Uploaded June 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Even if you’ve never watched the show Mad Men, you’ve probably heard the phrase “It’s Toasted.”
“It’s Toasted” is featured in the climax of the very first episode of Mad Men, in a scene that captured attention and sparked the show’s runaway success.
In episode one, ad-man Don Draper struggles with a seemingly insurmountable problem and the latest research on cigarettes has just been released. The climax of the episode showcases Draper’s marketing and copywriting brilliance, as he seemingly pulls “it’s toasted” out of thin air.
A close watching of Season One/Episode One reveals that the show’s creators crafted a subtle build-up to the climax inspired by David Ogilvy’s "Confessions of an Advertising Man". The show highlights moments crucial to the copywriting and advertising process—behind the scenes work of audience/brand insights, advertising research and brand positioning.
"There is your audience. There is the language. There are the words that they use".
– Eugene Schwartz
Here are the Mad Men marketing lessons from just one episode.
- Use the words your audience uses
- List all the features of your product
- Avoid arguments you can’t win
BTW - It’s also a real tagline for Lucky Strikes cigarettes, adopted by the brand in 1917.
NOTE: This video is posted strictly for educational purposes and is posted under Fair Use to solely assist current and future advertising students and creatives.
Even if you’ve never watched the show Mad Men, you’ve probably heard the phrase “It’s Toasted.”
“It’s Toasted” is featured in the climax of the very first episode of Mad Men, in a scene that captured attention and sparked the show’s runaway success.
In episode one, ad-man Don Draper struggles with a seemingly insurmountable problem and the latest research on cigarettes has just been released. The climax of the episode showcases Draper’s marketing and copywriting brilliance, as he seemingly pulls “it’s toasted” out of thin air.
A close watching of Season One/Episode One reveals that the show’s creators crafted a subtle build-up to the climax inspired by David Ogilvy’s "Confessions of an Advertising Man". The show highlights moments crucial to the copywriting and advertising process—behind the scenes work of audience/brand insights, advertising research and brand positioning.
"There is your audience. There is the language. There are the words that they use".
– Eugene Schwartz
Here are the Mad Men marketing lessons from just one episode.
- Use the words your audience uses
- List all the features of your product
- Avoid arguments you can’t win
BTW - It’s also a real tagline for Lucky Strikes cigarettes, adopted by the brand in 1917.
NOTE: This video is posted strictly for educational purposes and is posted under Fair Use to solely assist current and future advertising students and creatives.
