The Women of Mad Men Finish Strong

Joan really comes into her own as a force to be reckoned with. After confronting the all-powerful Jim Hobart, Joan makes her exit from McCann-Erickson with a secure nest egg. She is living the good life with Richard, vacationing in Key West, and snorting cocaine. Richard asks Joan to leave New York and make a future with him, inviting her “take advantage of all I have.” Joan asks if they have to get married and Richard says they don’t. How good is that? As it turns out, not good enough for an independent, spirited, ambitious ad executive like Joan.

Ken has lunch with Joan and enlists her help lining up a producer for a Dow Industrial film with a sizable $50K budget. Joan jumps at the opportunity and later offers Peggy $1200 to write the script. Over lunch Joan gives Peggy her check and lays out an interesting possibility. There is more work available with Dow and the film’s director, so Joan lays out her plan to start a production company with Peggy as her partner. Peggy is a bit taken back and Joan reminds her that she doesn’t have a contract at McCann, and she could be an owner and her own boss. Television and film production were just starting to boom in the ’70s and Joan’s instincts about the potential are right on target. Peggy eventually declines the offer, but Joan decides to take the big leap. That doesn’t fit into Richard’s plans, and Joan gracefully accepts his exit from her life. I loved seeing Joan in her apartment office working on her next production project with her secretary answering the phone as “Holloway-Harris.” Joan gets one more gift when Roger advises her that he wants their son Kevin to be in his will. Perfect!

Peggy is now a kick-ass, copy chief destined to be a creative director and ready to make a happy life with Stan. At a creative department meeting in the McCann conference room, the department manager, Lorraine, is assigning teams to accounts and Peggy sees that she and Stan are no longer assigned to Chevalier. In big creative departments like McCann, mid-level managers like Lorraine are often responsible for team assignments. When Peggy challenges Lorraine about it, she offers a feeble rationale. A very ballsy Peggy asks if David, the creative director, is aware of the change. Lorraine snidely says, “ I’ll let him know you’re unhappy.” Peggy doesn’t back down and demands to talk to the creative director and Lorraine gives her back the account. Way to go Peggy. Peggy even gets a nice goodbye from the kindler, gentler, richer Pete. Peggy tells Pete she’s happy for him and says, “Everyone’s going to miss you who doesn’t hate you for getting that big job. ” Pete assures that she will be a creative director and that, “Someday, people are going to brag that they worked with you.”

When Peggy tells Stan about Joan’s offer to be a partner in the new production company he accuses her of being obsessed with being in charge. Peggy tells him he has no ambition and offends Stan even more when she calls him a failure. When Peggy gets a desperate collect call from Don, she pleads with him to “come home” and that all will be forgiven by her and McCann. Don says he can’t, saying, “I’m not the man you think I am, and I’ve just called to say goodbye.” Peggy immediately phones Stan and expresses her concern for Don and Stan tells her to let him go. Peggy apologizes for her earlier berating comments and the love floodgates open. Stan professes his love for Peggy and confesses that he doesn’t want her to leave McCann “because all I want to do is be with you.” Peggy gets emotional and after a charmingly convoluted introspection Peggy tells Stan that she’s also in love with him. Stan rushes over to her office, embrace and passionately kiss. Later we see Peggy doing what she loves, typing award winning copy, while getting a shoulder massaged by the man she loves. Happiness!

The Men Finish with A Flourish

Our glimpse into what’s next for Pete and Roger also looks promising. Pete leaves McCann on good terms, wishes Peggy well on a positive note, exits Madison Avenue on his private Learjet looking like the perfect, prosperous ’70s family. Hopefully it lasts. Roger also leaves us with a vision of how he will continue to be, well, Roger. He does the right thing with Joan to insure that their child is well cared for providing her comfort and peace of mind. Joan and Roger will move ahead as good friends and Roger will likely send some business to Holloway & Harris. Roger gets married, yet again, to a woman that he will find challenging. Marie Calvet will keep his life and lifestyle very lively and Roger will have his hands full. He is also likely to have many “family” dinners that include Meagan, which will create even more complicated relationship between Roger and Don. Fortunately for Roger, he can use his McCann-Erickson expense account and global first class travel privileges to help satisfy Marie’s desires. Seeing Roger and Marie dining at a chic café in Paris is quintessential Roger. He will keep on being “Roger.”

Don’s road trip finally takes him to the West Coast. After getting his ass kicked by fellow vets in Kansas, and giving away his car to a stranger, Don gets to enjoy himself a bit racing cars in the Utah desert. That doesn’t last very long. After Sally tells him about Betty’s cancer, Don calls Betty and tells her he’s coming home and says, “The kids need me,” Betty he insists that he not do that saying, “I want to keep things as normal as possible and you not being here is part of that.” That hits Don hard and they share a deep and moving emotional moment as Don tears up. Don’s race car buddies drive him to Los Angeles where he drops in on Stephanie. Don tells her he’s retired and gives her Anna’s ring. Don asks about her son and finds out that he lives with his dad. It’s obvious they both are suffering so Stephanie invites Don to join her on a retreat at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur. At the retreat, both Don and Stephanie have powerful emotional introspections in group therapy discussions. After Stephanie leaves Don appears to be on the verge of a suicidal breakdown and makes his “goodbye’ call to Peggy. A therapist convinces Don to attend one more session. After hearing a group participant, Leonard, reveal his emotional cleansing about his insignificance and no one caring that he’s gone, Don is moved. He hugs Leonard and cries with him. Don finally “gets it”. He has found his enlightenment. The next morning, Don blissfully sits in a lotus position with fellow attendees chanting an “om” mantra. Don, eyes closed, smiles contentedly. A bell chimes and the famous 1971 “Hilltop” Coke commercial plays: “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony…”

What’s Next?

This brilliant ending opens the door to speculation about different enlightened paths Don could take. Here’s mine. Don will heed the words of the yogi, “The new day brings new hope. Lives we’ve led, the lives we’ve yet to lead. New day, new ideas, new you.” The prodigal son is welcomed back to McCann-Erickson and Jim Hobart finally gets to appoint Don as the creative director on Coca Cola. With his new found wisdom and enlightenment, Don taps into the mindset of the ’70s “Me” generation and makes the most of that one magic moment at Big Sur. It the inspiration for creating the commercial that helps define a generation and earns Don Draper a place in the Advertising Hall of Fame alongside Bert Cooper. Peggy is thrilled about the return of her mentor and Don plays father of the bride at her wedding. Roger gets his ‘playmate” back and the fun continues. Holloway-Harris produces “Hilltop” and puts Joan in the major leagues of production companies. Don rehires Meredith. Finally, Don deepens his bond with Sally and eases his way back into lives of his kids. He never remarries. Too perfect? Perhaps, but that’s my vision, and I’m sticking with it. Now, for a dose of reality, this is how Coke’s Hilltop commercial actually came about.

“Hilltop” — The Real Story.

The brilliance of using the “Hilltop” commercial as the final scene is that it is truly an iconic commercial that was actually created at McCann-Erickson in 1971 by an advertising Hall of Fame creative director, Bill Backer. The circumstances under which “Hilltop” was conceived are far from the idyllic, awakening moment at Big Sur. In a recent New York Times article Mr. Backer reveals that the idea for the jingle came when he and a colleague and a plane full of other passengers were grounded at Shannon airport in Ireland. This excerpt from the article captures the moment very well.

“The next day, Mr. Backer said, he observed some of the passengers — “all types, ages, sexes,” he recalled — in the airport, talking and sharing bottles of warm Coca-Cola. Their frustration seemed to have dissipated. It was then, he    said, that the now famous jingle came to him. On a napkin, he scribbled, “I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.”

The commercial started as a radio jingle and was then transformed into the award-winning classic. “Hilltop” was shot in Tuscany, Italy under the direction of Bill Backer and McCann art director Harvey Gabor. Coke had a continued presence throughout Mad Men starting with Betty’s modeling for their ad through to “Hilltop.” Interestingly, Coke did not pay any product placement fees. When asked about the use of “Hilltop” in a recent interview, Coke CMO, Wendy Clark, said “No money changed hands…we had no idea of the story line.”

Now, thanks to Google, Mad Men fans can see how Don Draper might have envisioned and delivered “Hilltop ” in today’s digital age. Google’s Project Re:Brief pairs the creators of iconic advertising from theMad Men days with Google’s creative teams to reimagine their work. Google selected “Hilltop” and enlisted one of the creators, McCann art director Harvey Gabor, to inspire the Google team. Their re-imagination of Hilltop is amazing. Here’s a link. You will love it.

Finally, a big thanks to Matthew Weiner and a fabulous cast for providing seven seasons of award winning entertainment. Mad Men took me on an artful journey through the early days of my advertising career that I will always remember. For this “real Mad Man”, Mad Men was magical experience.

This Mad Men episode brings us face to face with death, provides glimpses of rebirth of spirit and reveals a cleansing of past sins on a path to the future. Leading into the series final episode we know the apparent fates of a few of our Mad Men. (Well, maybe.) An almost rich Joan is untethered, free and in love. Peggy is gearing up to be a creative rock star at McCann-Erickson. A relatively rich Pete is ready to go legit on the client side, shed the agency business and rebuild his family life away from New York City. Roger continues to be an enigma with a murky future at McCann and his romance and enchantment with Marie Calvet is volatile and unpredictable. Don is decidedly AWOL from McCann and is seemingly not troubled that he is leaving behind a few million dollars. Don is set on casting off most of his excess emotional baggage and possessions but we still don’t know where he is headed.

Very sadly, Betty gets hit hard with a diagnosis of terminal breast cancer and prepares for her end-of-life journey. She is stoic, and determined not to take extraordinary measures to prolong her life. Henry crumbles, and Sally is devastated about her mom and coming to grips with an unexpectedly different future. There is a wonderful and poignant moment when she reads a note from her mom: “Sally, I always worried about you, because you marched to the beat of your own drum. But now I know that’s good. I know your life will be an adventure. I love you, Mom.” So, in many ways we know a lot about the future of some of the Mad Menbut where it all will finally lead is still a mystery. I believe the big disruptive moment will come when Don finds out about Betty. the trajectory of his life and others is likely to change dramatically.

The McCann takeover of SC&P is hitting some major speed bumps with Don’s “walk-off” and Joan’s departure. On the positive side, Peggy and Ted have settled in, and Pete seems to be thriving in his new environment until Pete meets Duck Phillips at McCann and things change. Pete sarcastically asks if he’s helping to replace Don and Duck says, “I’ve done it before.”

Duck also can’t comprehend what would motivate Don to leave a few million bucks behind at McCann. As it turns out, Duck’s ultimate goal is to seduce Pete into leaving McCann to join one of his clients, Learjet. Pete is very concerned that his meeting with Duck could signal discontent with McCann and jeopardize his standing with Jim Hobart. It’s clear that Pete has found his “happy place” on Madison Avenue.

Through Duck’s persistence and maneuvering, he arranges a meeting with Mike Sherman from Learjet and Pete plays hard to get. Pete’s disinterest turns into a dogged persistence by Mike to land Pete. Before Pete can say Wichita, Duck has already negotiated a $100K salary for which he has to learn about what happens if you don’t file a w2. Trudy resists and Pete blows off the dinner. Through some brilliant maneuvering Duck is able to get Mike to offer Pete nearly a million dollars and also have McCann negotiate a favorable severance deal for the account. All that money, access to “jet-set” travel at his disposal and a new start on the client side are just too good to pass up. But Pete needs Trudy and Tammy to be with him.

He persists with Trudy and closes the deal when he says, “Pick out a house and be my wife and family again.” Sold. Goodbye NYC and hello new beginning in Kansas. This is truly a transformation for Pete. For the past 10 years he has been a rather self-centered, manipulative, slippery, NYC obsessed malcontent. Now he’s reconciled his marriage and is becoming “responsible” executive making his home in the heartland.

Pete’s departure will exacerbate an already tenuous situation for McCann and further diminish any remaining benefits of their SC&P takeover. Other than Roger, there is no one from SC&P’s management to service their clients. Clients rely on familiar, trusted counterparts at their agencies for stability and service. When the key people disappear their accounts invariably jump ship as well. When added to the client revenue loss from conflicts and the defection of their coveted creative superstar, there may not be much value left for McCann. Of course, we still haven’t heard from Roger about his intentions, but it’s not likely that he will play a white knight role with any of the clients or with Don.

Don’s version of his “Easy Rider” trek across the country has certainly been interesting and perplexing. It’s clear that the father he travels the more worldly possessions he discards and the more demons he confronts. After his car breaks down, Don is forced to stay over at a motel in Kansas. That eventually leads to his meet Andy, a hustling drifter and night of camaraderie and bonding at an American Legion Hall. Don meets Jerry Fandango, who also served in Korea, and they tell personal war stories.

Don lets down his guard and admits to killing his Commanding Officer. “I blew him apart…and I got to go home,” he says. Then Don is falsely accused of stealing the Legion’s donation funds ($40) and gets knocked around and told he can’t have the keys to his car until he returns the money. Don confronts the real thief, Andy, the money is returned and Don hits the road again. Andy has the balls to ask Don for a ride to the bus stop which takes a surprising turn. Don pulls up to the bus stop and instead of tossing Andy out of his car, Don tosses his keys to Andy and says “Don’t waste this.” As the dust from the departing Cadillac clears, we see Don sitting alone on the bus stop bench with some clothes and necessities packed into a Sears shopping bag. Rather than look pathetic there is a calm, contented smile on Don’s face.

Mad Men has taken its final turn in the road and I am eagerly and sadly waiting to see what is on the horizon.

SC&P’s offices at the Time-Life building are being emptied while Harry and Roger look on. Roger cynically asks Harry if they packed his computer and an almost giddy Harry tells Roger that McCann has a floor full of computers and “five men and ten women just handling data.” Harry may not get the partnership he wanted, but he will have plenty of toys to play with. Unfortunately, most of Harry’s SC&P colleagues did not fare as well.

As Joan is settling in to her new office, copywriters Karen and Libby express interest in working on Topaz, and Avon and invite Joan to join their regular “informal ladies club” gathering at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central station. The Oyster Bar was a happening place for Madison Avenue folks to get “relaxed” for their commute home. Joan explains that Peggy was responsible for those accounts but they told Joan they’d “love to share the crumbs.” Everything went downhill fast for Joan after that. Joan is conscientiously trying to integrate her accounts into McCann by preparing briefing books and scheduling client calls. In merger situations clients must be made to feel important and assured of continuity with key executives. Joan makes the call to Barry at Avon with Dennis, a McCann “suit” by her side. Dennis obviously didn’t read the briefing book and he interrupts and makes a complete ass of himself. After the call, a pissed off Joan chastises him for not caring about SC&P’s accounts. Dennis dismisses Joan telling her she doesn’t have the authority to tell him what to do.

Joan decides to take her concerns up the chain of command and she suffers the consequences. She tells Ferg about Dennis and Avon and he immediately promises to fix things. Ferg explains that Dennis won’t work for a girl (slap) and that he will work directly with her on the account. He tells Joan, “You will get the respect you desire now that it’s just you and me.” Joan’s fleeting moment of satisfaction turns tochauvinistic crap when Ferg suggests the two take a trip to visit Avon in Atlanta and that he’s “not expecting anything more than a good time.” Pow. Joan is devastated and confides in Richard and decides to take her complaints to the top.

She meets with Jim Hobart to make the case that her partner status at SC&P should carry weight at McCann. Jim tells Joan her status has changed and says, “Your little stake doesn’t mean anything here.” Joan asks Hobart to buy out her equity stake of $500,000 which quickly spirals into a heated exchange about lawyers, workplace harassment and discrimination. Joan is brilliant and stands her ground, prompting Hobart to offer Joan “fifty cents on the dollar to never see your face again.” Joan refuses and Hobart summarily throws Joan out of his office saying he’d rather give the money to the lawyers. Later Roger meets with Joan and urges her to take the offer. A very sad, deflated Joan agrees and becomes casualty number one of the “new beginning.” It is highly likely that McCann will loose Joan’s accounts unless Peggy can be the glue that binds them to McCann. I’m hoping that Joan, secure with her $250K, will have some fun and adventure with Richard. Go for it Joan.

Peggy, on the other hand, faces different challenges. Initially mistaken as a secretary, Peggy finds herself without an office or a clearly defined role at McCann and Joan’s departure is likely to complicate matters further. Marsha from HR apologetically shows up at Peggy’s apartment with her “secretarial welcome flowers.” Peggy says “I’m a copy supervisor and I’m not setting foot in there until I have an office.” Peggy decides to work temporarily at SC&P empty offices until she can properly take up residence at McCann. The next day Marsha calls Peggy at SC&P informing her that her new office is ready but sparsely furnished with a drafting table. As Peggy gets ready to leave she sees Roger playing an electric organ. Roger and Peggy get to share some rare moments of truth, frankness, and fun that are wonderful to watch. Roger convinces Peggy to postpone her walk over to McCann and they both get very drunk on vermouth.

An emboldened Peggy decides to give Roger a piece of her mind. “You were supposed to watch out for us!” she says. Roger replies with his usual, unsympathetic Sterling wisdom. He says “This business doesn’t have feelings. You get bought, you get sold, you get fired… even if your name’s on the damn door, you should know better than to get attached to some walls.” Roger regales Peggy with some war stories and Peggy gleefully skates around the office as Roger knocks out tunes on the organ. Priceless. The next day Peggy makes her cocky, cool entrance to McCann with her octopussy painting in hand radiating a confident don’t mess with me attitude. Peggy will be just fine.

While Roger is playing the organ at SC&P, Don meets with Jim Hobart to find out that they have great accounts lined up for him like Nabisco, National Cash Register “and your old friend Conrad Hilton.” Jim feeds Don’s ego further by telling him that McCann got Miller Beer for him by purchasing one of their current agencies. In fact, McCann did purchase a Miller Agency, Mathisson & Company, in 1970 which Age referenced in a recent article.   Hobart adds, “You’re my white whale and I’m expecting you bring things up a notch around here.” Jim is expecting Don to take the bait and bring his Don Draper magic to McCann. Hobart even gets Don to say out loud, “I’m Don Draper from McCann-Erickson,” hoping that this affirmation will seal the deal. It has just the opposite effect.

Don walks into a crowded conference room full of other McCann creative directors, including Ted, for a briefing on a new Miller diet beer. AT SC&P this meeting would have included, Pete, Roger and Don, with Don making the recommendations on how to proceed. As the meeting starts Don tunes out and stares at a jet flying outside the window, and walks out as Ted watches and smiles. As far as Don is concerned McCann is the farthest thing from his mind. His first stop is the Francis home to take Sally back to school but she’s already left. Before Don sets out on his quest to find Diana, he and Betty have a warm bonding moment. Don completely checks out of McCann and hits the road on his quest with an occasional visitation from Bert Cooper. Not even Roger knows what Don is up to. In the meantime, back at McCann Jim Hobart’s patience is wearing thin and complains to Roger about Don and Joan. Jim is beginning to realize that his “white whale “ may not have been worth the quest.

An important part of the action in “Lost Horizon” involves McCann’s pursuit of a new diet beer from the Miller Brewing Company. Miller had acquired a small brand called Meister Brau and they worked on perfecting what became known as “Lite Beer From Miller.” After successful test marketing, the brand was introduced nationally in 1975 and became a huge success. A critical factor in its success was the inventive and famous advertising developed by McCann-Erickson (of course) that featured iconic all-star athletes including Bubba Smith, Dick Butkus, and John Madden.

Next week’s “The Milk and Honey Route” episode will unfold against rich and juicy backdrop.  Don is on the road again to Dianaville, Roger is confined to what he describes as McCann’s old age home floor, Ted is happily in love with his situation, Joan is free to define her own future, Peggy is ready to kick some serious ass, Pete is lying low, and Jim Hobart is loosing his patience. I can’t wait.

After Joan informs Roger that the cancellation of the lease emanated from the “overlords” at McCann-Erickson, Roger immediately calls Ferg and tells him to fix the mistake. Ferg tells Roger that there is no mistake. In order to avoid paying expensive rent on two floors in the Time Life building, they will be moving SC&P’s whole office into McCann’s building. “We’re bringing you home,” Ferg says, and they set up a meeting with Jim Hobart. This is a blow that even cool as ice Roger Sterling has trouble absorbing. In Don’s office Roger announces the loss of the lease to the partners and says SC&P doesn’t exist and admits, “they’ve been had.” After the partners’ initial shock and Pete’s feeble refusal to go, Joan reminds them of their four-year contracts and non-compete clauses. Reality bites quickly. Do what you are told or risk loosing your newly found fortunes and being sued. Next stop, the meeting with Jim Hobart.

The partners realize that the negative fallout from this move will be serious and widespread. The disappearance of the agency name is the most visible manifestation but the personal fallout hits even harder. Don, Roger, Pete, Joan, and Ted are no longer the bosses. They each will be working for someone else on a specific account or in a management role. In addition to saving rent, McCann will also be cutting head count and duplicate back office functions. Careers will be disrupted, egos bruised, and friendships strained. As I have written in prior posts, I experienced this firsthand when McCann acquired Geers Gross in the 80s and can attest to the professional and personal strain ahead of them.

As Don contemplates the future over his mid-day scotch, he has a Don Draper “save the day” idea. Lou Avery’s departure leaves vacant office space on the West Coast just waiting to be filled by yet another SC&P reincarnation. In true Mad Men form, Roger, Don, Pete, Joan, and Ted scramble to pull off one more escape by developing a business plan for Sterling Cooper West. They plan to secure clients that will be lost due to merger conflicts by setting up shop at the West Coast agency thereby providing McCann safe haven for the lost revenue and way to keep the partners in the McCann family. “We can make McCann money that they’d have to throw away,” Don says. In his mind, an offer they can’t refuse. The partners work quickly to line up three clients but even champagne and caviar cannot convince Ken to move the Dow account to their satellite agency. Ken matter-of-factly rejects their offer and suggests he will most likely consolidate his business with one of his other agencies, McManus, Johns & Adams. McManus was a well-established mid-west agency and a good logical choice for the Dow business. Sweet revenge.

Undaunted and armed with flip charts and the legendary Don Draper charm the partners meet with Jim Hobart and the McCann top brass. Don barely gets into his pitch and, sensing where this is headed, Hobart clears the room and delivers the final dose of reality to the partners. He tells them it’s over and says, “You are dying and going to advertising heaven,” and adds, “Stop struggling, you won.” Jim Hobart’s definition of victory is that the partners are now executives at global agency working with major league clients using products like Building Wrap advertising. What more could they ask for? Jim recites the names of these coveted clients Ortho (Ted is delighted), Nabisco (Perfect For Pete), Buick (A playground for Roger) and of course Coca Cola (The big stage for Don to cement his creative legacy). There is no mention of an account for Joan, and she is treated as if she didn’t exist. Joan realizes the best she can hope for is a continued role on Avon and knows that she will definitely have a tough time in the boys club. The scene of the stunned and humbled partners sitting at the conference room table perfectly captures their reality. They are rich “employees” and no longer owners and entrepreneurs.

Later the partners gather at dinner to commiserate and contemplate their futures. Each of the partners has different emotions. Roger laments the passing of the Sterling name and legacy and proposes a toast to Bert Cooper. Ted is relieved he is staying in New York; Joan recognizes that “at least we went down swinging,” and Don stays remarkably calm and collected. Don even gives Roger his blessing to get it on with Megan’s mother warning him that she is crazy. Now that’s a close relationship.

The fate of the mid-level employees is much less certain. Pete gives Peggy a heads-up on the developments with McCann so she can plan her next moves. “Having a leg up on the rats that fly off this ship is going to help you,” he says. This is an important moment for Peggy and her next move could dramatically affect her career. She wastes no time and privately meets with a headhunter who pulls no punches in laying out her options. He tells Peggy that most of the big agencies have an Ivy-League-only hiring mentality for high-level creative jobs. Without this pedigree he advises Peggy to stay at McCann for a few years to work on big, visible accounts and she will be “worth four times what she is earning now.” He also warns her about taking speculative meetings with agencies and says, “Word always gets out and McCann is vindictive.”

The next day Peggy and Stan talk about their status and Peggy lets it be known that she will most likely stay with McCann. Hopefully she will not give up on her dream to be the creative director of an agency. It looks like Stan is leaning the same way. Peggy also bears her soul to Stan about giving up her child for a career and their emotional bond deepens. There is definitely more to come between Peggy and Stan.

The next day the partners gather to announce the dissolution of SC&P into McCann-Erickson to a very nervous and agitated group of employees. Most of them have heard a version of this “change for the better” speech before from Roger and Don. This time when they round up the employees to announce the move the reception is starkly different. “This is the beginning of something, not the end,” Don says. The employees whisper among themselves, ignore him, and angrily disperse. They realize that many of them will not have a job and no amount of empty reassurance from the partners carries any weight. They now work for McCann.

SC&P. R.I.P. (Again)

Past episodes of “Mad Men” chronicled Don’s attempts to face up to his past and clean up his present state of affairs. From acknowledging his humble, shadowy beginnings, to coming clean with Sally, to peeling off a cool million-dollar check for Megan, Don has definitely made progress in this regard. “Forecast” sets Don on a new trajectory of contemplating and envisioning his future. Don’s search for meaning and vision is the catalyst for most of his interactions in the office and on the home front. The closing song of last week’s “New Business” episode set the stage perfectly. ”Is that all there is?”

At SC&P, Roger reminds Don that their “benevolent overlords” at McCann are convening a state of the business executive retreat in the Bahamas and that SC&P has been asked to present its vision of the future. Roger makes a cynical comment about not being caught drinking anything other than Coke (McCann’s big billing account) and tells Don that Harry is providing the numbers. He needs Don to write an inspirational mission statement and agency vision that will impress the boys at McCann. Roger suggests “something like the Gettysburg Address”, only in 2,550 words instead of 272. Roger’s request sets Don on path of introspection and seeking a deeper truth. Don spends most of the episode asking his colleagues to articulate their dreams and aspirations. As they open up to Don, he questions the meaning and relevance of it all. 

McCann has a rich history of convening big think management meetings. With its global expansion underway and an aggressive acquisition program in place, these retreats were an important part of McCann’s operations. When I arrived at McCann in the mid 80s the retreats were still being held and I attended a few of them. I distinctly remember a meeting held at a Florida Keys resort (where the CEO anchored his boat) under the theme of “Unleashing Our Power & Passion”. I found them inspiring and a great way to connect with the people behind the creative work. McCann was still a boys club and the free time usually convened around fishing, golf, tennis, lots of alcohol and, of course, Coca Cola products everywhere.

This is Don’s opportunity to envision the next decade for advertising, the agency and, by extension, himself. This should be a big platform for Don to shine. He asks his secretary for a copy of SCD&P’s first press release for some inspiration and then hits the office couch to dictate a draft. Don starts, “We know where we’ve been. We know where we are. Let’s assume that it’s good. Imagine it gets better. It’s supposed to get better.” His fumbling attempt at articulating a vision gets Don off the couch and into the halls of SC&P for inspiration. Don drops in on Ted and finds out that Ted turned down Roger’s request for help. Don whines about their situation at McCann and says, “There’s less to actually do and more to think about.” Apparently, being rich with a lot of free time isn’t enough for Don. Ted tells Don that his dream is to land an oil company and a pharmaceutical and enjoy the prestige and money attached to them. Don says that before the McCann acquisition he wondered whether he would even be in the business and observes, “Bigger accounts, that’s your greatest desire?”

Don’s next step on the path to enlightenment turns Peggy’s demand for a performance review into a shrink session for Don. Peggy clearly articulates her goals: to be the first woman creative director at the agency, to land a huge client, to write a catch phrase. Peggy wants lasting, enduring fame. She is deeply offended when Don incredulously replies, “in advertising?”. An angry Peggy storms out telling Don it’s exactly what she expects from him. “Write down your dreams so I can shit all over them.” So far, Don’s quest for an inspiring vision for the agency and himself is a big disappointment

A problem with the Peter Pan client set sets the stage for awkward interactions between Don, Peggy and the creative department. Pete tells Don that Mathis dropped the f***bomb in a client meeting after they criticized his work on Peter Pan Cookies. (As an aside, I couldn’t find any references to a Peter Pan cookie introduction in the 70s, but it would have been a smart line extension.) They review new creative ideas to name the product Tinkerbelle supported with advertising using humorous puns like, “One ‘tink’ and you’re hooked”. Don stands up for Mathis and later they discuss how Don diffused a similar situation with an opening lighthearted joke.

When they next meet with Peter Pan executives, Mathis takes Don’s suggestion a bit too literally and jokingly says, “I can’t believe you two have the balls to walk back into this place after the way you embarrassed yourselves.” The clients do not react well. A pissed off Mathis storms into Don’s office informing Don that he’s now off the account and blames Don’s terrible advice for the outcome. He tells Don that “guys like you” never have to apologize. Don shoots back telling Mathis he failed because he has no character. Mathis seals his fate when he says, “You don’t have any character. You’re just handsome”.  Game over. ”Mathis, you’re fired.” I’ve encountered a number of “creatives behaving badly” situations and resolving them requires a delicate balancing act between creative department morale and client management. It is difficult for the creative teams to recover from situations like this. Securing approval of creative work often hinges on the client’s personal trust and confidence in the creative team. Once that is lost, tension and unease prevail and the approval process deteriorates.

Joan travels to SC&P’s Los Angeles office to discuss talent recruitment with Lou Avery
and to interview an account group candidate, Jim McCloud. In addition to recruiting a new account man, Joan recruited Richard Burghoff to be her lover. Despite Richard’s initial misgivings about Joan’s family status, he sees the light and continues to woo Joan in New York. As Richard remarked when he first met Joan, “I may be near sighted, but I‘m not blind”. Hopefully this is Joan’s time to find happiness by adding a new beau to her recently acquired millionaire lifestyle. I am looking forward to seeing Roger’s reaction. 

I also enjoyed seeing how Lou Avery is making the most his exile at SC&P West and adapting to the laid back, entertainment culture of Hollywood. Creative people often work on sideline projects and it’s no surprise when Dee tells Joan that Lou is spending a lot of time working on his comic with Hanna-Barbera.

The Draper family also experienced some unexpected, tense encounters. A thin, cool
looking Glen Bishop drops by Sally’s house to let them now that he has enlisted in the army and will be headed to Viet Nam. Sally erupts, expresses her disapproval and storms off. Later, Glen returns and stuns Betty when he tells her that he feels safe in joining the army “because I know you’re mine.” Betty rebuffs his attempt to kiss her. Glen eventually admits that he’s joining because he flunked out of school and Betty offers him some comfort. Don hosts a farewell dinner for Sally and her friends who are setting off on a teen tour excursion. One of Sally’s friends flirts with Don and that sets Sally off on a tirade accusing Don and Betty of not being able to control themselves when they receive attention. She tells Don that she wants to get away from both of them.

After Sally’s Greyhound bus departs, Don returns to his empty, lonely apartment expecting more of the same. Instead, Melanie delivers the good news that she sold the apartment at full price with a 30 day closing. As she goes back into the apartment to close the deal, she says to Don, “Now we just have to find a place for you.” Once again, Don is left standing alone contemplating his future. This time, however, he is outside his apartment in the empty hallway as “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” plays in the background.

The remaining episodes will reveal just how successful Don is at finding his place.

As he exits, Don pauses to watch the family enjoying themselves. He has a pained look of longing and sadness as he contemplates what could have been. The episode closes with Don being totally surprised after walking into his stripped-bare, totally empty apartment, courtesy of Megan’s mother. Don’s look of surprise turns to shock as he contemplates the reality of what is.

In between the milkshakes and the movers, Don has some heavy and emotional get-togethers with his latest conquest, Diana. He scoured the City to find her, and Diana is already adding more complexity to Don’s already dark and layered life. Don finally comes to grips with his mistreatment of Megan and decides to be a stand-up guy. Don eases his guilt with a cool million dollar divorce settlement check (about six million in today’s dollars) and hopes he can close the door on this chapter of his life.

Fortunately for Don, the most eventful thing he had to deal with at SC&P was Roger’s announcing an unanticipated golf game with a potential client, Derby Foods. Pete greets Don with a set of golf clubs and Don declines. He also decides not to change out of his Mad Men uniform telling Pete that the client will enjoy seeing him on the first tee in a suit. As crazy as that sounds, I have played golf with a client who had to wear his office garb. I offered to foot the bill for golf gear but he wouldn’t hear of it. We had a good laugh. Hopefully Don’s client has a good sense of humor. Derby Foods was a visible and valued account in the 60s and 70s. Derby Foods, a subsidiary of Swift & Company, marketed a number of popular consumer brands including Peter Pan peanut butter. Originally packaged in a tin can with a turnkey and re-closable lid, packaging was changed to glass jars due to metal shortages during World War II. The brand received strong advertising over the years and Peter Pan advertising employed a number of spokespersons including the popular 1970s comic Alan Sues. Here’s his 1972 commercial.

Harry and Don’s paths cross again with Megan at the intersection. Harry hits a new low when he takes advantage of Megan’s need for a new talent agent. Over lunch, Harry sleazily suggests they meet in his hotel room to discuss the possibilities. Megan is humiliated and let’s Harry know what she thinks of him and his proposal. In an attempt to head off possible issues with Don, Harry at tells him that Megan is unstable and beyond hope. He tells Don, “She quit her soap and left New York. That was a really dumb idea.” It is very likely that Harry’s sleaze ball behavior will come back to haunt him.

A new character, Pima Ryan, enters the dynamic at SC&P, complicating Stan and Peggy’s already-coolingrelationship. Pima Ryan is a celebrated fashion photographer that Peggy wants to hire for the Cinzano account. At the agency Peggy, Ed and Stan discuss Pima’s work and reputation while Stan scoffs at the idea. Peggy let’s Stan know that it’s her decision and hires Pima. On the set of the Cinzano shoot Peggy introduces Stan to Pima and he rudely puts down her work. Peggy apologizes and an unflustered Pima says, “Men like him don’t bother me.” Later, Pima walks in on Stan in the dark room while he’s viewing his photos of his girlfriend Elaine. Pima says, “She’s not worthy of you,” kisses him and they undress. So much for Stan’s objection to Pima. Later, Peggy and Pima discuss photos from the Cinzano shoot. Pima comes on to Peggy, offers to take her photo but Peggy declines. In Peggy’s office, Stan is suddenly singing the praises of Pima’s work and intimates that he slept with her. Peggy suggests Pima likes women and reminds him about his girlfriend, of course if you want to get a girlfriend and more, you can use meetandfuck games just for this.

Working with celebrated photographers has always been part of the creative dynamic at agencies, especially on fashion you can learn more about with this menstyle1.com briefcase guide, luxury and image driven accounts. Art director’s especially gravitated in this direction as a way to enhance their work, collaborate with the best, and get a taste of the celebrity lifestyle. World-renowned photographers such as Deborah Turbeville, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Hiro and others were paid handsomely for their work on some of the Mad Men era’s most famous campaigns. Cinzano is a premium, imported alcoholic beverage brand noted for its classic advertising posters and distinctive advertising. In the ’70s the brand ran print advertising that could have used Pima’s touch. However, some of Cinzano’s most celebrated advertising ran on television. Perhaps the most well known is a series of humorous commercials starring Leonard Rossiter and Joan Collins that ran in the late ’70s.  You will enjoy watching these.

The other new business that stirred some interest was Roger’s re-connecting with some old business. After filling up the moving truck with all of Don’s belongings, Megan’s mom, Marie, calls Roger at SC&P begging for cash to pay the mover. Roger comes to the rescue and receives an offer from Marie he can’t refuse. Now, Roger is complicit in Don’s empty apartment dilemma and the break-up of Marie’s marriage. I’m sure Don and Roger will share a drink and joke about it all.

“Severance” picks up in April of 1970. The haunting voice of Peggy Lee singing, “Is That All There Is?” sets the mood and tone of the episode perfectly. Mad Men’s use of music as poignant accent pieces has been brilliant every season. Pete and Joan may be richer but not happier. Don is still haunted by his past; Roger has morphed into yet another caricature of himself; Ted is a 70s version of a swinging Don, and Peggy is still discontent and alone. In keeping with the times, longer hair and mustaches have become look of the day at SC&P for just about everyone except Don. His slick-backed hair is perfectly cut and he still wears a hat. Out of the office Don and Roger continue their womanizing ways. Don is so much in demand that he needs an answering service to help mange his escapades.

Madison Avenue was moving on from the heady creative atmosphere of the 60s into a more direct and competitive style of advertising in a media landscape now dominated by television. As a result, advertising budgets were getting bigger, the standard 15% commission system was being questioned, and the pace and size of consolidations and acquisitions were accelerating. In my “Waterloo” recap I discussed the fact that despite all the good intentions of promised agency independence, it rarely turns out to be the reality in day to day operations. So it is no surprise to see the long arm of McCann reaching into the halls of SC&P with disruptive consequences.

Ken Cosgrove is the first casualty. Ken worked at McCann in the past and he was instrumental in helping move the Birdseye account away from McCann to Sterling Cooper. McCann management was not very happy about that. Ken’s position at the agency was solid because his father-in-law was the top man at SC&P’s client, Dow Chemical. When Ken’s father-in-law announces his retirement, McCann management decides it is pay back time and Roger gets right in line. Ken meets with Roger and Ferguson Donnelly from McCann and volunteers to step in on Dow to help with the transition to the new client representative. Roger coldly tells Ken that Pete will take over the Dow account because McCann doesn’t want Ken on the business. Ken is surprised and asks if this is because of Birdseye. Ferguson shoots back, “We don’t want you on any business.” Roger assures Ken he will receive a generous severance package if Ken helps Pete secure his accounts. Later, Don offers to speak to Hobart at McCann on Ken’s behalf but Ken tells him not to since he was thinking of quitting anyway.

As Ken sits with Pete to discuss account turnover, Ken laments that since he is not an Irish Catholic he would never fit in at McCann. Pete encourages him to leave but Ken has second thoughts. The next time Ken sees Pete and Roger he defiantly tells them that can stuff their severance package and announces, “My signing bonus from Dow is so big, it feels like a second helping.” Ken is now head of advertising at Dow and their new client! His exiting line is priceless. “I’m very hard to please.” Now that’s payback. I know from firsthand experience that this can be trying and delicate situation for both Ken and SC&P. In the early 80s I joined Brown Forman and became the client of a former agency (DKG) and few years later I was hired away from Charles Of The Ritz to be president of an agency I once fired (Geers Gross). Fortunately, everything worked out well. I’m not so sure things will go as smoothly for Roger and Pete.

When SC&P is faced with a business problem on the Topaz pantyhose account, another downside of the McCann acquisition emerges. Peggy and Joan fall victim to McCann’s notorious “boys club” culture. Joan, Harry, and Peggy meet with two Topaz executives to discuss the threat of the newly introduced L’eggs pantyhose brand. L’eggs is a budget priced brand, packaged in a plastic egg-shaped container and distributed in supermarkets and mass merchants. When the clients suggest creating a packaging gimmick of their own, Peggy responds brilliantly. “I’d never recommend imitation as a strategy,” Peggy says. “You’ll be second, which is very far from first.” Don Draper couldn’t have said it any better. Later, Joan brings Don up to speed on Topaz and he recommends department stores for distribution and suggests asking McCann Erickson for help since they have the Marshall Field account. It seemed like a good idea and a chance for intra-agency cooperation and team building.

At McCann Erickson, Peggy and Joan meet with two male executives to discuss Topaz. The men behave like disrespectful, chauvinistic frat boys towards both of them, making crude remarks and jokes. Admiring Joan’s obvious physical assets, one of them tells Joan that she should be in the brassiere business because she’s “a work of art.” Instead of Peggy and Joan bonding in response to the insults, it causes friction. Joan complains to Peggy about not being taken seriously and Peggy brings up Joan’s dress and demeanor to which Joan cattily replies that she doesn’t dress like Peggy because she doesn’t look like Peggy. Peggy shots back, “You’re filthy rich! You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do”. So much for camaraderie and intra-agency cooperation.

This is also a situation that is anchored in reality. L’eggs actually was introduced in 1970 and it had a massive impact on the hosiery business. Dancer Fitzgerald and Sample (DFS) was the agency that worked on the introduction and collaborated with the highly respected Herb Lubalin on packaging design. The plastic egg packaging they created was unique and L’eggs went on to be a roaring success. The other reality is the Irish Catholic, male dominated culture of McCann. The boys’ club culture was deeply engrained at that time and drove the agency for many years to come. My friend and colleague Nina Disesa published a best selling book about it,Seducing The Boys Club. Nina is an exceptionally talented creative director who mastered both the art of advertising and succeeding at McCann.

A recent Wall Street Journal blog post reported on present day McCann Erickson’s reaction to the negative references. They acknowledged it with a very clever real time posts on Twitter.

The article also quoted the former Chairman of McCann, John Dooner. He described the Mad Men days as a “time gone by,” and added that in those days McCann employed men who were “brilliant in their work and characters in their lifestyle.” Well said. Coincidently, John is the McCann CEO who engineered the purchase of Geers Gross and the reason I ended up at McCann. John is a great guy and I enjoyed my time working with him.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the McCann relationship evolves, what’s next for Peggy and Joan, and how difficult and demanding Ken can be.

The July, 1969 moon landing mesmerized the world, and kept everyone on edge hoping for the astronauts’ safe return. “Waterloo” draws on the emotions of that event as the backdrop for the next stage of SC&P’s evolution. Ted pulls a bonehead “death wish” stunt with the Sunkist client, leading to his announcement to Jim that he’s burnt out and wants Jim to buy out his interest in the agency. Jim brushes this off, and makes another move to oust Don from the agency.

Jim’s bold move intertwines with the death of Bert Cooper to trigger a series of maneuvers by the partners. The setbacks and bounce backs that follow create a roller coaster ride of emotions. Don challenges Jim’s unilateral decision to fire him and wins a shaky vote of confidence, only to have it disappear with Bert’s death. Bert’s death motivates Roger to heed his “final” admonition to step up and be a leader. Don’s transformation from a self-centered, pompous, creative drunk to a conscientious, sober, creative leader and mentor seems genuine and complete. Don and Peggy move forward to a wonderful new place in their relationship. Inspired by Don, Peggy finally blossoms into the star creative director she aspires to be. Roger and Don restore their leadership in the agency and the partners finally unite under a common purpose – money. The door to the next and final iteration of SC&P is opened.

You’re Fired.

Jim Cutler’s crusade to rid the agency of Don is on hold due to the possibility of the assignment of the Commander brand from Phillip Morris. Lou informs Jim “Commander cigarettes is dead” because they are consolidating it with other Phillip Morris brands at Leo Burnett. Jim tells Lou “There will other tobacco opportunities now that people know we’re available.” Lou snaps back that it took him ten years to build his tobacco resume and that Don’s performance at the Commander meeting “turned me into a joke.” Cutler tells Lou, “We don’t owe you anything, and you’re a hired hand.” Take that.

With Commander off the table and Lou put in his place, Jim makes a unilateral decision to fire Don for breach of contract. True to form, Jim delivers that news to Don in a letter from SC&P’s attorney attested to by all the partners. Sensing that something is amiss, Don bursts into Cutler’s office and says, “You set that meeting to force me out of the agency. What was I supposed to do?” Cutler tells Don that he is not intimidated by him and says, “You’re just a bully and a drunk.” Jim invites Don to take a swing at him. Perhaps the old Don might have thrown a punch, but the new Don fights fire with fire, summoning all the partners into the hall for a very public partners meeting and asks for an immediate vote on his termination. All the partners, except Joan, express their surprise at Cutler’s bold move and Don wins by one vote. This is clearly a case of Jim overstepping his bounds and, in some ways, acting a bit like the old Don. The partners have every right to be upset and leery of Jim’s motivations and trustworthiness. Joan sums it up perfectly and tells Cutler, “You shouldn’t have done that.”

Bert’s Passing, Roger’s Resurrection

After learning of Bert’s death, a clearly shaken Roger reaches out to inform the partners, meeting Joan and Jim at the office. At SC&P, after Roger removes Cooper’s nameplate from his office door, an emotional Joan hugs Roger and offers condolences. Then, without missing a beat, Joan wants to immediately start calling clients and Cutler’s returns to his obsession with Don’s ouster. Jim reminds them that with Bert gone, he now has the votes to fire him. He says it’s time to look toward the “agency of the future,” with “media buys pinpointed with surgical accuracy,” and that agency doesn’t include Don.

Roger is frustrated and disgusted with both of them and wryly asks, “Is this what would happen if I died?” Roger calls Don in Indiana and tells him about Bert’s passing. They share very real and raw moments of sadness and it’s clear that Bert meant a lot to both of them. Roger also tells Don that Cutler is already talking about getting rid of him now that Bert is dead. Roger says to Don, “Now I’m going to lose you too.” After this conversation, both Don and Roger take positive steps to work for the greater good of the agency. Don decides to seize the moment to motivate Peggy and insulate her from any fallout from his impending ouster. With Bert’s words about leadership echoing in his mind, Roger steps up and takes control of the agency’s future to provide a new path forward that definitely includes Don. Shining moments for both of them.

Passing Of The Torch

Rehearsed and ready to go, the Burger Chef team flies to Indiana. They all watch the moon landing and go to bed expecting to deliver their planned pitch the next morning. After his call with Roger Don takes action. The eve of a new business pitch is intense, pressure filled and sleepless. News of this magnitude could seriously disrupt and deflate a new business team if not handled correctly. Sometimes it is best to hold the news until after the presentation.

Don decides to let the team know and then does everything he can to help Peggy win the business. Don goes to Peggy’s room, announces the change of plans and tells her that she must lead the Burger Chef presentation. Don explains the ramifications of Bert’s death on his job security and says, “If I win this business, and then I go, you’ll be left with nothing.” Peggy is hesitant and nervous, but Don encourages her and offers to practice the pitch with her. The next day at the Burger Chef presentation, Don introduces Peggy by lauding her knowledge of the Burger Chef consumer and her creative talent. He then says, “Every brand has a story and here’s Peggy to tell you the Burger Chef story.”

Peggy takes a page out of Don’s playbook, and begins her story by drawing on Armstrong’s walking on the moon and how it provided an uplifting, emotional connection that people hunger for. Everyone in the room is spellbound and the client urges her on saying, “That is beautiful.” Peggy explains how Burger Chef offers a place where “we can have the connection we’re hungry for.” Then Peggy delivers the slogan “There’s family supper at Burger Chef.” Don knows that she’s nailed it and smiles. It doesn’t get any better that that for a creative director. This is Peggy’s “Carousel” moment.

McCann Sterling Cooper

While the team is pitching Burger Chef, Roger is pitching Jim Hobart from McCann-Erickson on the wisdom of McCann’s purchasing a 51 percent interest in SC&P. This is Roger at his best, using the threat of competition on Buick, and the promise of Don’s creative mastery to create the case for operating SC&P as an independent subsidiary.

He cites McCann’s purchase and operation of The Marschalk agency as precedent. Roger proposes that he would be president and run the agency “without Jim Cutler and all that baggage from CGC.” Jim says he’ll think about it, but tells Roger it won’t work without Ted Chaough: “GM thinks he and Don Draper are one person.” So, in one brilliant move, Roger secures the agency’s future, eliminates the annoyance of Jim Cutler and enriches the partners financially.

Roger also knows that they have been down this road before with McCann and that he will have to overcome some partners’ perceptions that working for McCann is worse that being in hell. Hopefully he can convince Don and Ted that the promise of independence is real and that they will have creative freedom. When Don arrives home, Roger tells him about McCann’s offer and explains that he’d be president and Don would keep his “real job.” Don pushes back, but Roger convinces him by saying, “Cutler’s not going to stop until the firm is just Harry and the computer.”

The next day, Roger tells the partners about McCann’s offer and says, “We finally turned this place into a legitimate threat, and they’d like to neutralize it with cold, hard cash.” Harry tries to join the meeting and is dismissed and told, “You’re not a partner yet?” Jim immediately resists, Ted says he’s done with advertising and the other partners are skeptical. When Roger lets them know that they each would have five-year contracts and that a 5% stake would be worth millions of dollars the tide turns.

Without Ted there is no deal, so Don delivers a heartfelt pep talk to Ted telling him that now he can be relieved of management burdens and “get back to creating”. Don tells him that he knows what it’s like to not have work and says, “You don’t want to see what happens when it’s really gone.” Ted agrees and so does Jim saying, “It’s a lot of money.” With the deal done they head out of the office to let the staff know about Bert and Peggy gives Don the news that they landed Burger Chef. The pieces are falling into place.

The McCann acquisition has historical validity. In fact, McCann did purchase Marschalk in 1954 and it operated as a smaller independent subsidiary. In 1960 the agency was renamed McCann-Marschalk and flourished for a few years. Eventually, the agency floundered and went through a number of transitions and consolidations within IPG and the Marschalk name disappeared around 1990. As pointed out in other reviews, agency acquisitions are tricky, delicate and difficult to manage.

The insulation of independence helps forestall the inevitable, but eventually the culture and ethos of the smaller agency fades away and disappears. This is what will likely happen to SC&P under McCann. The McCann acquisition also hit home with me personally. In 1988 I was President of London based Geers Gross advertising and McCann purchased our US operation in New York. We did not operate independently and the agency’s clients and personnel, including me, were absorbed into McCann New York. I was asked to sign a two-year contract and after fulfilling my obligations I left McCann to pursue other opportunities. I returned to McCann in 1995 and worked there for another eight years eventually retiring as Vice Chairman of the agency. My experiences at McCann were very positive and I still treasure the relationships I made.

As Mad Men heads into its final run, some people will be notably absent. Megan is history as Don’s wife number two. While Bert will be at the agency in spirit, it’s highly likely that Lou and Jim will be excess baggage and exit SC&P. It also remains to be seen how Harry will take being screwed out of  his partner “payout.” We’ve also seen the last of Sally the child as Sally the young woman steps out.

The episode ends with Don’s vision of Bert singing an uplifting version of  “The Best Things In Life Are Free.” “Waterloo” delivers  a hopeful ending that is, hopefully, a precursor of Mad Men’s final chapter.

Bob Benson Crashes Into Town

A very confident Bob Benson arrives at the agency with the Chevy clients in tow. He receives a very warm welcome and proudly shows off SC&P’s new computer as Joan looks on. They are in NYC for meetings with the networks to review television pilots and Chevy’s television needs for the upcoming year. As TV budgets grew these meetings evolved into the elaborate ” Up Front” extravaganzas that take place in New York every spring. In 1969 GM was one of the top five television advertisers and they commanded special attention, just as they do today, as advertising is important in TV and in the real world, and that’s why the use of a 48 sheet advertising service can be great for this.

These meetings always involve intense client entertainment with each network trying to outdo the other. So, it’s no surprise that Bob gets a phone call requesting that he post bail for the Chevy client, Bill Hartley, who was busted for lewd acts with a male undercover officer. In a cab, Bill and Bob have a frank discussion about their mutual need for discretion and agree that this is their secret. Bill also drops a bombshell and tells Bon that Chevy is dropping SC&P: “Your agency had a successful try-out, but the plan was always to take the XP in-house.” Bill’s reference to “in-house” refers to the fact GM worked with a closed, select group of “club agencies” and that they would be assigning the XP to one of them, Campbell Ewald. The club agencies were a select, closed group of agencies that handled all of GM’s brands and Campbell Ewald was one of the longest standing and biggest.

The agency was awarded the Chevrolet business in 1912 and continued with GM for more than 90 years. Bill also reassures Bob that he is “safe” and that he will get a job offer from Buick. McCann-Erickson is Buick’s agency. When Roger meets Jim Hobart from McCann in the steam room at the NYAC, Jim already knows about the impending shift and hints at his unease. ” Jim says, “You’ve got your little car – it’s not Buick, but it’s cute,” and suggests SC&P wants to be like McCann. Jim also teases Roger about the futility of SC&P’s plans to pursue Phillip Morris “with Don Draper haunting your halls.” There are no secrets or sympathies in the small, incestuous world of “Mad Men.”

Movin’ On Up

When Bob and Joan get together over the weekend, Bob reveals the news about Chevy’s departure and his upcoming move to Buick in Detroit. Bob says “GM expects a certain kind of executive.” and he presents Joan with an engagement ring. She pushes it away and says Bob “shouldn’t be with a woman”. Bob coldly reminds Joan that she is “near forty in a two-room apartment with a mother and a little boy,” and he’s offering her “more than anyone else ever will.” Joan says she wants love, not “some arrangement.” Bob will have to look elsewhere for his cover story. Bob also tells Joan that SC&P doesn’t have to worry because “the audition was a success” and that there will be another assignment coming down the road. Bob’s move from the agency to the client side is something that really hit home with me. Sometimes clients will hire agency account people as a way to bring in someone familiar with their company who could add a fresh perspective to their business. That happened to me. While at DKG advertising I handled the Brown Forman Distillers account. In 1980 they hired me away from Ketchum to be President of their Jos. Garneau Division and that started to my almost ten year stint as a “client” in the alcoholic beverage and fragrance industries. A fabulous experience which Bob Benson is sure to discover.

At the agency, the partners meet to discuss the Chevy loss and Jim Cutler jumps on this as an opportunity to advance his agenda of increasing the importance of Media. He proposes, “getting ahead of this” with a “New York Times” article announcing SC&P’s new computer and making Harry Crane a partner. Don lends his support, Roger and Joan object, but Cutler gets his way. Once again the agency partners rush into a decision precipitated by negative events but in this instance it seems like the right thing to do. It will be interesting to see how Harry handles the newly bestowed “respect” that he’s been craving and how his relationship with Don progresses. One also has to wonder if Jim would have made this move with Harry if he knew that Harry is the “mole” that told Don about the Phillip Morris meeting? Later when Joan tells Roger about Bob’s move to Buick it clicks with Roger that McCann is afraid that SC&P will steal the business. It remains to be seen if there is another car in SC&P’s future.  In reality, moving Buick from McCann to SC&P is not likely. In 1958, GM’s Ed Ragsdale surprised everyone on Madison Avenue when he awarded McCann the Buick business and it remained at the agency for more than 50 years.

Bonding Over Burger Chef

Peggy and her team have been conducting research with moms at Burger Chef locations as stimuli for their creative ideation. The team is ready to present their ideas and Pete invites Don to sit in on the creative meeting.  Peggy pitches her idea to Lou, Pete and Ted, who is on the speakerphone in LA that gets favorable reaction from everyone. Pete asks for Don’s opinion. Don thinks it great and adds, “It’s exactly what they wanted.” Pete suggests Don deliver the Burger Chef presentation with Peggy speaking as the mother: “Don will give authority, you will give emotion.”

He explains that Don is mesmerizing and Peggy can be the voice of the mother. Lou hates the idea, Peggy is pissed off and Don is willing to fill the role if needed. Over speakerphone, Ted says that he favors doing whatever it takes to win and that it’s Peggy’s decision. Peggy, feeling disrespected yet again, gives in. She and Don briefly discuss next steps and Don casually mentions that the campaign could also be looked at from the kid’s point of view. His comment plants seeds of doubt in Peggy about her idea and sets the stage for the next Don and Peggy showdown. Later, Peggy calls Don at home, says his “kid’s point of view” idea is “a loser,” then accuses him of undermining her and poisoning her strategy. Don hangs up. Peggy also calls Stan to tell him she doesn’t like the Burger Chef strategy. The damage is done.

The next day, Don drops in on Peggy and asks, “How’s it going?” Now, totally convinced that her idea sucks, Peggy asks Don for his “save the day “ idea. She says, “Pitching the hell out of her shitty idea and failing is not an option.” With the air cleared, Don offers Peggy an olive branch of understanding and collaboration and the obligatory drink. Don tells Peggy that when he gets stuck he finds it best to start again at the beginning. Their “showdown” turns into a soul searching experience and a creative brainstorming session that is wonderful to watch unfold. Peggy asks Don how she’s supposed to know when an idea is good. Don says the job is “living in the not knowing.” He adds, “You can’t tell people what they want. It has to be what you want.”

Peggy reveals she just turned thirty, laments her loneliness and asks, “What did I do wrong?” Don says, “I worry about a lot of things, but I don’t worry about you.” Faced with the reality of his uncertain role at SC&P and the imminent failure of another marriage, Don confesses “that I never did anything, and that I don’t have anyone.” As they kick around ideas, Peggy comes up with a new strategy that focuses on family. Then, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” starts playing on the radio and Don takes Peggy’s hand and they share a very poignant dance. This is one of Don’s and Peggy’s most touching scenes. Later, Don, Pete and Peggy meet at a Burger Chef restaurant for their own makeshift family meal. Peggy reveals her “family” strategy. Pete pushes back a little but Don backs Peggy and asks Pete, “You want it right or not?” Peggy smiles and perhaps she senses that her family is right there at the table.

Back at SC&P, it appears as if Roger and Jim are headed for their own showdown. Jim pushed Harry’s partnership on Roger, the unexpected loss of Chevy and Bob Benson’s role is a point of contention and their mini face off on Phillip Morris is telling. Roger says, “The brand commander of commander brand” and Jim prods Roger to get involved in the pursuit of Phillip Morris and “stop thinking about Don and start thinking about the company.” Can’t wait to see this eruption.

Finally, Burger Chef was again in the spotlight as Don and Peggy explored advertising themes that revolved around moms, kids and families. Here’s a link to the actual “family” commercial that Burger Chef aired in 1970. “Burger Chef. We Always Treat You Right.”