Being a Mad Man Without Losing the Plot

Abstract

Much has changed since advertising's 1950s heyday - the Mad Men era, when you could count the number of TV channels on one hand and advertising was all about informing and persuading consumers. Today, that model has been turned on its head: the most significant conversations happen not between advertisers and consumers, but between consumers and other consumers. However, the author - who has worked in advertising since 1974 -- argues that despite the rampant changes, many of the key lessons he learned early on continue to endure. He provides ten guidelines that would have worked in the 1950s and can still be used to create strong advertising in today's McLuhan-esque world. He describes these guidelines - which include 'cut through the clutter' and 'leave a lasting impression' -- in detail and shows how brands from Charles Schwab to Dove to Doritos have used them to successfully engage consumers.