Tonight's premier of Mad Men allows me the opportunity to showcase something I may otherwise never find the occasion to showcase, and that's the classic Bernbach stuff for Chivas Regal. In my eyes, the below ad is perfect: informational, all about the product, brand-ownable and entertaining. But it almost never made the books...
Lore has it that the client became unglued when Bill presented it (probably in a smoke filled room in midtown like we'll view tonight on the show.) After a lively and respectable debate, the client finally caved, but said, "Bill, how about we change it to say: 'What genius changed the Chivas Regal bottle'?"
The ad ran as we see it. Sometimes one word can make the difference between forgettable and classic. And in the 50s and 60s, when working in advertising was down right envied, our industry brought pride and courage into meetings. Which in the end, I'm sure clients appreciated.
"Advertising is based on one thing, happiness.
And you know what happiness is?
Happiness, is the smell of a new car.
Its freedom from fear.
Its a billboard on the side of the road that screams with
re-assurance that whatever you are doing, its ok.
You are ok."
Mad Men.
Posted by: Allen Jones | July 21, 2007 at 12:05 AM