Mad Men Roundtable: “Public Relations”

Everyone, in no uncertain terms, told Don “we are here because of you” and he let them down when he failed to provide Advertising Age any insight to what’s “going on upstairs” during his one on one interview. As a 14-year veteran of the ad industry, I can tell you Advertising Age is built on articles from CEOs and Creative Directors self-aggrandizing and detailing their own genius on some hot, new scratch-and-win, web-redemption sweepstakes campaign that touches television and POP (point of purchase).  Don Draper has been hiding his past for so long his natural instinct is to distract and avoid when posed a serious question. And so far, except for the divorce, dead brother, and S&M fetish (where the heck are the writers going with that?), Don’s done alright with that approach. Just as he has brilliantly crafted and created ad campaigns and slogans for Sterling Cooper’s many clients, he’s created for himself a fantastic past, as well as a beautiful present day reality. But like he copped to early in the series, Don and the ad men of New York tell people how they should feel and what they should do and buy. Don himself fell victim to his own idealized image and was sold hook, line, and sinker.