AMC’s acclaimed TV series, “Madmen”, is an interesting comparison to today’s Ad agencies and Brand Consultants. If you’ve never seen the show, it’s set in 1960s New York and follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising. On the recent Episode 4, the execs of Sterling Cooper Advertising are preparing for a big pitch to American Airlines. I was struck by something that Don Draper, the lead creative exec, asked his team: “Did you design the menu yet? Did you pick out a china pattern?”. Really? I thought. Did Ad agencies get into those types of touchpoints? It seems that Sterling Cooper was selling more than just an ad campaign, and actually an immersive brand experience.

In the 1960’s, there were no “brand consultants”. As the market became more saturated in the 80’s & 90’s, more firms began to specialize in areas outside of advertising (identity, packaging, environments). This caused companies to divvy up their brand touchpoints and assign them to several different firms. Now we’re in a time where a holistic brand image is more valuable than ever. Perhaps Sterling Cooper’s integrated approach can teach us that blurring the lines between Advertising and Brand Experience is crucial to a Brand’s success.