empathize, and sometimes legitimize a character’s behavior. Pushed further to one end of the archetype and rasa spectrum, can be made into a sort of anti-hero or rebel-ruler.

  2. Interestingly, the honest thief is what Dave Chapelle calls Donal Trump in his 2022 SNL monologue.

• In a story we posted in March 2020, we discussed the Hindu god Krishna as a complex deity, who embodies the divine trickster. These tales about Krishna display characteristics associated with the trickster archetype that uses deception and guile to achieve goals, but also challenges our set ideas and shallow greed by pushing us to laugh at what we hold sacred.

• Who can reconcile the absurdity of life? Perhaps it is those who don’t know they are absurd who can make sense of it. These are the unaware silly characters who can stumble through life with grace. The Tramp was English actor Charlie Chaplin's memorable and iconic humourist archetype is a testament to the role of this archetype in popular culture, particularly in terms of identifying moral issues. A childlike, bumbling but generally good-hearted character that can transcend societal norms and reveal difficult truths.

• On the other hand, some know the world is absurd, and find a way to play with it. In the 1986 teen comedy film, Ferris Bueller’s day off the story is narrated by the trickster side of the humourist. Here, the character regularly breaks the fourth wall to explain his idea. The internal monologue is both Veeram and Kāruṇyam, but it’s the later note that makes his high school slacker behaviour charming.

• The 1991 award-winning film The Fisher King, written by Richard LaGravenese and directed by Terry Gilliam, illustrates the two types of humourists in partnership with the complimentary archetypes Rebel and the Ruler.

Channelling the archetype in rasa for business

• A company that embodies the effectiveness of using humor as a tool to gain approval, it’s Dollar Shave Club. With 28 million views and 152 thousand likes, it’s clear the strategy is popular. In the first 48 hours after the video debuted on YouTube, some 12,000 people signed up for the service. Aside from some Google ads, there has been no other marketing.

• See Adobe’s “10 funny ads that worked and why” for more examples of humor being used in marketing a business

• As an example of a hugely meaningful humourist and Karunyam is the 2011, Australian Metro Trains public campaign: Dumb Ways To Die, to promote railway safety. This story was made to remind metro train passengers to be mindful while using the transportation system; ten years later, in 2021, was acquired, as a franchise for $2.25 million, by PlaySide Studios.

• Ryan Reynolds' Vasectomy promo video for Aviation American Gin is an example of the humourist speaking in a way that shows compassion. The ending further illustrates the point; He stirs the cocktail, samples it, and says, "Now that is as refreshing as fatherhood." His persona has Karunyam qualities flipping the meaning from a metaphor to a euphemism for the fatherhood experience.