Mad Men, a series about the New York Ad Men of the 1960s, is much more than just a period drama and my favourite television show. It is a culturally influencing show that not only stood as mark for the shift of a cable channel, but an artefact of popular culture that has immersed its audience in the periodic qualities and values of the 60s.
American Movie Classics was a channel that originally placed a focus on classic movies that were dated before the 1950s, with an intention of maintaining the integrity of cinema work from the past. In 2002, the channel was rebranded, and as a result broadened its schedule to a range of films from various eras. In 2007, the channel debuted Mad Men, its first original drama series, written by Matthew Weiner. Set in the 1960’s, the show depicts the lives of the Advertising Executives from Sterling Cooper. The show stands in the period drama genre, one that encapsulates certain qualities, values, settings and behaviours of a certain time, providing a nostalgic or somewhat educational experience for its viewers, engulfing them in the period of the 1960’s.
In particular, Mad Men focusses on the style, values, politics and qualities of the 60s with an emphasis on those which were heavily prevalent in the lives of the adults of the era. The show allows its audience to reimagine the era from the comfort of their chosen viewing settings. We are able to analyse and ‘reimagine’ the stylistic and behavioural representation of this era by analysing the mise-en-scene of first episode of the show, entitled ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’, particularly the scene where Joan is showing Peggy to her place in the office. We are presented with the casting of Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway with her classic 60s hourglass silhouette, waltzing through the hall to the muted colour palettes of the advertising office setting and typewriter props gracing desks, representative of the technology of the period. The style and behaviours likened to this time are not only communicated visually, but also through the dialogue.
This idea is further exemplified through the diegetic dialogue which expresses the objectification and status of women in the workplace. Joan hints to Peggy that
‘a girl like you with those darling little ankles, I’d find a way to make them sing’, ultimately hinting that Peggy should somewhat objectify herself to attract the attention of the men, as an implied tip to help her in the workplace.
Mad Men’s influence on its audience goes much further than involving its members in the nostalgic world of the 60s. With the premiere of Mad Men on July 19th 2007 clocking 1.65 million viewers, and its finale reaching 3.29 viewers, the show must be having some sort of cultural impact on them too, right?
From Fashion to Children’s TV, Mad Men, with its attention to the 1960 detail is somewhat influencing the pop culture of today. Daniel Mendelsohn, author of “The Mad Men Account’, explores the notion of the show’s influence, discussing that Mad Men has ‘percolated into every corner of popular culture’. He explains that in America, clothing label Banana Republic collaborated with the show’s creators to design a shop window campaign and style guide that assisted its customers in achieving the ‘Mad Men’ look.
But it goes a little deeper than that. An article sourced from The Daily Telegraph notes that it is believed that the hourglass figured, busty women on the show, such as Joan Holloway, portrayed by Christina Hendricks, may be the reason for the 10% spike in breast augmentation surgeries in Britain in 2010.
And in 2013, it was reported that the sales of cigarettes produced by the brand ‘Lucky Strike’ jumped from 23 billion in 2007 to 33 billion as of 2012, which was believed to be due to its reference in the show.
On a personal note: I actually went out lipstick shopping after watching the episode where the ladies of the office are asked to test out the Belle Jolie lipstick range.
Mad Men is not only a representation of the change of a cable channel’s direction, or an example of a period drama, but is a show that has become a cultural phenomenon in terms of its influence upon its audience and the society in which it functions. Even after the shows completion in May 2015, many companies are reaping the benefits of its influence on the culture of today and the trend in 60s style of which has resulted.
REFERENCES
Becker, Anne (August 10, 2007). “Not A Hot Cable Summer for All”. Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
Kondolojy, Amanda (May 19, 2015). “Sunday Cable Ratings: ‘Game of Thrones’ Tops Night + ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’, ‘Mad Men’ & More”. TV by the Numbers. Retrieved May 19, 2015
Mendelsohn, D. (2011). The mad men account. The New York Review of Books, 24.
Pow, Helen (2013). ‘Mad Men sparks cigarette sales boom for Lucky Strike with 10 BILLION more packs sold last year compared to when series first aired’. Daily Mail Online.
Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2429980/Mad-Men-sparks-cigarette-sales-boom-Lucky-Strike.html
