Retromarketing: yesterday's tomorrows, today! says Stephen Brown, in one of histimely marketing papers. Lets look at a relevant case rooting itself in the1960's, since our point of reference here is Mad Men (1960's based admen).
The new Jaguar S-Type, for instance, has an uncanny resemblance to immortal MarkII, beloved by 1960s' police officers and getaway drivers. Subsequently, theretro-advertising campaign is as evocative. The TV ad blares the bygone backingtrack - 1960s Shirley Bassey singing, "little bit of history repeatingitself" - whereas the print version is accorded with the time-steepedtagline, "the style of the last generation, the excitement of the next"
There are several such examples of retro being de rigueur, especially true in theautomotive industry. However, its worth noting what values and aspiration's theJaguar brand is trying to evoke among its new "old" loving audience:style, class and excitement.
Mad Men is now a brand that represents a somewhat uncanny resemblance to retroappeal. Gone are the days when advertising was based on pure positioning andpropositioning of a product. Advertising now works its magic on a new P:Platform. So what is it about Mad Men that fascinates us? What about thisbygone age of advertising professionals in the 1960's makes it one of the toprated shows at present?
Mad Men appeals to the style quotient in us. The biggest proof of this very real phenomenon is the global spike in consumption of single malt and scotch whisky. John Hamm and John Slattery are mesmerizing enough characters on the show.However, a large part of their panache emanates from the drink they choose, andwhy they choose to indulge. In a thirty second clip from one of the episodes,Roger Sterling (John Slattery) makes a claim to Don (John Hamm) that drinking is now a very real part of a "generation gap" between the two, andthat people of Don's age do not know why they drink. He also appeals to Don to "enjoy" his drink and justifies it by saying his"generation drinks because its good". One cant deny the subtle marketing being attempted here - but it does not override the essence of the show in anyway. Its a brilliantly simplistic bit of dialogue.
It is probably bits like these that have made Mad Men one of the prime stimulantsof a global increase in whisky consumption. A report, in licensed trade magazine The Grocer, said: "Don Draper and co have not just influenced oursartorial habits.
"More and more people are also emulating the glamorous Man Men characters by developing a taste for high end spirits - particularly fine Scotch." The study says that Scotch sales is raising spirits in recession-hit Britain withexports of malt and blended whisky rising by a 22 per cent to £1.8billion inthe first six months of the year. And sales of single malts soared by 13.4per cent in the past year, according to market research firm Kantar World panel.
It's the biggest success story in the drinks industry's spirits category, which hasenjoyed a 6.4 per cent value annual increase, but this is not the first timesuch a trend has emerged. In 2007, the success of charismatic duo Denny Crane(William Schatner) and best buddy Alan Shore (James Spader) sipping theirscotch on the balcony after a hard days work caused New Zealanders to get outthere and buy more whisky.
Whisky is also downed in other retro dramas such as Life On Mars, Ashes To Ashes andThe Hour. Rosemary Gallagher, of the Scotch WhiskyAssociation, said: "Anecdotal evidence suggests younger people are beingattracted to malt - partly because it's seen as an aspirational and stylish drink
"Thereare a lot of young, newly affluent customers buying whisky in the bars to makea statement. And boy, making a statement they are.
