I'm a freelance copywriter in DC.

I'm really enjoying the peek inside our business. When I first started in advertising in the 80s, there was a fairly free-wheeling, party-type atmosphere, slightly akin to what we see on MadMen, but nowhere near as much.

Anywho, I'm enjoying seeing the campaigns they come up with and the dog-eat-dog environment. Some things change and some things never do, I suppose.

I produce political persuasion voter contact mail. 

www.biebercommunications.com

That said, I hope nobody brings up the elections or any partisan debates topics on this site.   Some folks were doing that on AMC’s blog, yesh. Mad Men is my time to check out.

I worked on Mad Ave for a major agency in the 1970s-1980s. It was a glamorous business to be in back then and probably still is. When the elevator doors opened you were greeted by stunning red walls, a spiral staircase, and you might catch a glimpse of a butler in a powder blue jacket pushing a cart laden with crystal and bottles of really good champagne chilling in silver ice buckets. It was like walking into a dream.

There are similarities and major differences between the show and the reality of Mad Ave that I experienced in a later decade.

The blatent sexism & homophobia we see on MM didn't exist at the agency where I worked. Female copy-writers & art directors were not a novelty although they were a minority. Gays were openly gay so there was no tragic character like Salvatore. Everyone was on a first name basis, except for our founder who was always respectfully referred to as Mrs. She's a legend who worked as a copywriter in the late-50s & early-60s at McCann and DDB. I'd like to think that Paul Kinsey was paying tribute to her when he told Peggy on her first day of work: "there are women copy writers. Some of them are very good..."

It was a creative, fun-hectic atmosphere. There were plenty of office parties involving liquor: a co-worker's birthday, landing a new client. There was no Freddy Rumson-type in our office. I'm sure we had our share of alcoholics, but no one was obvious or out of control. We all smoked in our offices & at meetings. Marijuana got smoked and cocaine got snorted behind closed doors by some who said the substances enhanced their creativity. There were a few posers like Kinsey, a few back-stabbers like Pete & Duck and a few brilliant eccentrics whose likes MM hasn't captured yet--although Cooper comes close.

I'm including this quote from Mrs. Lawrence because I'm one who hasn't forgotten how truly good it was to be in that place at that time:

  "...Wells Rich Greene was once an agency filled with exciting, talented people who were passionately in love with advertising, that was the spirit of the place. It's gone; people have moved on and are forgetting. I am not haunted by the past, but I loved Wells Rich Green..." --Mary Wells Lawrence (2002)

Im an art buyer in Los Angeles, a career that didn't exist early on in the business.

I've been all over town here in Los Angeles for about ten years and things have changed and evolved even since then. I was one of six african americans in an agency of 200 in the late 90s, since then I think it's become much more culturally diverse.

Peggy thanks for sharing...I LOVE getting a glimpse of the history of our great business, hence my OBSESSION with MAD MEN.

I've been an advertising copywriter for nearly forty years, most of that time spent working in Los Angeles. Maybe LA was different from New York, but the largest percentage of writers and artists I worked with were women, several in upper management. I don't remember the workplace as particularly sexist, as long as we cranked it out there didn't seem to be much concern whether one was male or female.

There were dress codes then: suits/ties for men, skirts/dresses for women; no pants (unless it was a pantsuit). There was widespread smoking in the office and later on drugs (behind closed doors) and lots of liquor at birthday/holiday parties.

LAadGirl, does being an art buyer mean that you contract illustrators and photographers for the art directors? I've always worked in small, boutique-type agencies, so I've never heard of the position.

The way you guys describe the advertising atmosphere is the way I remember it from the 80s when I worked in-house. Then the party stopped for a while. Then it picked backed up during the dot com years, though without the smoking and drugs. Things are pretty clean and businesslike in the offices I go into now.

I worked for a CBS affiliate for 16 years as a Traffic Manager before becoming a stay at home mother. Loved the perks, and each day was totally different than the day before.  It's an exciting atmosphere to work in.

adgal,

yes, i handle all the license negotiations with photographers and illustrators, my focus is large car accounts. In bigger agencies, Art directors dont have the time to search for artist and be the internal producer of shoots.

Its a great gig, but niche. with everything moving digital and cgi, i hope to still have a job in ten years!

Peggy

As I mentioned your above post was the most enjoyable one I’ve read.  If others have any similar descriptions of the semi golden age, war stories or old time celebrate sightings in the advertizing buz please share. 

Here’s a current advertizing item you might enjoy


For our firm’s Christmas Card last year we created a parody of a political hit mailer against Santa Claus.  It was the full oversized brochure coming from the Elves’ Union.  It draws from complaints against Wall-Mart and embellishes what would be the truth making it sound like a boiler plate political attack ad.  “Is this the man you want running your Christmas?”
http://www.ocblog.net/BC_ ...

James--
That's the most unique Christmas greeting I've ever seen. You have one clever bunch of "persuasionists" working with you. I did enjoy it so thanks for sharing.

As we close in on the BIG election, my mail box is daily inundated with political flyers. I never gave much thought to how or who created them--now I know. (Bob Beers: all froth--that is priceless)

BTW I checked out the link you provided to the Daily Show. I imagine you're glad you turned down the opportunity to be featured?

We have an impressive little group here. So many with ties to advertising, so much common ground.

I just stumbled on this Lounge while Googling to see if Mary Wells is still alive (!)
settling a bet with a friend. I believe the answer is yes...
I am a freelance producer in NYC and have worked in advertising since the 80's.
My husband also was an art director in NYC and we love MadMen.
Anyone seen Trust Me?

No - What is it?

I need something to kill time while I'm waiting for MM to return.