Don Draper’s Best Ad Pitch And How To Use The Power of Framing

The framing effect is when people make different decisions based on how the outcome is framed. It’s an effective tool in public relations and marketing with many examples in our daily lives.

In this article, you’ll find an advertising story from Mad Men to explain The Framing Effect. And some practical tips on how to benefit from it.

Let’s go.

“It’s toasted.”

If you’ve watched Mad Men, you’ll remember the scene.

In the 1960s, the FTC bans tobacco companies from making any health claims in their ads.

Before that, it was normal to see ads with the “health benefits“ of cigarettes. But public opinion was starting to change on tobacco.

So Lucky Strike executives ask for help from Don Draper’s advertising agency.

How will they advertise if they can’t say cigarettes are safe?

During their meeting, Don realizes it’s one of the greatest advertising opportunities.

There are six tobacco companies with the same product. And they can’t make any health claims.

So what they need is a different angle. A different frame.