Voir Dire

In researching and teaching on present day issues we often link to the past for context. However, how well do we even know, or for those old enough, remember the historical context? AMC’s series “Mad Men,” the title an ode to the term traditionally used to describe Madison Avenue advertising executives, makes a valiant effort to get the historical context right (here, circa 1960). Many television shows and movies have provided historical context treatment, however these are usually either cleaned up versions of the past or deliberately provocative portraits of the ugly aspects of our history, done in such a way to make a specific point. If we are to learn from the past to inform our understanding of the present, it helps to get the past, especially the more subtle aspects, right. Now, I’m sure that “Mad Men” doesn’t always get it right and it only covers a very narrow, elite group of people from the era. Nonetheless, its portrait of 1960 - the little things - is compelling. Here’s some “ad copy” from the AMC website and a video link:

What you are, what you want, what you love doesn’t matter. It’s all about how you sell it. From AMC and the Emmy® Award-winning executive producer and writer of “The Sopranos” Matthew Weiner, comes Mad Men, a provocative new primetime drama about how to sell the truth. Set in 1960 New York, the daring new series is 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 Setting: In 1960, advertising agencies were an all-powerful influence on the masses. Personal and professional manipulation and sexual exploits defined the workplace and closed the deals. The high profile Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency created advertising campaigns – from cigarettes to political candidates — better than anyone. It was a time of great ferment. Women had barely begun to come into their own. Librium and birth control were on the move. Ethics in the workplace, smoke-free environments, sexual harassment and ethnic diversity were workshops of the future.

The Premise: The series depicts the sexual exploits and social mores of this most innovative yet ruthless profession, while taking an unflinching look at the ad-men who shaped the hopes and dreams of Americans on a daily basis.

The Players: The series revolves around the conflicted world of Don Draper (Hamm), the biggest ad man (and ladies man) in the business, and his colleagues at the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency. As Don makes the plays in the boardroom and the bedroom, he struggles to stay a step ahead of the rapidly changing times and the young executives nipping at his heels. The series also depicts authentically the roles of men and women in this era while exploring the true human nature beneath the guise of 1960 traditional family values.

Loads of videos for the show are available here.

The blog is available here.

The schedule for watching it is here.