IMMania.com

I watched my first episode of AMC’s “Mad Men” this past Sunday evening. I never did get around to catching any of the first season, but now I really wish I had. This show has really caught my interest. First off, I’m pretty much a sucker for anything to do with the early 1960’s. I’ve posted elsewhere about why this is - “Mad Men Brings Back Memories”.

The other thing that I find fascinating with the show is the nature of the business that it centers around - advertising.

I know I’ve only watched one episode, but I can tell that this is a program that I’m going to watch on a regular basis and I haven’t really done that since “Seinfeld” went off the air. I really can’t stand wasting time in front of the tube, but it looks like I’ll be making an exception for “Mad Men”.

I’m also already in love with Christina Hendricks who plays the full-figured beauty Joan Holloway. Her curves make that figure-hugging red dress look spectacular!

And Don Draper is my new hero.

Don seems to do things his way while attempting to keep management happy. A very precarious high wire act if ever there was one.

Among all the sub-plots of the show, and there appear to be many, is the creative endeavor of campaign creation and copywriting. Don, as the creative director of the firm, has to keep management and clients happy while demanding the best from his staff.

It was fascinating to see how a campaign for an airline client evolved during the course of the show. I have a feeling that this subtlety is probably lost on most viewers who are more focused on the drama occurring elsewhere.

I think it’s interesting to note that the kind of copywriting done at a large ad agency as depicted in “Mad Men” is vastly different than what passes for copywriting in the narrow world of IM.

It’s not unusual for accounts to run the gamut from airlines, to coffee, to underwear at a big ad agency. Their media channels are also quite varied - TV, radio, print, and public signage. IM advertising rarely branches out beyond what lies online.

In fact, most online copywriting is a very formulaic and uses cookie cutter templates. Just plug in the product name and replace a few specifics and another sales page is ready to launch.

In last Sunday’s season premier, Don Draper lamented that everyone thinks monkeys can do what his team does. He challenged his staff to prove that belief wrong.

Don Draper is Obi Wan Kanobi in a suit.