Finally got see the premier of the new season of Madmen last night via DVR. The show hasn't lost a step, in fact it's picked up it's pace.
Don Draper and associates still drink and smoke too much, ex-wife Betty is Mommy Dearest and women in the office are s-l-o-w-y starting to take their spots in the office hierarchy.
So much for the obvious. What remains fascinating is seeing business being conducted on dial phones, in the office or in phone booths, typewriters and watching Sky King on a black and white television set. In standard def for Pete's sake!
What remains the constant, and link between then and now, is that good marketing works and bad marketing doesn't. Say what you want about the Draper character (ably played by Jon Hamm) he knows advertising. Spoiler alert here, but he was absolutely right in his pitch to the conservative Jantzen swimsuit company. They wanted to market their product, not as a bikini but as a two-piece.
Don's pitch included just that, but with a little sass. No different than what you see in today's famous Old Spice spots. The overly stodgy Jantzen folks didn't like his idea so Don told them to get out. Immediately if not sooner. Good for Don. Never waste time on people who don't get it, even when you're doing exactly what they asked you to do.
His job is to tell people what his clients need to hear, not what they want to hear. It worked then and it works now.
One reason why I'm mad about Madmen.
Don Draper and associates still drink and smoke too much, ex-wife Betty is Mommy Dearest and women in the office are s-l-o-w-y starting to take their spots in the office hierarchy.
So much for the obvious. What remains fascinating is seeing business being conducted on dial phones, in the office or in phone booths, typewriters and watching Sky King on a black and white television set. In standard def for Pete's sake!
What remains the constant, and link between then and now, is that good marketing works and bad marketing doesn't. Say what you want about the Draper character (ably played by Jon Hamm) he knows advertising. Spoiler alert here, but he was absolutely right in his pitch to the conservative Jantzen swimsuit company. They wanted to market their product, not as a bikini but as a two-piece.
Don's pitch included just that, but with a little sass. No different than what you see in today's famous Old Spice spots. The overly stodgy Jantzen folks didn't like his idea so Don told them to get out. Immediately if not sooner. Good for Don. Never waste time on people who don't get it, even when you're doing exactly what they asked you to do.
His job is to tell people what his clients need to hear, not what they want to hear. It worked then and it works now.
One reason why I'm mad about Madmen.
Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"
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