Throwback Thursday: Time Traveling with Mad Men

It’s been one month since the hit TV series Mad Men aired its last episode, but its effect on the TV and advertising landscapes will resonate for a long time. In honor of the hole that its absence left in viewers’ hearts, today we take the show’s iconic characters through a time warp out of the ’60s, and check in on how they’re enjoying agency life in 2015.

The advertising industry shed some collective tears on May 17 when AMC aired the series finale of the hit ‘60s drama Mad Men. For 7 seasons, viewers connected with and got to know characters that made a resounding impact during the “Golden Age of Advertising.” Although fictional, these characters have powerful voices that advertising professionals draw inspiration from, and if they were alive today (or, well, real), this is how they would work at modern agencies.

Don: Don’s character is the most complex in the series, and he isn’t any less mysterious in 2015. Although he has one of the best minds in the industry, Don is still difficult to work with because he’s impossible to find. He is in the office less than usual because he does most of his work from home, or whatever remote location he’s disappeared to. He’s easy to track down though, thanks to advances in technology and GPS.

Joan: In the series finale Joan started Holloway Harris, her own production firm. In 2015 the firm is enjoying massive success and Joan is the CEO, but her loyalty to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce still runs deep and she gives her old agency a family discount. Joan is also successful today because she is working in an industry that isn’t completely dominated by men, and she is finally able to call the shots.

Peggy: Like Joan, Peggy is flourishing working in an industry that doesn’t limit her creativity because she is a woman. Her ideas are taken seriously, and she is working as a copywriter alongside art director and long-term partner, Stan. Although she sometimes regrets not starting the production company with Joan, Peggy’s dedication and loyalty to perfecting her copywriting has landed her a senior copywriter position.

Roger: You either love or hate Roger. Love him because he’s charismatic, hate him because he’s arrogant. He is very stuck in his ways and reluctant to change, which doesn’t bode well with an industry that transforms daily. As stubborn as he is, he is all about style. Roger is the person who will walk into the office with the newest iPhone even though he probably doesn’t know how to use it, and will make his assistant Caroline figure it out.

Pete: Pete prides himself on being the best, and works diligently to prove himself to his superiors and clients. Although hardworking, he is sleazy and not very trustworthy. He religiously monitors AgencySpy, and when he feels he isn’t treated fairly at work he is the first to post dirt on SCDP. Pete’s hairline has also receded so far back that all he has are sideburns, which makes him look like he’s up to even more no good.

Throughout the 7 seasons it was on the air, we have gotten to know and love the faces of Mad Men. Although it ended a month ago, fans still stay connected to the show by remembering the people who made it so memorable. They made a huge impact not just on the show, but on the entire industry and fans will remember their favorite characters forever.

Cover Photo by s_bukley via Shutterstock.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://wpmaster.sjadv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Our-Space-The-San-Jose-Group.png[/author_image] [author_info]Katie Schrantz is a Junior Executive at SJG. She will be a senior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the fall, where she is studying advertising with a minor in communication. Outside the office, Katie enjoys catching up on social media, discovering new shows on Netflix, spending time with friends and is an avid reader and devoted coffee drinker. [/author_info] [/author]