"Mad Men" comes to town - sorta

“Mad Men” sort of came to town last week, but the Florida version was a bit more like Mad Women.

The popular show from the American Movie Classics channel, or AMC, has inspired all sorts of cultural tributes over the last few years. The television series, set in the early and now mid-1960s, has been celebrated for its accurate portrayal of the time period and the rise of modern advertising, those who laid its foundations on Madison Avenue in New York.

The Marketing Square, a Winter Park advertising agency and web development company, led by Rebekah Brown, put together a Mad Men tribute last week, utilizing some significant local talent for a photo and video shoot with clothing inspired by the time in a local furniture store specializing in vintage furnishings.

The photo and video shoot took place at the 1618 Something Different vintage furniture store on Orange Avenue in the Ivanhoe Village. The shoot took advantage of the talents of local stylist and blogger Erica Warlick, along with her husband and photographer Spencer Warlick, who also scouted out the 1618 Something Different location. In true “Mad Men” fashion, Blueberry Stolichnaya Vodka, a popular brand on “Mad Men,” was featured in all shots.

Brown has 28 years of writing and copy editing expertise in newspaper, advertising, PR and events, as well as 16 years of advertising strategy experience producing work for Fortune 500 companies and small businesses. She said her favorite “Mad Men” character is Joan, but for the shoot she most identified with the Betty Draper character, as played by January Jones, referencing Jones’ previous modeling experience.

Brown noted that during the time in which “Mad Men” is set was one when women were almost exclusively judged on appearance. One of the series’ main characters, Peggy Olsen, started as a secretary in the first season but with talent and hard work has risen within the agency each season. “Mad Men is very realistic,” Brown said. “Very politically incorrect, which reflects the times, but that’s how business was done — is done — sometimes. They do what has to be done to get the work and the clients. It captures the pitches, personalities and drama of the client-agency relationships accurately.”

The shoot was the first time for the entire staff of The Marketing Square to be together and Brown said that added to the enjoyment of the day. Hair was styled by Albie Flores, Acaj Salon, and all clothing was provided by Thread of Winter Park.