Tweet Article first published as Mad Men: Did Peggy Channel DDB? Catsup vs Ketchup on Blogcritics As we get ready for the next episode of Mad Men I thought it would be fun to share an interesting sidelight to last week’s Heinz drama. SCDP and CGC both were pitching to take the prized Heinz Ketchup account away from their current agency, DDB. A big risk for Don, a big opportunity for Peggy and the first time they went “head to head” on a major pitch. Don’s big idea was [read more]
Tweet Article first published as Mad Men Episode 4: “To Have and to Hold” on Blogcritics. This Mad Men episode is ripe with conflict, hypocrisy, and risk taking. Racial issues are brought to the fore, agency loyalties are up for grabs, client accounts put at risk, and internal agency strife is amplified by secrets, resentments, and betrayal. All in all, “To Have and To Hold” is a fast moving, enjoyable episode, particularly from an “inside the agency” perspective. A series of events start out with the potential for positive business results [read more]
Tweet Article first published as Mad Men: Collaborators, Conspirators, and Consternation on Blogcritics. Even by Mad Men standards, “Collaborators” is a dark and depressing episode. In addition to the usual menu of infidelities, betrayals, and marriage implosions there is a miscarriage, wife battering and a sobering reminder of Joan’s prostituting herself for a partnership. The radio and TV background noise is equally as grim with coverage of the current political and social tensions and stories about the Pueblo incident in North Korea and the Viet Nam War’s Tet Offensive. All [read more]
Tweet Article first published as The Doorway To High Times And Unhappiness on Blogcritics. Season five ended in the Spring of 1967 with the principals of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce considering new office space and contemplating what promised to be a bright future. As Don said to the SCDP staff, “Prepare to take a great leap forward”. Sadly that leap forward would not include Lane Pryce but it is good to see that his name is still on the door. The title of my article covering the [read more]
Tweet Article first published as The Women Of Mad Men Finish Strong on Blogcritics. The women of Mad Men take center stage in the season five finale. Joan takes charge as head of operations despite Lane’s ever present empty chair and Pete’s distractions and disruptions. Lane’s wife takes Don head on turning his apologies and $50,000 check into yet another painful, guilt ridden reminder of Lane’s suicide. Megan breaks through Don’s defensive and controlling attitudes about her career and convinces Don to secure a role for her in SCDP’s Butler shoe [read more]