Meeting #1, Product Placement

Meeting Date: 9/12/2010

Group Attendance: Charlie DeWitt, Marshall Kerns, Lauren Solomon, Candace Barbour, Catherine Muller, Clay Prietsch, Tim McNulty
Episodes Watched: Season 1, Episode 1

Product Placement in Mad Men
By Charlie DeWitt

The theme of product placement can be identified at several points during this episode of Mad Men. Due to the fact that this is the first episode of the entire series, there seems to be an emphasis placed upon the usage of cigarettes. In particular, the characters themselves not only smoke cigarettes, but also work on an advertising campaign for Lucky Strike brand cigarettes. The fact that the characters both use cigarettes and help advertise them can be read as a commentary on societal views of tobacco during the late 1950s and early 1960s. At one point during the meeting to discuss Lucky Strike's ad campaign, the show even addresses rising concerns that tobacco smoke can cause severe illness. Despite these concerns, they still attempt to find an advertising campaign that will use positive imagery in order to lead consumers away from the dangers of tobacco. This helps to show the shallow nature of advertisers and large corporations when it comes to communicating their product's message to the public. The theme of manipulation with regards to advertising is prominent throughout their negotiations, which again provides the viewer with a unique insight into the mentality of advertising. In addition, the heavy reliance on tobacco products throughout the show highlights the American public's unwillingness to accept the dangers of tobacco.

Although the advertising and usage of cigarettes blends naturally with the show, Mad Men faces a number of challenges with regards to product placement. The fact that the show takes place in the early 1960s causes constraints with regards to what products can be used in order to maintain the authenticity of the show. Due to these constraints, certain companies will go to greater lengths to have their names displayed on the show. For example, this episode featured an image of an IBM typewriter due to the fact that their newer and more technologically advanced products did not exist back then. This emphasis upon displaying brand name rather than the actual product itself suggests the importance of name recognition with regards to product placement. Because Mad Men has such a large audience, companies such as IBM feel the need to get their name on the show in whatever way possible, even if it means displaying outdated products. However, other companies such as Canadian Club Whiskey, can still advertise the same product they provide today.

Along with these various instances of product placement, Mad Men includes several much more subtle examples, such as the characters' clothing and automobiles. Although the usage of clothing does not often include the actual image of brand names, there is a definite emphasis upon corporate fashion throughout the show. Due to the show's popularity, it's quite conceivable that some of the older styles of corporate fashion such as skinny ties and tighter fitting suits could become ingrained in the viewer's mind as more acceptable in modern times. Thus, although the show displays products from a different era, there is still a definite aesthetic appeal to the current viewer. This aesthetic appeal, which can be seen most directly through the seemingly accurate, vivid, and candid portrayal of American life during the early 1960s. plays directly into the dominant role of product placement throughout the show.