Mad Men Monday: The Moon

Rejected Hilton Campaign Idea | Mad Men Episode 309: Wee Small Hours

Episode 309 of Mad Men aired last night on AMC. The hour was full of buzz worthy scenes, but one plot line stood out as a lesson for today’s ad men (and women). It is September 1963, Conrad “Connie” Hilton of the international Hilton hotel enterprise and creative director Don Draper have been working together for several months. Their relationship is multi-faceted: client to creative, friend to friend, father to son, man to man. For Draper, the Hilton account has become all-consuming.

Initial campaign ideas such as “Hilton. Your window on the world.” and “Go. We’re here waiting for you.” fall flat and never make it to the client. During a late night back and forth, Connie tells Don, “Hilton is America and that’s why people around the world want it. They want what we have. America is going to the moon, Don. I want Hilton on the moon.” [paraphrased]

Later, Don proudly presents a strong Hilton campaign along the theme “How do you say fresh towels in Farsi? Hilton.” “How do you say hamburger in Japanese? Hilton.” etc.

Connie isn’t impressed. Why? Don didn’t give him what he wanted…The Moon.

Conrad "Connie" Hilton | Mad Men Episode 309: Wee Small Hours

Whether literal or allegorical, this struck a chord with me. If Conrad Hilton literally wants an illustration of a Hilton hotel on the moon, that’s ridiculous, and Don should object. But, what if he just wants more? Creative that’s more than good, more than strong?

In advertising, or any creative partnership, the best clients are those who push us to do our best work. It’s easy to decide the client is getting in the way of great creative. It’s more difficult to recognize when we are.

Mad Men Monday: People Poaching

The Competition Wines & Dines Pete & Peggy: Clip from Mad Men, Episode 305

Episode 305: The Fog features the age-old practice of people poaching.  Duck Phillips, head of accounts at rival agency Gray, courts two of his former co-workers: Pete & Peggy. Duck oozes, “I want to take you both with me to the promised land…You’ll be sitting on velvet pillows, showered with riches, awards.”

The slick line might have fallen on deaf ears in better times. Now though, Sterling Cooper is muddling its way through a merger and pinching pennies. Sound familiar? Have tight purse-strings made it difficult to keep your top talent?

In a down economy the best defense may be a good offense. Here are three quick tips for happy people:

1. Say “thank you” and smile more. Stay positive and express your gratitude for work well done, daily.

2. Say yes to competitive pay for top talent. Chances are, your employees are doing more for the same (or less) pay than they were last year. If you can swing a raise or incentive system for your prime people…do it. Check out pay rates in your city. Are you in the ballpark?

3. Say no to morale killers. Thinking of canceling the holiday party? Charging for coffee? Monitoring paper towel usage? Don’t. Ask for ideas, rather than sacrifices, at your next team meeting.

Introducing: Mad Men Mondays

"Save Penn Station" Clip from Mad Men: Episode 302

Mad Men (Sundays at 10:00 p.m. on AMC) is a great TV show. And, it’s required viewing for all Pivot employees. I’m hooked.

Luckily, since Mad Men takes place in the world of advertising, it’s also fair game for this blog! I’m kicking off “Mad Men Mondays”: lessons from Don Daper, Peggy Olson, Pete Campbell and the rest of the gang from Sterling Cooper. For our first installment, we’ll explore an issue as relevant today as it was in 1963.

Episode 302: Love Among the Ruins begins with a client meeting. Sycophant head of accounts Pete Campbell and beatnik copy writer Paul Kinsey sit across from the financiers of Madison Square Garden. To make way for the new venue, they plan to demolish historic Penn Station. Grass roots groups and a vocal New York Times columnist are lambasting the construction project.

During his introductory remarks, Paul Kinsey can’t hide his own disdain for the client’s apparent disregard for architecture, for beauty, for history. He admonishes the financiers, and they leave…seething.

While I’ve never had to defend a historic landmark, I have chosen to decline work for other ethical reasons. As marketers, if we have a moral, religious or ethical problem with a project, I think we owe it to our clients to be honest. However, I do think there are degrees of dissent. We should ask ourselves:

1. Do I agree with my client’s objectives?
Kinsey obviously didn’t agree with his client’s in-with-the-new, history-be-damned philosophy.

2. If I don’t agree, can I find a way to see the issue from my client’s perspective?
Although he might disagree with the demolition, had he given himself time to reflect, Paul might have seen economic benefits of a new stadium for the city.

3. Am I comfortable promoting this agenda?
How can you put your heart and mind into a project you strongly oppose? It doesn’t benefit you or the client.

4. Should I say no?
Are you the boss? If you are, you have the right to turn down a client. Not the boss? You still have a right not to turn down the project. In my opinion, Kinsey should have taken himself off the project, privately, instead of insulting the client.

5. How do I say no?
Not the way Kinsey does it. Respectfully decline.

How would you handle a similar situation? Any advice?

Long lost logo cousins: Pivot & The Prisoner

Last week, I met with photographer Brian Drumm. During our chat, he noticed our company logo: a turn-of-the-century velocipede. The “Pivot Bike” is always a great conversation-starter, but this time I learned something new. Our logo has a long lost cousin.

Apparently, a variation of the same symbol was prominently featured in the 1967-68 British television miniseries The Prisoner. The sci-fi show followed a former secret agent held prisoner in a seaside village. He is given the name “Number 6″ and a symbol (the bike). He’s held for questioning by “Number 2″.

AMC is producing a remake starring Jim Caviezel as Number 6 and Ian McKellen as Number 2. It looks pretty promising and airs in November. I’ll be watching!

Pivot Logo

Symbol from "The Prisoner"

Indy Business Makeover Competition: Apply Today

Is your web site antiquated? Server stressed to the max? Reception area decorated like the set of the Golden Girls?

Maybe your company could use a makeover…

For one local business or non-profit organization, the Indy Business Makeover Competition will be a well-deserved refresher. The winning firm will receive printing services (from Print Resources), a new server, Web site (from Pivot Marketing & Small Box Web Design) and office furniture among other prizes.

With more than $80,000 of donated products and services from local businesses, the Indy Business Makeover Competition is a great opportunity to pamper your business.

For more details or to apply now, visit IndyBusinessMakeover.com
The application deadline is July 29, 2009.

Hey Paris, Is your phone blowin’ up? Mine’s not.

A few years back, or so it seems, Paris, Lindsay, Nicole & Britney were very popular. Do you know how I could tell? In every paparazzo photo, the girls had cell phones pressed to their ears. Talking to their BFF’s.

I had iPhone trouble last night. I tried to run an update, and it freaked out. Our IT genius fixed it this morning. Right away, I checked my phone. After 12 hours, I thought someone would have called. Nothing. No voicemails, no missed calls. I realized maybe I never had many calls. Sure enough, I checked my call history—mostly family and my best friend. Lots of texts and emails though.

I don’t think I’m alone. Recent articles like this one from biznik.com have hit on the same phenomenon: the more connected we become (through social networking, texting, and twittering) the more disconnected we really are.

Want to know how popular Paris is today? Watch her thumbs. Who knew opposable digits would become our primary means of communication?

I think I’ll call a friend today.

Bathrooms Closed = Bad Customer Service

Memorial Day weekend was a resounding success. In 72 hours of work-free bliss, I only experienced one frustrating incident. It involved bread sticks.

On Saturday night, a friend and I were out on the town. We had fun dancing, and I worked up an appetite! Suddenly, I had a craving for fresh-baked salty bread sticks with spicy cheese from one of my favorite local pizza places.

I knew the restaurant would have filthy tables, police presence and a long line. No big deal. This time though, they added a scrawled “bathrooms closed” sign. Okay, I thought, that’s understandable, maybe it’s only available to customers.

We waited in line for an hour. After placing our order, I nicely asked the cashier if there was a key for the bathroom for paying customers. “No,” she barked, “and we have to hold it all night, too.”

I doubt it.

I can handle surly servers and dirty dining, but banishing me from the bathroom? That’s the last straw. Or, in this case, the last bread stick.

Walk before you Run

I dread running. My aversion may stem from track practices in high school. It was usually cold and damp, dirt blew in my face, my lungs felt like they would collapse, and I was the – slowest – person – on – the – team. Miserable. Ultimately though, after four months of daily two-hour practices, I was very happy with the results. My calves looked great, and I could run a 7 minute mile (fast for me).

I love walking outside in the sun. It’s relaxing and energizing all at once. I can think and exercise. Of course, walking won’t get me in track season shape.

The other day, I devised a little psychological experiment. Every day I must walk around the White River Canal (about 2.5 miles). My theory is…I’ll end up doing more. If I start with something I enjoy (walking), I’ll be able to stomach a bit of what I dread (running).

I think this could also apply to business development. What if—each day—we write one thank you note (easy), call one of our clients or vendors just to chat (easy), or write one blog post (easy)? Chances are we’ll end up doing more. We’ll write a radio ad (hard), run a competitor analysis (hard), or develop a five-year plan (hard).

With a little discipline, we can all have killer calves and killer companies.

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire

I returned from lunch today to a note on my desk. “Call ‘Tony’. He needs marketing help for his company.” Great! Will do. I called him right away. Tony must’ve stepped away for a moment. His voicemail message, said, “You’ve reached X Marketing Company specializing in Internet marketing and branding.”

Hmmm…that’s what we do.

Business Ethics 101: “Don’t Lie.” If you want to research a competitor, be up front with them. Chances are they’ll be happy to chat candidly about their business. If not, at least you haven’t tricked them. Be cool, man, be cool.

Stinky Fridge

Our office refrigerator smelled like farts this morning. I’m guessing it’s work of Cinco de Mayo leftovers. Just as I was complaining about our stinky situation, one of my co-workers told me about a far worse fridge in San Jose. Apparently, meat (or another offender) was allowed to go very, very bad in a mini-fridge at an AT&T call center. One employee with a dull sniffer attempted to clean it, made it worse, and another sprayed a chemical disinfectant. The combination sent several employees to the hospital.

Stinky fridges got me thinking about the power of scent. Smells can trigger vivid memories (hand cream conjures up my grandmother’s apartment), draw us into a coffee shop, warn us of danger, or make us sick. In marketing, the psychology of scent falls under a broader heading of “atmospherics”—the study of how our five senses influence our buying decisions. Mastering the role of scent in the buying experience can benefit your brand.

If your company had a scent, what would it be? Rotten eggs (hope not), vanilla, new car smell? Do you want your customers to feel calm? energized? hungry? comfortable? You might exert some control over the way your shop smells; before the fridge does it for you.