"I prefer to appear at the exact moment I'm needed".
I'd been looking forward to writing this post about Donna Paulsen from Suits for some time now. That is, until I sat down and re-visited all of her key moments and standout one-liners. How does one narrow an intriguing and complex character like Donna down to one or two brand archetypes?!
Unlike Donna, I don't know everything, so I practiced what I preach to all clients and started the process of elimination. Which archetypes did NOT reflect Donna's brand voice; her motivations, desires and fears? The Innocent? Nope. The Creator? Not really. The Jester? A little - her wit IS next level. And so on and so on, until I'd narrowed it down to to three: The Lover (soothing, empathetic), The Sage (assured, knowledgeable) and The Ruler (refined, commanding).
The upshot? While Donna has the commanding and articulate brand voice of The Ruler, this is where much of the similarities end. Any sneaking desire for control (at all costs) is usurped by her desire for understanding and unwavering honesty (even if it means costing a 'friendship'). Such attributes are common to The Sage (Peter Mac, RMIT) and The Lover (Chanel, Mecca Cosmetica, W Hotels).
In her role as Executive Assistant and ultimately, COO, she's assured and guiding; but abhors feeling powerless and shuns ignorant people. In her role as friend, peer and lover, she's fiercely loyal but fears rejection or invisibility. Throughout the series, she transitions between her two archetypes as effortlessly as she walks between offices atop 5-inch stilettos. With her deeply insightful observations, extraordinary wit, unmatched organisational skills and off the chart emotional intelligence, Donna Paulsen is one of the most nuanced television characters in recent memory. And don't get me started on the chemistry between her and Harvey Specter. Just. Stop. It.
She's weird. I'd love to be her friend.
Classic "Lover" Donna quote: "Sometimes, bitter memories become bittersweet when you share them with a friend."
Classic "Sage" Donna quote (with a little Jester thrown in for good measure): "I'm sorry I don't have a photographic memory, but my brain is too busy being awesome".