Why Mad Men is The Best Show on TV

I admit it; I’m addicted to TV. I find it’s still the best way to track what’s going on in mainstream society and it’s a great way to pass the time while I’m on the treadmill. I especially like TV programs that take a fresh look at things and feature strong writing and character development. To my mind Mad Men is at the top of this list. The show’s writing is always crisp, the characters have depth and draw the viewer into their lives and the show has a unique look and feel. From the perspective of a marketing student, Mad Men is a treasure trove of information. It takes an interesting look at how marketers tried to position and pitch their products in an era when advertising was shifting from a print based medium to an electronic one. Think of the parallels you can draw with the shift we are witnessing today as companies move away from the existing electronic models to ones focused on m-commerce and permission based marketing. The fact the producers of the show effectively use these tools to engage their viewers and inform them also makes it a great program. From interactive games on the website to Twitter, the creators of Mad Men make sure you are never out of touch with the show and its characters. After carefully looking at the show, I’ve developed my Top 10 reasons why it’s the best one on television.
10. Nostalgia, or retro if you’re under 50 – Everyone loves to remember the days, or picture a time, when smoking and drinking in the office was an acceptable behaviour. Can any of the people on this show get through a scene without a drink or a cigarette?
9. Fashion – Skinny ties for men and hats for women. What more could you ask for?
8. Clients - Sterling Cooper works on some of the best known products and brands in marketing history. I admit taking on Nixon piece was a bust but it did provide an interesting look at how the President of the US was viewed by voters. President Obama clearly built on these lessons during his successful 2008 campaign.
7. Consumer Behaviour – For those of us that teach the course, it’s nice to see textbook lessons put to use.
6. Pete Campbell – Each of us knows, and hates, someone exactly like him and it’s great to see him get taken down a notch.
5. Horatio Alger Story – Where else but on a TV show could someone like Peggy Olson go from being a newly hired secretary to a copywriter on major accounts overnight?
4. The website – Go to www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madmenyourself and create your OWN Mad Men alter ego!
3. Christina Hendricks - A great representative of the definition of beauty and style in the early 60’s
2. Pushing Boundaries – What other TV show has covered everything from infidelity (with twins no less) to selling marital aids positioned as exercise equipment?
1. Don Draper – The coolest man on television. Who doesn’t love a guy who has stolen the identity of a dead man, has been with more women than James Bond (another icon from the 60’s), can leave the office for hours, sometimes days, at a time without anyone batting an eye and who epitomizes the male definition of style from the 60’s. There’s also that 60’s hair. He looks much better as Don Draper than he did as a suspect on CSI Miami or as Tina Fey’s boyfriend on 30 Rock. By the way 30 Rock is my choice as the second best show on television.