What Would Don Draper Do?

Yes, Mad Men strikes again and I'll admit, I wish I had come up with this genius phrase myself. While modeled after those famous W.W.J.D (What Would Jesus Do?) fad bracelets of the 90s, I find it more fitting than ever that businesses are asking what to do as we close out the year of '09. We have seen great ads, bad ads, good decisions, poor decisions, money gained and lost as well as some brands on the hot seat for decisions they could (and couldn't) help. Reflecting back on a crazy year in advertising (although what year isn't) it got me thinking about how important it is to be reminded of what it means to do business, well.

Sifting through some recent blog posts targeting small business owners (a personal interest of mine...hopefully a great bakery coming to you soon) I was delightfully surprised when I saw the above banner advertisement which caught my attention for two reasons; 1. I have written before about Mad Men and how it continues to play a part in crossing over brands and lifestyles in pop culture and 2. I have discussed what I believe to be one of the most successful campaigns of 2009, which is for American Express Open Forum campaign for small business owners. As I clicked through the ad, I was taken to a blog post by small business owner, Steve Strauss from The Strauss Group, Inc. posted on Amex's Open Forum Idea Hub (their version of a blog).

The article highlights five different lessons that small businesses can learn from Don Draper. As I read about the individual tips inspired by Don, they are not just limited to those who are dealing with small businesses, but are really the underlying foundation for a successful brand as well.

The five lessons are these:

1. When in doubt, schmooze

2. Creativity can trump efficiency

3. Risks bring rewards

4. Reward loyalty

5. Have fun

With an economy that has tested the equity and patience of a brand, maybe it just comes down to these five simple business tips inspired by a dapper Draper. Brands who take note of these five tips should not have a problem in any year or economy. There are tons of brand examples of these fundamentals that could help argue that these are the bricks for paving a road of branding gold, but it is important to recognize how what Don would do can shape it.

Building relationships with consumers is always key, and through brands building these relationships during tough economic times, they will be remembered when their consumers have a few more dollars in their pockets. Creativity can always help to gain attention as long as it stays on brand with what your consumers already know AND believe about you. Risks really do bring rewards, but not without some slight calculations; brands that take risks are most often the brands that can achieve the most success but they are most often noted as risks by consumers (and not the internal team). Rewarding consumers for their loyalty follows the same principles as rewarding your friend for helping listening to you vent about your less than perfect boyfriend or thanking your Dad for helping you put up the Christmas lights this year. We all want to feel appreciated for the things that we do, even if they are slight and brands should treat all consumers in this same way because after all, they are what keeps a brand alive. Lastly, ever brand should have an element of fun. As we have seen in so many instances, consumers have proven that they are smart and that they can see beyond the surface of a brand. Consumers can tell when brands are really having fun because they are genuine and authentic in their messaging strategies which in turn, brings appreciation on behalf of the consumer. Who doesn't want to have fun anyways?

Inspired by Don, these tips for small business owners really do work on behalf of any brand who wants to be successful. Like Don, it is about the schmoozing, the creativity, the risks and the loyalty that life brings. As brands close out 2009, they should look to the New Year and live with the same virtues that Don Draper has shown.

Maybe with a few more cocktails along the way...