Advertising Agency Executives
Will "Mad Men" and New TV Shows Make Heroes and Villains of Them?
Encouraged by the success of "Mad Men" and product placement potential, networks are working on two more shows that could change how clients and viewers see ad agencies.
AMC’s decision to bring "Mad Men" back for another 13 episodes in 2008 says America has at least some interest in the adventures, foibles and lifestyles of the men and women who work in advertising agencies. It may also been a factor in NBC and TNT continuing to plan their own ad agency shows in the future
According to Brian Steinberg’s April 14, 2008, article in AdAge, TNT is planning to launch an agency-centered program called "Truth in Advertising" in 2009 and NBC is considering a show based on Matt Beaumont’s novel about a London agency. The novel, named "E," is written as a series of agency emails and could lend itself to a comedy more than a drama.
"The truth is we live in a culture where we are constantly selling and being sold. That's a fascinating cultural trend and it's very unique, very resonant in our lives," Michael Wright, a TNT senior vice president, told AdAge.
It has not been announced whether NBC will stick with the name "E" or whether it will switch the agency from London to perhaps New York, America’s advertising capital.
"Truth in Advertising" Will Feature Mythical Chicago Advertising Agency
"Truth in Advertising" centers on a Chicago agency called Rothman, Greene & Mohr. Steinberg said TNT has been working on that show since 2005, indicating "Mad Men" was probably not its inspiration. The AMC show’s success, however, has perhaps been an encouragement to continue its four-year development.
Depicting a Chicago ad shop, rather than a New York agency, may help TNT to relate "Truth in Advertising" a bit more to other agencies around America. Not all agencies share Madison Avenue behavior and characteristics.
The potential influence of three agency shows on television viewers would probably be limited to their general opinions about advertising since most Americans have little direct contact with agencies or even know who produces ads.
However, people who hire agencies might find themselves silently comparing their local agency representatives with the television show’s agency stars, a potential distraction in any business presentation or relationship.
1960s Treatment of Women Enough to Chase Females from Ad Industry
The direct impact of "Mad Men" on viewers, clients and potential advertising recruits may have been lessened by the fact that the drama is about another generation. It is based in the 1960s, beginning with the John F. Kennedy-vs-Richard Nixon presidential campaign. The treatment of women in "Mad Men" is enough to drive 21st Century female recruits away from the business.
In 2007, the show’s website said it was "about the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising, an ego-driven world where key players make an art of the sell while their private world gets sold."
The viewer is at least left with some question whether agency people still operate that way a half century later. If the new TNT and NBC shows are based on 21st Century agency operations, the impact on viewers and agency clients might be significantly greater.
Shows About Ad Agencies Are "Natural Platforms for Product Placements"
Steinberg says the agency shows are seen "as a natural platform for product placement. After all, what could be more integral to a story than a creative director or planner talking about the attributes of a real can of soda, a mobile phone or box of diapers?"
In the "Mad Men" drama, Kennedy and Nixon are the advertising clients and get loads of publicity in the show. In Matt Beaumont’s "E" novel, the plot revolves around efforts to land the Coca-Cola account.
One could guess that placement possibilities are being discussed for all three television agency shows.
