When teaching my course on marketing to women, one of the first modules includes a brief look at the history of advertising and its parallel to socioeconomic periods in America.  I feel it’s important to lay a foundation of history before business owners and marketers can even begin to understand why the term “marketing to women” has popped up in recent years, and why it’s here to stay.

I show a 4-minute multimedia presentation that displays ads from the beginning of the 20th century up to present day.  Inevitably, when I hit the ads of the 1950’s and 1960’s, people don’t know how to react at the way advertisers spoke to women in this country.  Students my age (nearing 50) and older nod their heads in remembrance; younger students can’t believe it actually happened.  They used to think that I exaggerated stories of the 60’s era just to make my point.

And then, Mad Men came along.

Season 3 of the AMC series premieres this Sunday, August 16th, promising another 13 episodes of drinking, smoking, carousing… oh yes, and even some actual work at Sterling Cooper, the advertising agency at the hub of the “Mad Men” universe.

When viewing the series, some people are shocked to the point of laughter at the treatment of the female characters. The condescension is downright jaw dropping at times. When it comes to consumerism, women are looked upon as sheep moving en masse to keep their men and their families smiling those “Look Ma, no cavities” smiles.  And working women? For them, just getting out of the secretarial pool was breaking through the glass ceiling.

A number of women I know, both personally and professionally, bristle at the “Mad Men” series.  It’s very hard for them to admit that this is the way things were 45 years ago. They think the creator of the series and the writers are a cult of misogynists.

So here’s the kicker:  7 of the 9 writers on “Mad Men” are women.

For a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the writing team, their research, and creative process, check out this article that appeared this week in The Wall Street Journal.  Their honest, creative look at a slice of American history spurred 30 million viewers to download the show last year and spend $18 million in six months on DVDs of the first two seasons.

Here are a couple of my favorite clips from the first season.  In the first, the “good old boys” from Sterling Cooper marvel at Peggy’s (Don Draper’s secretary) ability to come up with a tag line for a lipstick campaign.

And second, the moment I knew Don Draper was the man for me – here was an ad man who, even in the 1960’s, “got it” when it came to the female customer.  He may not have known exactly where he was going with this, but he was on the right track.

If you haven’t already, give “Mad Men” a try.  You really need to start with Season 1. But hey – you need something to watch on your iPhone while you’re on elliptical machine at the gym, don’t you?  And I promise – the women who are treated with such indifference will definitely turn around and deliver some surprises.

Watch, learn, and enjoy.