Mad Men (you of course know I am talking about the TV series!) has taken the world by storm. Don Draper has become somewhat of a phenomenon and a poster boy for the advertising and marketing world. Despite all the make-belief of the telly series, I think there is still some cool stuff that real marketers dig in his performance. Here are my list of Top 5 quotes by the Don:
“New” always gets attention
“This old pro, a copywriter, a Greek named Teddy, told me the most important thing in advertising is ‘new’. It creates an itch. You simply put your product in there as a kind of calamine lotion”.
No matter how many times the word has been used, the word new always gets the attentions of consumers. This is why advertisements still have the words “new and improved”, or “brand new”, etc. as this gives the feeling that the product is vastly different and futuristic. Copywriters in short love this adjective.
Be authoritative
“There comes a point when seduction is over and force is actually being requested.”
Advertisers need to be authoritative and need to give off an air of being more knowledgeable than the clients. This does not mean that they should be controlling and ignorant. This means that when clients are being hesitant and unwilling to take necessary risks, marketers should be able to get them to change their minds.
Advertising should make people happy
“And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car. It’s freedom from fear. It’s a billboard on the side of the road that screams reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay.”
This is a golden rule for all marketers, they should be able to project and display how customers can be happy if they purchase the products of the brand. Creating an emotional connection with advertisements is always a good thing.
Don’t force creativity
“Just think about it, deeply, and then forget it. An idea will…jump up in your face.”
Trying to force a creative advertising idea is the worst thing brands and marketers can do. This will only lead to frustration and anger. Advertisers need to wait for inspiration to strike instead of trying to force and brainstorm ideas.
Don’t get too involved
“The day you book a client is the day you start losing him.”
Marketers should not get too emotionally attached or invested in a client or project. They should accept the fact the clients will eventually want to change agencies. This will prevent a lot of frustration and heartbreak later on.