Mad Men is a television show, similar to Bewitched (the original). Adding a video clip from the show to your next PowerPoint presentation will add nothing to your credibility. Anyone working in the business has seen the show. We’ve seen the Carousel scene more times than we’ve seen our relatives in the last six months.
The only thread that binds our time to theirs is something that I was reminded of today while watching Terry O’Reilly at the CMA conference in Toronto. Terry is a self proclaimed fan of the great ad writers. I share Terry’s view that they were the great persuaders. Writers such as Bill Bernback, David Ogilvy and Herschell Gordon Lewis understood that a handful of basic emotions govern the lives of people. Those things haven’t changed. People are persuaded by ideas that appeal to love, acceptance, self improvement, pride, fear and greed (to name a few). The basic animal has changed very little since climbing down from the tree.
Technology taps into our emotional need to connect. What’s so different? Why is this surprising? We’ve always wanted to connect with each other.
Stop looking for answers on Mad Men. Stop worshipping youth culture as though they know more than you. Start doing what great persuaders have always done. Give people a reason to give a shit. Invite them to the party. Young and old will believe you if give them the right reasons.
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Connections