Everyone I encountered in the PR and Marketing industry had a traditional background, which started with university, led to an internship, and a straightforward, corporate career for the next five to ten years in and out of agencies. As an outlier, I always connected to the story of the infamous Madison Avenue advertising titan, David Ogilvy. He was a 38-year-old Oxford dropout with experience as a cook, a salesman, a diplomat, and a farmer. Despite his background and a lack of marketing experience, one London agency took a chance on him in 1935, leading him to become a world famous copywriter, eventually building the largest ad agency in history.

David Ogilvy, Founder of Ogilvy & Mather

Perhaps today’s society is a far cry from the heyday, but at its core, advertising was built through the mid-century by creatives who constantly challenged the status quo, free from the monotony one might find in accounting pushing pencils.

Steve Frankfurt, President of Young & Rubicam Advertising once said in 1962, “The advertising man is in a certain sense unique because he’s probably part artist, part businessman and part scientist, I guess.”

In the spring of 2023, I got let go from my job in PR, which felt like a signal to go all in on myself. Newly unemployed, I opted to unwind for the summer. Days were spent sipping espresso at Caffè Arrone in the West Village, listening to Etta James, and brainstorming under the NYC sun amid hazy skies from the Canadian wildfires. Fully caffeinated, ideas began ricocheting around my brain like a steel pinball; covering the services I’d offer, our ethos, color scheme, branding, expansion plans, and even the precise font, Neue Haas Grotesk. I even put myself through an hour long documentary on the history of Helvetica.

The hardest task was naming the agency; every idea I conjured was already trademarked or taken on social. Determined, I spent the hottest day of the summer refusing to return home or eat until I landed on the perfect name, wandering the city free from technology, drawing inspiration from the urban landscape.

And then it appeared, from the ruins, lonely and inexplicable as the sphinx, rose a monumental advertisement on Park Avenue for Johnnie Walker.

Was that a butchered quote from F. Scott Fitzgeralds, My Lost City? Yes, but I’m certain thats how he felt laying eyes on the Empire State Building for the first time.

July 28, 2023, 7:49pm, 299 Park Ave South

Never before had a static billboard stirred such profound emotion within me. That warm summer evening in New York City leaving an indelible mark on my soul. The simplicity of the slogan, 'Keep Walking New York,' mirrored the rhythmic crosswalk shuffle of people from all corners of the globe, reminiscent of the Beatles crossing Abbey Road, or Johnnie Walker himself.

It was a moment of humanity, a stark contrast to the months of isolation we endured during the pandemic. It had suddenly dawned on me that life had seemingly returned to normal; the streets teemed with energy, businesses had thrown open their doors, and the harmonious clinking of cutlery echoed in restaurants like a Parisian cafe that now thrived as never before.

Though I hadn't lived through the 1960s, I couldn't help but feel that this was what advertising was meant to be. Evocative imagery paired with clever slogans that left an everlasting imprint. A time when CPMs and PPC didn't exist, and creatives were free to craft their content without worrying about algorithmic conformity and analytical benchmarks.

Traditional advertising platforms like TV commercials, print, and billboards, along with the occasional re-run of Mad Men, were what initially drew me to the world of marketing like most — what a cliché.

In today's digitally consumed society, these past placements have become akin to the four-speed transmission of a Porsche Speedster, a dwindling source of joy and artistry amidst the sea of lifeless, 3D-printed Teslas rolling off the cold production line in Austin, Texas.

And then, the name hit. The Boys on Madison would capture the gritty spirit of the titans from Ogilvy to McCann who paved the advertising industry through the 1960’s. These were the true movers and shakers of New York City, embodying the ethos of a creative director, an account manager, and a copywriting virtuoso all in one, a multi-faceted talent of innovation and artistry that defined the decade. As the jack of all trades, I too was a Swiss army knife of the modern marketing mix.

Negotiating Nostalgia: A Look at Vintage Rolex Advertisements

My affection for mid-century culture extends to its cars, music, and architecture, yet, watches have fascinated me most. I feel they’re able to encapsulate the essence of an entire period through their distinct curves, previous metals and decorative indices.

In particular, classic Rolex advertisements are the muse of our design philosophy, featuring bold monochrome headlines filled with tightly knit sans-serifs speaking volumes along clean, geometric lines.

Juxtaposed with a smaller, more detailed font, the ad invites the reader to learn about the craftsmanship of the watch, a common practice to draw the eye from a powerful statement to finer nuances. The use of black and white photography not only adds a layer of sophistication but also echoes the era's penchant for stark, high-contrast imagery, which aligns with the authoritative nature of international diplomacy.

Now more than ever, brands are drawing on their rich heritage and past years as vintage trends emerge prominently across the media. Whether it's Omega capitalizing on the moon landing to promote the Speedmaster, Jonathan Anderson utilizing 1980s editorials from Loewe to rejuvenate the brand, or RFK Jr. connecting with his uncle's legacy for his latest Super Bowl LVIII campaign, the power of leveraging historical significance has emerged as a potent strategy for a wistful generation.

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