The Reason Why I Can Do Without a Don Draper Action Figure

By: Steven Shapiro, Esq.

As many of you may have seen this past week, Banana Republic has entered into a co-marketing deal with AMC’s Mad Men to promote the latest season of the hit ‘60s era period drama. I admit that I am relatively new to the Mad Men bandwagon, but if you’re looking for a show that teases out the almost other-worldly anachronisms of early ‘60s culture, this is the one.

Beyond a doctor smoking a cigarette in a gynecology ward, the most striking thing about Mad Men is the fashion. Any given issue of GQ will tell you that the American-Style of men’s fashion was buried with Cary Grant. In contrast, Mad Men showcases a throwback to when the American man could dress—pocket squares, tie clips, fedoras and all. Even before I started watching the DVDs, I started intergrating three-piece suits in my everyday business attire. Can we say that Mad Men sparked a resurgence in the well-dressed American? Or perhaps we can say that the show merely (and perfectly) rode an already forming fashion zeitgeist? Either way, Mad Men reminds us that dressing sharply is striking.

What’s also striking is that the producers of this program about a Madison Avenue Ad Agency actually get marketing. Over the past season, we have seen some well-executed product placement endeavors featuring Sterling Cooper account execs sitting across from famous real world prospects like Heineken and Cadillac. But the current promotion running in tandem with Banana Republic further demonstrates that not only can they do marketing, but that they can do it authentically and seamlessly. Could any other retail store connect with the property, fashion and viewers of this show better than Banana Republic? Go to BR’s website to find full-length character profiles paired with Banana merchandise that calls to mind the Mad Men Look.

But… why stop there? The ingredients are already here, why not take the plunge and make this an iconic licensing relationship? As Michael Stone, President/CEO of The Beanstalk Group, is often quoted, licensing is NOT a non-strategic, transactional decoration exercise, but an opportunity to build enduring brand equity through “…match[ing] or extend[ing] the brand to products so authentically that the brand enters consumers’ lives in ways that are unpredictable, but natural.” Look at Trump, Inc.’s relationship with Van Heusen for dress shirts. It took time and energy to build from Donald Trump’s persona to The Apprentice to Macy’s best selling high quality branded line of men’s wear. The title to this article may seem silly, but that is exactly what happens when licensors omit such time and effort from a licensing program— at best, no one cares and, at worst, everyone groans! Don Draper action figures with waist-activated infidelity action? LICENSING FAIL. Toys would not cause the brand to resonate with viewers.

Whether intended or not, this co-marketing promotion has created just such an unpredictable and genuine relationship between Mad Men and Banana Republic in the minds of consumers. So why stop at showcasing vintage suits next to pictures of actors, when you could launch The Sterling Cooper Line from Banana Republic? Mad Men would certainly benefit from the exposure of having an official vintage clothing line and all those men (and girlfriends/significant others/moms shopping for those men), who dig that vintage look, are going to have a direct tether back to the exclusive retail location showcasing the official men’s wear of Mad Men. For what it’s worth, I’d buy Mad Men-inspired attire.

So while I may be shooting my dream of having my own 6” Christina Hendricks plastic idol in the foot, bringing these two brands together was brilliant and they should continue to intertwine them. Besides, Firefly’s Saffron getting the action figure treatment makes a lot more sense than Joan Halloway.

Steven Shapiro is an attorney and Vice-President at Exemplar Law Partners, LLC. He specializes in brand licensing in the comic book and apparel industries.