I should have called this one after the first episode of Mad Men that had me begging for at least another hour of dialogue from these women. In an article by Rachel Bertsche for Oprah.com the cat got thrown out of the bag: seven out of the nine writers for the show are women. It isn't that I believe that men can't write or can't possibly understand the thought process of women (because let's face it, Sex and the City is dead on). But for a show that is reflective of a 1960s period piece, it has awfully strong women characters in a time where women were just starting to forcefully push back on their stereotypical roles in life. Doesn't seem like a man's genius at all. Sure, they would still put Joan in a provocative outfit and allow Don to sleep with a variety of women (while married of course) but there is a true sense of empowerment among this group of women that can only be derived from women themselves. Sorry men, but you know it's true.
We are no doubt a progressive society when it comes to women in the workplace. We try to act like we give equality, and sometimes that shines through but business is still a boys club. We have a majority male top tier, and we have not reached a level where our ideas and leadership styles are seen as the best more times than they are rejected. As we phase out generations of leadership into retirement (mostly old guys who think like Bert Cooper), we are able to change things. Like the show's character Peggy, she is expected to set the ground rules for her job, as she is the first woman copywriter to get hired full time to the creative team exploding with testosterone. And while she gives in and sleeps with one of her co-workers, she eventually does get her own office. With a door. And believe it or not the sex had nothing to do with it.
Women still hold this responsibility today; setting the ground rules for our place in business. Robin Veith, the executive story editor for the show said in the article about the dynamic between men and women, "there's more decorum about it now. People have trained themselves to hide it better. I've worked in many offices, and that stuff still goes on. It's just not as blatant, and women have learned to draw lines a little more strongly." Eventually all women will have their own office (with a door) but in the mean time there is a lot to be said about getting what we want by using our "womanly powers" just as we have always done. I am not referring to revealing outfits and suggestive stares in the office hallway, but I am talking about the natural curiosity and playfulness that we all engage in as human beings of the opposite (or same) sex. I think that we can learn a thing or two from Peggy and Joan and keep men weak at the knees while we step over them on the corporate ladder. Their confidence, their assertiveness and their intellect is shown in two very different ways but in the end it is all towards their goals of getting what they want. All the women are incredibly smart no matter how sexy they appear. As the show has progressed over the past two seasons, this season will undoubtedly expand upon this power and show just how they use it to their advantage (and sometimes disadvantage) in their work and professional lives.
Why does this matter at all? Because the way that the show reveals the lives of these women will be a testiment to the viewers who follow them. I was surprised to see that BMW was the sponsor for last Sunday's premier episode because it didn't seem to fit with the audience that I personally know that watches. After reading more about how this show has evolved, the more I know that it was not the right execution for BMW. Men like the sexiness of Mad Men and women like the drama. BMW is a brand that is neither sex nor drama, but it is about speed and the driving "experience". Their messages felt forced into something that they are not. BMW tried to connect their brand with elements of the show, however, the messaging wasn't consistent with what the brand stands for. They were trying to change our minds about diesel engines and being more eco-friendly, yet how does this even fit into the excessive smoking, drinking, over-sexed and women-driven world of Mad Men? It doesn't. This is a classic case of jumping on something popular before knowing what it is all about and never making a connection with the consumer who is watching. As brands move forward with pursuing sponsorship and advertising within this show, it seems that they should take a deeper look at the impact that the characters will have on the audience. On the surface, one might think that Mad Men is about a group of powerful ad men who are living lavish lives, scoring a decent campaign or two and seducing lots of women along the way. Maybe that is BMW's real mission, but that is not the show's. It was a bad move by BMW and the women of this show are about to take over. They got it all wrong.
As each episode of Mad Men unfolds, it will continue to be dominated by the women who are on screen, their every move calculated by seven women pulling their strings. They will impact our society today through women who were leading the way decades ago. Understanding the true messaging in Mad Men is the key to which brands are successful through buying time at the commercial breaks. No brand will able to succeed if it doesn't align with the flight of these women. It is clear that the hidden gem of this show are the women who are emerging to make a statement about life then, and now. So for women who watch, take some cues from these characters, they have a lot to teach us. For brands who want to get invovled, know this now:
Behind every good man, there is an even better woman. Mad Men is no exception.
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