A Tale of Three Eras

It's only taken me 20 years or so, but I've finally jumped aboard the Mad Men train. Having spent the majority of my life in the ad biz, and being intimately familiar with its crazy machinations, you'd have thought I would have had a seat in First Class with one of those panoramic overhead views. 

But I wasn't on board.

I was more intent on double dipping as a freelancer and squeezing as much out of the creative juju still left in my rapidly aging brain before it all turned to mush. Only to be revitalized in 2015 when a certain orange abomination threatened to destroy -- and still does -- our American way of life.

You'd also have thought that I would be Mad Men curious given one of my former partners, Josh Weltman, was a consulting producer on the show. And my one time Voice Over pal, Joel Murray, had a recurring role on the show. But again, I never watched too much TV in 2007 and was laser focused on staying out of a dirty nursing home in my golden years.

Now? I'm hooked.

I got into the ad industry in 1983 as a mailroom clerk. My entry was more like Peggy Olsen's and light years apart from Don Draper's. But much remained the same. In the early 80' s people smoked in their offices. The big wigs had bar carts with spirits in jagged Waterford decanters. And secretaries who would join them for late afternoon icy libations. And red hot libidinous activities.

Moreover, as a clerk who would push the damn cart around the entire office, I had access to the entire organization. And saw it in a way few people do. Traffic, Account, Research, Media and of course Creative, were all in my purview. I also had daily opportunities to open super secret intra-office memos.

Though I never did :)

I'm only halfway through the first season, so I'd appreciate no spoilers. I'd like to see where this all goes. Though, sadly we all know where it goes. Because at the turn of century, we saw the rise of the technologists and the sciencification of our industry. And with it, the fall of creativity.

The industry today bares no resemblance to the ad biz I knew. And is a gloomy anathema to the agency world Don Draper knew.