To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Fort Worth chapter of the American Advertising Federation hosted a swank party featuring Matthew Weiner, creator and executive producer of the hit television series Mad Men.
As a member of the AAF-Fort Worth board, I can tell you that this was no small undertaking. When we throw a party, we do it right. That night, Casa Manana was, according to a recent news article, “dripping with sexy people” decked out in their best adaptations of Mad Men attire. There was even a raffle for some elegant swag – a string of Majorca pearls from Neiman Marcus.
Following a cocktail reception, we settled in – not quite sure what to expect – to hear from the creative genius behind a show known for its gorgeous imagery and accurate portrayal of ad agency life in the 1960s.
Mr. Weiner did not disappoint. His stream-of-conscious approach was funny, refreshing and real. Even his tangents were relevant – we just had to keep up with him. Mr. Weiner’s most surprising quality was his willingness to be vulnerable in front of a room full of strangers. He spoke about how personally he takes character development, and how he pulls some of his best material from his own life experiences. He measures success by how true-to-life the scenes feel; he takes the most pride in the way private moments are portrayed, and the fact that the characters actually listen, taking in the words their counterparts speak, before responding.
“It’s real life with more eloquent conversations and attractive people,” he said.
His one piece of advice was to always be open to the world so as not to filter out opportunities for greatness. He said that he’s amazed at the amount of time people spend behind a desk when more meaningful work can be accomplished by taking a five-minute walk around the block.
Mr. Weiner’s speech, coupled with handpicked clips from the show, was an event GCG was proud to sponsor. Would have been a perfect night, if only I’d been able to get my hands on those pearls…
