While the characters and storyline of the AMC cable television network series “Mad Men” may not have much in common with the digital world of the 21st century, the name has has proved to be an asset for Downtown’s newest advertising service agency.
Mad Men Marketing LLC, upstairs at 111 E. Bay St., specializes in digital and nontraditional media creation and placement, said J.D. Blair, agency president.
The nine-member staff develops applications for mobile devices, designs websites, optimizes search engines, consults in social media and produces and places broadcast and print advertising for clients.
“We believe in ‘interact, don’t interrupt.’ The consumer is in total control of how they consume media,” Blair said.
He’s a former director of digital sales at WJXT Channel 4 and started consulting for a few clients four years ago. He left the television station in August 2011, joined by two of his colleagues, to start the agency.
“It was a big risk, but it has turned into a big reward,” said Blair.
“There are local agencies that do some phenomenal work, but we saw opportunity,” he said.
As for the name, Blair said it was chosen to help the agency be more recognizable and accepted by prospective clients, based on the popularity of the series about a fictional 1960s-era advertising agency in New York City.
“We love the TV show. We used to be called ‘Cornerstone Consulting,’ but the name wasn’t getting us anywhere. ‘Mad Men Marketing’ gave us some name recognition,” Blair said.
Another change was the move in August from an office park in Baymeadows to a vintage building Downtown. Blair and his partners have been converting the second-floor space into office areas and removing decades of plaster and paint to expose the original brick walls.
“You can feel the life in the building. Downtown has an intriguing history,” said Michele Bozzuto, vice president and director of business development.
Blair said the company grew from a single client to 20 clients before Mad Men moved Downtown. Since August, the client base has increased by a half dozen accounts.
“Clients get excited when they come to the office,” he said.
Bozzuto said moving Downtown has been a good fit for the agency.
“Our goal is to be part of the resurgence of Downtown. I think a turnaround is coming. We’re happy to be ahead of it and happy to be a part of it,” said Bozzuto.
@drmaxdowntown
356-2466