With more than 7.4 billion people on the planet, to say that advertising is difficult is an understatement. 
But somehow, professionals in the business do it. Perhaps the most famous representation of the ad world was the 2007-2015 critically acclaimed show Mad Men, which gave us an inside look at the inner workings of a top ad agency in New York in the 60’s.
Mad Men, known to be one of the most heralded shows on television, is more than just a series about the cutthroat and fast moving industry of advertising. It is a peek into a world that convinces an entire population to buy products and services they didn’t know they need. And that in itself is a complex idea.
But how do they do it?
Although the show was set more than half a century in the past, Mad Men still manages to show us the tricks of the masters and how pertinent they are in the present marketing climate.
Here, we delve into the world of advertising and learn what Don Draper and Co. teach us about business.
Learning from the Masters
l What is the Need Behind the Need?
Before you focus on consumer need, understand client need. If a potential new client has come to you, they may be in need of proper branding or a logo or perhaps reliable software support. But your focus must be on the event that prompted that requirement.
Why is the client searching for branding? Has their business had trouble getting off the ground, or was there a campaign that went awry? Knowing this will provide you with the groundwork to determine your next course of action.
l Remember the True Purpose of Advertising
Advertising, at its basis, doesn’t prove that the general audience needs that particular service or product.
It shows the world that through that product, they can improve upon their way of life and achieve their goal and happiness. Take the De Beers campaign as an example. Their slogan “A Diamond is Forever” is the most memorable slogan of all time. Through it, the company campaigned that a diamond is the symbol of a true love and marriage.
Subtly, they built their industry just by convincing the public that a diamond was indeed, a necessary luxury.
l Embrace Change With Open Arms
Change is inevitable. If one aspect of our life changes, our concept for business, relationships, and every other aspect changes alongside. Take the Dove: Real Beauty campaign for this instance. Instead of catering to the masses by hiring the same slim, “standard” models that we often see in advertisements, they created ads around a topic that targeted our perceptions of true beauty. This was during 2004, when the world was finally becoming aware of the effects of persona marketing.
By doing so, they showed society the flaws in our mindset and cemented their brand as a brand that appreciates natural beauty.
l Think Like Your Customers
One aspect of Don Draper’s style in Mad Men was his acknowledgement of his customer’s choices. Getting into the head of your target audience gives you a one up on the campaign, since you can determine whether they will like the product or not.
This is a tactic Volkswagen used. Created in 1960, the campaign set out to show the people that Volkswagen was a desirable car. But the challenge in achieving this was the audiences’ choice in vehicles. Since Americans mostly went for big American cars, smaller German cars weren’t selling well. But instead of going against the marketing tactics, Volkswagen took the honest road and showed the company the smaller and impactful size of the car.
Consumers recognized and loved their honesty.
Need Help in Your Advertising Campaign?
You may love the advertising tactics that Mad Men presented. But if you want to put them to good use for your campaign, your next step should be to call a leading video production company to guide you.
If you’re looking for a production company in Orange County, Los Angeles, or Riverside CA, 336 Productions can help! Offering effective production services, the company conceptualizes and creates impactful media content to help broaden your business horizon.
Email them at info@336productions.com or call (888) 440-5830.
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