So…i’ve been trying to catch up with Mad Men. I just finished season 1 and starting on season 2 this weekend. I am WAY behind but everyone has been telling me that as the owner of an advertising agency it is a MUST see. Even my staff will sometimes refer to me as Don Draper depending on my mood. Is that a good thing? I’m not totally sure. Anyway… my partner Charlie forwarded me an email of some classic HORRIBLE ads from back in the Mad Men days (50’s – 60’s). They are SO bad I just have to post them. We have a bunch of them but please just scroll through and check them out. I am sure you will be shocked at where our culture was just over 50 years ago. ENJOY!

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On August 16, 1960, years before man had walked on the moon, Colonel Joseph Kittinger of the United States Air Force ventured higher into the atmosphere and saw the world like no human had ever before. When the Gondola (carried by a helium balloon named Excelsior) arrived at 102,800 feet Joe did something simply astonishing that day, he jumped. Plummeting for 4 minutes and 36 seconds and reaching speeds up to 614 miles per hour he fell back to earth before opening his parachute at 18,000 feet. His leap awarded him numerous (and still unbroken) United States Air Force Records, including highest ascent in a balloon, highest parachute jump and the fastest speed by a human through the atmosphere.

Fast forward some 50 years later and leave it to Red Bull to re-open the history books in search of some legendary record just waiting to break it. With the help of Joseph Kittinger, Red Bull and Felix Baumgartner have been preparing for the last 3 years to eclipse the record Joe set 50 years ago. Red Bull’s creative design strategists make the extra effort to revive the wonder and awe of man’s first fascination with space, of free fall and of the unknown by bringing Joe Kittinger on board. It appears to me that this is an attempt to re-brand Joe’s legendary leap with extreme authenticity. What are your thoughts?

Fresh off a Grand Prix win in Film from Cannes this past week for the Old Spice spot we posted on back in March, the creative design firm at Weiden and Kennedy released a follow up online this morning. Back as “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” former pro football player Isaiah Mustafa returns to “Question” women about the way their men look and smell. Although more CGI driven then the initial spot, the writers at Weiden and Kennedy’s Portland office keep the dialogue as entertaining as ever. Regardless of what the critics say, this new commercial screams “Awesomeness,” and has definitely convinced me to switch from my regular body wash to Old Spice brand. I mean, what do you have to lose besides a woman who may want her man to smell like the man her man could smell like, right?

A company’s core philosophy has the power to influence, inspire, and challenge employees on a daily basis. Nike, being the progressive company they are, employs an emergent strategy, “one that originates in the interaction of an organization with its environment.” Our CEO Les Kollegian and President Charlie Van Vechten both believe strongly in Nike’s philosophy not only because of the great success it has garnered Nike and their products, but also because of the continuous call to creativity and innovation it facilitates. In fact, Les often quotes the Nike core purpose “experiencing the emotion of winning and crushing your competition” when educating businesses on the importance of a business core purpose to develop the foundation of a brand promise and value proposition. Also, we’re not sure if Nike’s talented creative agency Weiden Kennedy was a part of developing these principles, but we wouldn’t be surprised. Anyway…I digress. Here are the 11 Nike Maxims.

1. “It is our nature to innovate.” The company sees innovation as one of its core organizational competencies.

2. “Nike is a company.”

3. “Nike is a brand.” The “swoosh” logo is instantly recognizable around the world. Nike sees this as the symbol of its global leadership. It will enter only those markets that it thinks it can dominate. It says: ‘lf we can’t lead it, we don’t need it.”

4. “Simplify and go.” Nike products have short life-cycles in terms both of technology and fashion. The company believes that making quick yet skilful decisions is key to its success. This aspect of Nike’s vision, together with the seventh maxim, is particularly powerful in articulating the company’s hugely successful use of emergent strategy.

5. “The consumer decides.” The company is keenly aware of the sophistication of its customers and it treats them as its key stakeholder.

6. “Be a sponge.” Employees at Nike are encouraged to be curious and open to new ideas, whatever their source.

7. “Evolve immediately.” Nike sees itself as being in perpetual motion–viewing change as a key source of innovation. This attitude can easily be observed in the wide range of products that Nike offers its consumers. It is another example of the company’s use of emergent strategy to good effect.

8. “Do the right thing.” Nike thinks of itself as a responsible global citizen, embracing the stakeholder view of corporate social responsibility. It encourages its people to be honest and transparent and to promote diversity and sustainability.

9. “Master the fundamentals.” All the innovation in the world is useless if you can’t put it into action. A crucial part of Nike’s success is its ability to refine its performance–the recent growth in profits suggests that it’s achieving this.

10. “We are on the offense–always.” To stay ahead in an extremely competitive environment, Nike urges its people to act like leaders in their field to achieve victory.

11. “Remember the Man.” The late Bill Bowerman is still held in high esteem throughout Nike, both for his understanding of athletes’ needs and for his innovative spirit. (Jerome Payne, www.cbsmoneywatch.com).”