Madison Avenue, 1969.
A copy chief, a creative director, and a secretary are meeting about a new account: Accutron, a watch company.
“Oh,” says the chief. She’s looking at the director. “You didn’t pick an angle for Accutron.”
“Sure, I did,” says the director. He’s looking at the secretary. “Dawn, what did I say?”
Dawn flips through her notes. “You said, ‘Just In Time To Be On Time’.”
“That wasn’t one of the choices,” says the chief. “I think that was a digression.”
“How about ‘Accutron Is Accurate’,” says the director. “That was one of the choices, I’m positive.”
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The copy chief lowers her chin. “I like ‘It’s Time For A Conversation’,” she says. She’s smiling, making eye contact. She’s selling now. “I think that one’s more finished.”
The director looks back at her. He’s peering over his glasses now. “And I think you’re putting me in the position of saying, I don’t care what you think.”
This is a scene from Mad Men, a show that taught me more about copywriting than anything on tv. The chief is Peggy Olson. The director is Lou Avery, a curt, unlikeable character who, in this case, happens to have a point:
“Why would you put something in front of me that you don’t want me to pick?” says Lou.
“Because you told me to give you two ideas,” says Peggy.
Lou takes a beat. “You apparently only gave me one,” he says.
Murthy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”
Copywriter’s Law: “Any idea that can be picked, will be picked.”
Something to remember every time you pitch.
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