Working Over Time

"'Mad' Men and the Art of Persuasion" - Adverti$ing in the 1920s

Episode Summary

Have you ever seen an ad - on TV, in a magazine, or online - that was so clever it made you laugh out loud? Or just hit so close to home it took you by surprise? What about an ad that was so unbelievably “off” that you couldn’t believe anyone ever thought it was a good idea, much less got it greenlit and broadcast into the great collective consciousness? (that Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad, anyone….?). If you’ve ever wondered where this peculiarly capitalist form of communication came from, wondered why certain marketing campaigns “work” while others crash and burn, or just been curious about the complex psychology behind getting people to open their wallets… well, this is the episode for you. Popular historian and old friend Jem Duducu brings us to the inner sanctum of New York City’s 1920s “Ad Men,” and traces their legacy straight on through to today’s consumer economy, predicated on universal social media channels that paradoxically target individual communications more precisely than ever before. So, grab your fedora and follow me onto the swinging streets of New York City in the Jazz Age, to learn how we got here, and, as always, to think about where we might be headed in the future.

Episode Notes

Have you ever seen an ad - on TV, in a magazine, or online - that was so clever it made you laugh out loud?  Or just hit so close to home it took you by surprise?  What about an ad that was so unbelievably “off” that you couldn’t believe anyone ever thought it was a good idea, much less got it greenlit and broadcast into the great collective consciousness? (that Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad, anyone….?). If you’ve ever wondered where this peculiarly capitalist form of communication came from, wondered why certain marketing campaigns “work” while others crash and burn, or just been curious about the complex psychology behind getting people to open their wallets… well, this is the episode for you. Popular historian and old friend Jem Duducu brings us to the inner sanctum of New York City’s 1920s “Ad Men,” and traces their legacy straight on through to today’s consumer economy, predicated on universal social media channels that paradoxically target individual communications more precisely than ever before.  So, grab your fedora and follow me onto the swinging streets of New York City in the Jazz Age, to learn how we got here, and, as always,  to think about where we might be headed in the future.