The term “Mad Men” once referred to Madison Avenue ad execs. But in Madison County, Mississippi, the creatives at Ridgeland’s Mad Genius embraced the name — hosting a full-on “Mad Menius” office party in costume to celebrate the hit AMC drama.
Creative Director Eric Hughes was hooked from day one.
“From the opening credits, I was drawn in,” he said. “Don Draper perfectly captured the pressure and panic every creative knows — staring down a deadline, waiting for inspiration to strike.”
Hughes said the show delivers on all fronts: rich characters, smart storytelling, and vintage flair. “It made you cringe at the blatant sexism of the era,” he said, “but also appreciate how far we’ve come—and how far we still have to go.”
His favorite character? Peggy Olson. “She started off naive but quickly found her strength. You can’t help but root for her.”
Hughes believes “Mad Men” didn’t just influence pop culture — it rode the wave of a retro revival already brewing in fashion and design. “The timing was perfect. The show tapped into that mid-century cool just as it was trending again.”
Why do people love it? “It’s visually stunning, emotionally layered, and there’s this fascinating contrast between the polished surface and the messy lives underneath,” Hughes said. “People were really committed to their roles — hats, dinner parties, pressed suits. Makes you wonder what costumes we wear today.”
To Hughes, the show is ultimately about manipulation and self-awareness — balancing ambition and identity. “What are you willing to sacrifice to succeed? And what’s the cost of staying on that treadmill?”
As an ad pro, he relates deeply. “The pressure of pitching — of walking into a boardroom running on fumes, knowing it all comes down to how well you sell an idea — that’s real.”
Is “Mad Men” showing us the “good old days”? “That depends on who you ask,” Hughes said. “Some miss the traditions. But for women fighting to be taken seriously? Those days might not feel so ‘good.’”
And when it comes to the power of advertising? Hughes sees parallels. “We laugh at the obvious manipulation of 1960s ads, but are we really that different today? Just scroll through Instagram. We’re still being sold ideals — just through newer media.”
