The past is another country. Picture the scene: Sterling Cooper
advertising agency. Don Draper’s 1960s New York office. Clients
with little knowledge of the creative process—impressed by quick wit and
clever wording—hand the agency a brief. The creatives, after hours of
pacing their office, cigarette in one hand, scotch on the rocks in the other,
using a process only powerful account executives can understand, weave their magic and produce at the last minute and seemingly out of nowhere
yet another fantastic slogan that makes the clients millions of dollars.
The client marvels at the mysterious wonders of the design process and
exits happy. Design team did good. Job done. Time for another cigarette.