If you’re an advertiser or in the advertising world, you might have heard the phrase “It’s toasted”. 

It’s from the pivotal first scene of the first episode of the wildly popular drama, “Mad Men”, inspired by David Ogilvy’s Confessions of an Advertising Man.

Yes, we’re big ‘Mad Men’ fans too. Just like the Agency World.

Now, we definitely aren't advocating for unabashed smoking, drinking or the many other health and behavioral choices of different characters of this American period drama television series.

But there’s a lot to love about Mad Men. Especially the ideas of our favorite ladies' man—Don Draper about the advertising process - that make this series a compelling watch.

Who says fictional characters can’t inspire?

Fictional or not, we bet you can't deny the advertising lessons that we can learn from this series, set in the 1960s, which resonate even today.

Consider these three advertising gems from Mr. Draper:

The consummate creative and advertising genius, Don Draper deals with print ads, billboards, and radio spots. He says this about advertising in the opening episode of the series.

 And he’s not wrong.

Image: InsightSquared

As advertisers and marketers, we need to convince people that our product will make them happier. Happiness sells.

Explaining the product to the customer won’t make a dent; what it would do for them will. Tell them how it’s going to enhance their lives and make them happier. Your messaging should reflect this.

If consumer happiness isn’t at the forefront of your advertising, you're doing it wrong.

2. “I wanted people to say, ‘What’s happening in the story right now?”

The protagonist—Don Draper emphasizes what separates good advertising from bad, while referring to his hugely successful, Clio-winning commercial for a floor cleaning chemical. It comes across as a Western movie in the first half.

Storytelling is vital to your brand.

Tell your customers a real story. One that makes a person forget that s/he’s watching an ad, if only for a moment. This will evoke an emotional connection with your customers.

You can put this lesson to use in your video advertisements. Remember, this isn’t confined to only your top-of-the-funnel engagement. You can leverage this tactical advice across the complete spectrum of customer journey. Leave them impressed and you will have all their attention.

3. “The future of advertising is socially integrated digital platforms.”

The world of media and advertising has moved on from the 1960s when the client-agency relationship was driven by extravagant, three-martini business lunches.

Now, you need to have an omnichannel advertising strategy to connect and engage with your hyper-connected, digitally and socially savvy consumers.

As the creative visionary Don Draper predicts this in one scene about the future of advertising.

Let’s Get Your Story of Imagination, Achievement and Happiness Out There

If you’re looking to advertise your or your client’s brand to reach maximum eyeballs, HT Media’s latest flagship program - HT AdWorks is the one-stop solution you need. A do-it-yourself (DIY) platform that lets businesses of all sizes run customizable advertising campaigns seamlessly across all our print, radio and digital media properties. 

We take your brand's advertising seriously.

Our creative team collaborates closely with you and oversees your advertising to drive success. After all, we’re all on the same journey — towards connection, deeper engagement and happiness.

Interested in telling your brand's story through creative advertising across print, radio and digital? Get in touch and we can help.