Mad Men

What’s the best new show on television? It’s Mad Men on AMC.

The story is set in a Madison Avenue ad shop, circa 1960. Here’s a few reasons why Mad Men is destined to sweep the Emmy Awards:

• Totally original - It’s not another derivative rip-off of Desperate Housewives, Survivor or American Idol
• Brilliant Writing - Mad Men nails the glib, smart patter of Madison Avenue. No surprise really since the creator and Executive Producer is Matthew Weiner, best known for his work as the force behind the Sopranos.
• Spot-on Art Direction - the costumes, props, set design and production work is flat out perfect. Mad Men is produced within an inch of it’s life, evoking film noir, cool jazz and the beat generation.
• Social Commentary - Every episode is a riveting drama with layers of stories and an undercurrent of social commentary. From the cynicism of movie classic “The Hucksters” to a persistent thread that prefigures the feminist movement, Mad Men is a show for adults.

Advertising is such an important part of American culture. Jack Bowen of Benton & Bowles used to say that there is no mass-market economy without advertising (he had a great example of primitive brand loyalty in the old Soviet Union).

For those of us who were lucky enough to work on Madison Avenue before corporate consolidations made advertising a commodity, Mad Men reminds us that great ideas come from inspired risk-takers, not focus groups.