Log In Register

Art & Copy

  • Official Selection, Sundance Film Festival
  • Official Selection, Hot Docs
  • Outstanding Arts and Culture Programming, Emmy Awards


Fascinating Look at the Real “Mad Men” – and Women – Behind Some of the Most Memorable Advertising Campaigns of the Past Half-Century

You may thank the creative people in ART & COPY for such familiarly evocative slogans as “Just Do It,” “I Love NY,” “Where’s the Beef?” and brilliant campaigns for everything from cars to presidents. Love them or loathe them, they have mastered the art of persuasion through hard work and seemingly boundless creativity.

ART & COPY reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time – people who’ve profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising’s “creative revolution” of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation: William Bernbach, George Lois, Mary Wells, Dan Wieden, Lee Clow, Hal Riney and others featured in the film led the way in the creation and constant redefinition of the ad business. In fact, Bernbach, Lois, and Wells are the original advertising creatives who shaped the era the hit TV series Mad Men depicts. They managed to grab the attention of millions and truly move them. Visually interwoven with their stories, TV satellites are launched, billboards are erected, and the social and cultural impact of their ads is brought to light in this exploration of art, commerce, and human emotion.