Los Angeles & San Francisco are mad for MAD MEN

The last of my posts dedicated to my summer holiday in California will be about how Los Angeles & San Francisco are literally mad for the hit TV Series MAD MEN.

As it is known MAD MEN is set in 1960s New York; focusing on the lifes of Don Draper and his colleagues at Madison Avenue based advertising agency: Sterling Cooper (as of Season 4 it is called Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce).

A series that has not only caught the audience's attention because of its dynamic plot, but also due to the 60s fashions worn by its characters.

While passing by some of Los Angeles famed avenues such as Sunset Boulevard, Melrose Avenue, and Santa Monica Boulevard I saw some billboards like the ones shown below (the first one in Sunset Boulevard & the second one in Melrose Avenue). These billboards, like the rest of the advertising campaign described in the following lines, promoted the show's 4th Season Premiere on Sunday July 25.

MAD MEN not only dominated Los Angeles' skyline, but also its traffic packed streets. Several busses from the Metro Bus System had large stickers on the sides, such as this bus in the crossing of Rodeo Drive & Wilshire Boulevard. Bus stops all over the city, especially in the Sunset Boulevard area had ground level billboards with the same image.

While in San Francisco the lack of MAD MEN advertising surprised me as I had expected to see some of these on city busses or ground level billboards at stops. Yet while strolling around Union Square, to be precise between Sutter St. & Grant Ave., I came across Banana Republic.

Besides the building's impressive architecture what grabbed my attention were the store's windows. All of these had large posters with photographs of Don, Betty, Peggy, Pete, Joan, and Roger next to mannequins dressed with Banana Republic's MAD MEN inspired collection. Inside one could see still photos from the TV show as part of the store's decor.



Banana Republic has teamed up with MAD MEN costume designer, Janie Bryant, to design a collection that captures the elegance and classiness of the early 60s. One can take home one a small catalog that features pieces from this collection. Inside this catalog women and men can find items to wear the office, to lunch, to dinner, or to lounge and relax after work.

And last but not least, Banana Republic is giving its customers the chance to make a special cameo on the show by entering a contest, for details visit your nearest Banana Republic.


Photos: Own