Okay I admit it, I am a sucker. I love cross promotion, I fall for product placements, and believe brand ambassadors. There are literally hundreds of examples of great partnerships and cross promotions out there; The James Bond Omega, Breitling for Bently, and Ball for BMW. Product placement has been around since Thomas Edison and Moving Pictures, and Mad Men is a show that is built perfectly for and flawlessly executes good product placement. For seasons Five and Six, the “Mad Men” creators are going at the idea of cross promotion and going at it hard. I admit they have some great ideas and it has worked on me yet again. That’s why I am writing about it here; a two-part series on Mad Men Marketing.

Part 2: Banana Republic Mad Men Collection

Season Six begins on April 7th and ushers in one of the most unique partnerships. Teaming up with the Gap brand Banana Republic, the clothing designer came up with an entire line inspired by the show and it’s characters. What “Mad Men” did with JLC was a very interesting move which garnered lots of publicity, although it was not mass market oriented. Unlike AMC’s collaboration with JLC however, teaming up with Banana Republic has been heavily promoted.

This is not the first time that “Mad Men” has inspired clothing, or had a succesful product partnership. In the past we were able to see many promotional activities from AMC production company Lionsgate Television and various companies or brands. My Swell female readers might remember in spring of 2010, Mattel released a limited-edition series of Barbie and Ken dolls based on the characters Don and Betty Draper, Joan Holloway and Roger Sterling.

The show’s huge popularity persuaded Banana Republic bosses to prepare the Mad Man inspired collection for this season. This partnership is different than any other for “Mad Men”, designed by Banana Republic in collaboration with Mad Men‘s Costume Designer Janie Bryant. The new collection is inspired by costumes worn in the latest seasons of the series. The clothing line is made in the theme of the mod vibe of the later part of the ’60s decade. Key influences in the designs come from Joan’s form-fitting silhouette, Peggy’s accessories, Megan’s dresses in psychedelic prints, as well as her youthful effect on Don’s classic wardrobe. The menswear collection includes bold plaids and stripes, the emergence of the sport coat, and the sophisticated suit for the boardroom. Accessories include a mirrored heel shoe, graphic scarves, and geometric jewelry for women, along with fedoras and skinny ties for men.

 The sixth season of  “Mad Men” premieres with a two-hour episode on April 7, 2013. While your watching, look for some of those styles you might want to own, and look for that beautiful Jaeger LeCoultre on someones wrist. This year’s line is the third Mad Men inspired collection from Banana Republic, and I think that we will see the fourth in season seven. From a show that everyone is taking their styling cues from, the look on-screen is now translated it in a way that today’s Don or Megan will aspire to wear. So when you walk into Banana Republic for those great vintage fashions, or try on that gorgeous Jaeger LeCoultre Reverso, you know you’re going to look swell.

(images courtesy of AMC and Banana Republic)

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