PR11 The Mad Men Mystique One of the best shows on television today, for my money, is AMC’s smash hit Mad Men. The show, which tells the story of the employees of a Madison Avenue advertising agency in the 1960s, is both slick and entertaining and has an amazing look. The show, which tells the story of branding – pure and simple – is extremely wellbranded itself. From the sleek opening credits, in which a stylized black-and-white ad man – complete with red-tinged cigarette – falls down a skyscraper through a bevy of ads, the show cements for its viewers a very real feeling of a particular place and time. The graphics in this opening scene are powerful. The images are familiar and glamorous at the same time. The show travels from these breathtaking illustrations into the plot proper – which is equally visually captivating. All of the characters have been thought out – not only from the point of view of the story, but also by the stylists and costumers. The wardrobe on Mad Men depicts a time that is sadly gone in this country – a place where there was a right thing to wear at every juncture of the day, and no one who had a thought of getting ahead would fail to abide by these codes. There were uniforms, as it were, for success. An account executive would wear a more conservative tie than someone who worked in the art department, but not as conservative as someone who was an accountant. The more successful secretaries in the show are the sexier ones who can actually do the job – these women, as did women of that time, made the best of their assets, and at that, it was fine for a woman to be a little sexy, as long as their wasn’t too much skin on show. The offices of the executives are brilliant and sublime examples of mid-century modern; in fact, the office of the senior partner of the Sterling-Cooper agency boasts a painting by Mark Rothko which cost – in the awed tones of the account executives on the show – a whopping $10,000! For those hoping to build an impressive personal brand, there are lessons to be learned from Mad Men. Then, as now, the most successful entities among us are – first and foremost – impressive. They are dressed impeccably, and in deference to their higher-ups. Their surroundings are flawlessly decorated, with a minimum of personal flotsam. The 1960s were a new frontier for advertising. However – since World War II, nearly every decade has afforded those trying to infiltrate the market with brands – personal or otherwise – with new and hitherto unforeseen opportunities. At the time of Mad Men, nearly every household in America had a television. Magazines were almost routinely available with color advertising for those advertisers with money to pay. It was the beginning of the jet set, and a time of embracing a new elegance that put America on par with other fashion centers of the world – not because American designers were necessarily on the same level with Paris designers, though there were some good ones, but because Jackie Kennedy showed enormous democratic good sense by embracing designers from Europe. We are now truly an international society. It is no longer a coup to have clients from other countries; most well-known companies do. Travel is easy and affordable, and communication is instantaneous.
This is truly a new frontier. Keep in mind the lessons of the 1960s and Madison Avenue. If you are to impress, you must work at it. Your attire should be tasteful and impeccable – and always respectful. The late 1960s and the 1970s did America’s image a terrible blow. The idea that anyone would be too hip or too cool to dress respectfully for a situation is silly. Not only is it silly, but it is also insulting. Clients don’t want to know that you believe you’re too good to be appropriate – too cool, too smart, too above-it-all. Clients want to know that you can rise to any occasion. Don’t be rude. Dress like a gentleman or a lady, and you’ll always be your brand. In addition, your surroundings should reflect the quality of your brand. If you have an office, get rid of the clutter. If your brand affects a Victorian fussiness or an Edwardian grandeur, carefully consider each knick-knack. Take away two for every one you leave – and then take away one more. To make a look such as this work, it must be scrupulously polished and cleaned. Dust or clutter will make this look like a place you’ve not thought about for a while. If you have a more modern office, keep in mind the rules about knick-knacks and clutter. Cleanliness is always important. I prefer to see the enterprises you’ve done for other clients in a book or on a CD; I really don’t want to see the debris that you’ve collected since you’ve been in business. I am not your other client. I don’t want to know what you did for them; I want to know what you are going to do for me. Most of us work now from our homes. That means your Web site, for all intents and purposes, functions as your office. It needs to be clean and user-friendly, updated constantly, and sharp. When you answer the phone, don’t subject your clients to the dishwasher, the kids, the dogs, or the dulcet tones of whatever you’re listening to on your i-Pod. And always, always, always have a place to meet clients. It should have a clean and impressive atmosphere, the waiters should know you by name, and your credit card should be on file. Never allow a client to wrangle with you for the bill.