Sunday, July 27, 2008

Mad Men Love

Oh sometimes I wish I had a Delorean with a flux capacitor. I'd set it for Valentine's Day, 1962, where we catch up with the lives of our favorite Mad Men (and women).

What an amazing time. So much change happening. Such a tug of war there between status quo and innovation. I just love the aesthetic of the era... the formality of it all. (Which is interesting if you knew me, cause I'm the most casual jeans & t-shirt chick you'd ever meet). Anyway, on to the show.


First off, a little girly gushing:  OMG I have such a sad little crush on Don Draper. So tall dark and handsome. He's brilliant but brooding and mysterious. And his suits are perfection! The gray suits with the little white pocket square (rectangle-wise, not bloused and triangular). Total perfection.

I have a feeling if I were in this agency in 196_, I'd totally be Peggy. I relate to her totally. I'd be less than gorgeous (some things don't change just because you go back in time), but totally earnest and wanting more than just the usual women job as a secretary. I'd end up being one of the guys (read above about things not changing). Hopefully though I wouldn't end up preggo by a married man (though Pete does have that boyish charm going, even if he is a total weasel). I wonder what she did (or is doing) with her baby boy... My money's on adoption. I hope anyway. She can't afford to give up her new Jr. Copywriting position.

I am constantly enamored by the insights that Don has. Did anyone see the Kodak pitch he did last season? It was pure perfection. Just poetry in motion soaring off his tongue. Tonight his speech to Peggy about why sex doesn't sell was awesome. It really is overlooked sometimes that when it gets down to it, advertising needs to make someone feel something. Feel good. Feel bad. Feel sentimental. It has to evoke some emotion or feeling within someone that is strong enough to make them spend their money on your product over another. Too often I see creatives just trying to do something 'genius' when really, if an ad doesn't hit someone, stop and make them think, then what's it really doing?  Winning awards? Good for you, but that's not going to sell soap. Like Draper said, "stop writing for other writers."

Another thing: LOVE that BMW sponsored the entire episode. Genius. I need to remind myself which agency has them now... I forget. But that buy was great. And the one-minute 'break' with the copywriter who wrote the line, "The Ultimate Driving Machine" was a great and smartly-placed brand-building spot to put in there. It promoted BMW but also fit in with the show, and with the demo of the show (you know TONS of people in the business have to be watching this).

Alright, that's enough for now I think. I'll write more later if I think of anything. I just love this show. The writing is intelligent and spot-on historically correct (from what I've heard). It's up for 16 Emmy's and in my book should win em all.

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