- Cutler and Chaough prepare to make radical changes to the firm while Sterling and Draper are visiting a client in Los Angeles. Joan's decision to go after a new account on her own leaves Pete furious and frustrated.
- The discussion of the Vietnam War at the Democratic National Convention, where many expect the party to come out with an official anti-war policy, has an effect on the populace and in turn the personal and professional lives of many of those at the merged company, which is still going through growing pains. They still have no name, and no consensus of a name on the horizon. And there is still an "us" and "them" mentality by many. But work continues. Don, Roger and Harry are heading to Los Angeles to deal with their Carnation and Sunkist accounts among others. The east versus "left" coast mentalities become evident. And between the three, there are differing priorities for this trip. But they all end up indulging in the California counter culture, which especially affects Don. Ted is dealing with the problematic Chevy account in Detroit. Jim is not happy dealing with the Manischewitz account as he sees it as a leftover of SCDP, the creative which is led by Ginsberg who he doesn't like (with the feeling being mutual). He sees Don and Roger's absence as a good time to clean "SCDP" house. Meanwhile, Joan sees an opportunity to turn a personal relationship into a business relationship with Fortune 500 company, Avon. She also sees this opportunity as a chance to get out of her glorified secretary role. But Joan's tactics may backfire on her.—Huggo
- Don, Roger and Harry travel to California to deal with a potential new client. They're not well received with the company feeling left out out by their previous New York advertising agency. While there, they take advantage of the warm weather and go to several parties. Don and Roger don't quite seem to fit in. Back in New York, Jim Cutler wants Ted to decide on a new name for the company. He also wants to fire some of the staff. Joan has a surprise when her friend at Avon arranges a lunch for her with one of their senior executives. She quickly sees an opportunity to land a big account of her own but when it appears Pete Campbell is going to step in and take over, she ensures he doesn't get invited to the meeting. She also puts her job on the line by doing so.—garykmcd
- "Mad Men" - "A Tale of Two Cities" - June 2, 2013
We open at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Don is watching on TV. Don and Megan talk about the protests. She calls him a cynic. He asks her to go to California with him and go back to Disneyland. She can't come but tells him to stay away from actresses.
It's decided in the partners' meeting that Ted will go to work on "softening" up Chevy and Detroit. Don and Roger are headed to L.A. to work on getting Carntion, Sunkist and other new business. Cutler brings up the alphabet soup name issue again. They talk about dropping the dead Gleason and Pryce. Bert withdraws his name. Don says to leave it alone and get a bigger front door. Cutler says if they wait much longer it will be up to the world to decide what their name is.
On the plane to L.A. Roger tries to get Don to stop prepping and just act the part of the big New York admen from an agency: slick, glib, and himself. He notes that their biggest challenge is to not get syphilis.
Stan and Ginsberg listen to the DNC on the radio intently. The party rejected the peace plank and they are upset. Cutler comes in to check on some work and wonders why they're not doing it. Ginsberg freaks out an starts castigating Cutler as "the man" saying "This whole thing works because people like you look the other way." He calls him a fascist for loving business and hating everything else. Cutler says he really hates hippies who cash checks from places like Dow Chemical, like Ginsberg does. Ginsberg continues to rage and Bob Benson tries to get him to be civil. Cutler blows up at him and says "Why are you always down here, go back to work!"
Cutler goes to Chaough and says they fired the wrong people and wants to fire all the remaining SCDP people while everyone is away and let Pete Campbell hold the line. Ted says Cutler has to start holding hands with these people. And that he needs to prep for Manischewitz and to go with Ginsberg. He sniffs, "Sterling's client and Draper's boy."
Joan meets a man for a lunch. He is the head of marketing at Avon, where her friend Kate works. She thought it was a date but he wants her advice in picking an ad agency and asks her to pitch SCDPCGC. She says they don't lean on stylish creative and marketing but they listen to their clients. She calls Harry Crane a wizard. She gets the check. She does a really great job pitching him.
Benson goes to see Cutler who assigns him to take Ginsberg to the Manischewitz meetng as a way to test him. Benson says he can keep the volume down and welcomes the "chance to shine."
Joan goes to see Peggy and tells her about the client pitch. She's excited and asks what to do next. Peggy says they need to set a meeting and since Don's not there they take it to Ted. Peggy says Joan will be the "account man." They tell Ted and he calls in Pete, dubs him the "head of new business" and tells him to reel Avon in. Joan wants to go to the meeting. Pete doesn't want her there. He reassures her that he and Peggy will tell him how essential she is and she will get all the credit. Joan is sad.
In L.A., Harry, Don and Roger pull up to the hotel in a convertible Mustang. Harry says they're going to a party in the Hills with a bunch of movie types. Roger wants to go to the Strip but Don hits the hay.
Joan folds laundry while watching the news about the protests and riots at the convention. She is aghast at the police beating the protesters.
Don also watches in L.A. and gets a call from Megan who is also watching and can't believe the scene either. Don tries to joke with her saying she can't even vote. She tearfully says she lives here though. He says he misses her. She tells him to go for a swim since it always makes him feel better. They hang up.
The next day Peggy and Joan meet with the man from Avon. Joan says Pete couldn't make it. Actually, she didn't invite him. Peggy is upset by this. She introduces Peggy to Andy Hayes. Joan talks Peggy up. Peggy talks up her personal Avon lady. Joan asks what his biggest challenge is. He says sales are flat and woman are working and hippies don't wear make-up. He doesn't know if they should be groovier or nostalgic. Peggy asks how he feels about his current work if it's unintentionally old-fashioned. He says it is. She suggests Avon ladies come to offices. Joan points out there's no doorbell at an office. He likes this and Peggy beams.
Harry, Don, and Roger meet with the Carnation people and the head Jack, is a no-nonsense kind of a guy, who calls Reagan a patriot and Nixon an opportunist and hates the long-hairs. He asks them how they're going to give love to both instant breakfast and Life cereal. They're concerned that they will be in conflict with one another. Carnation is skeptical of New York ad firms and their attitudes. Roger says they're sorry their last girlfriend hurt them but they're in their office right now. They smile and ask what they have to show them.
Back at the office the next day Joan wonders what is wrong with Peggy since she just gave her the business of her life. Peggy says Joan threw it away. Joan asks what she's going to do. Peggy says she knows she wants it but it's not hers anymore. Peggy says she knows she can do it, just like Peggy knew she could be a copywriter and Joan has been working in accounts in some way or another. Peggy says she worked her way up. Joan says Don carried her to the deep end of the pool. Peggy says she never slept with him and Joan always tried to tell her she couldn't do it. Joan says she's just like the rest of them. Peggy says she's just worried what the higher ups are going to say when they find out. Joan says she'll be fine. Peggy walks away.
Bob Benson listens to a motivational sales record. He gets a call from Ginsberg who is freaking out and doesn't want to go to the Manischewitz meeting. Bob tries to coax him to go. Ginsberg babbles that he has become part of the problem, that he's a pig now. Bob tries to buff him up saying he's just afraid. Ginsberg says he doesn't want to do harm. Benson says Manischewitz are good people, Ginsberg's people and he needs to pull himself together and be the man Benson's admires. Ginsberg asks if he's gay.
Don, Roger, and Harry head to the party in the Hills. It's groovy and full of booze, drugs, hippies, and pretty people. They run into Danny Siegel who is now a hippie screenwriter in a daishiki. Roger needles him about his height and getting fired. Roger ogles the pretty ladies.
Don chats with a movie guy about advertising, soundtracks, and jingles. Don walks in on a hookah party on the way to the rest room. He has a seat and tokes up some hashish instead.
Roger chats with a hippie chick named Lotus. Or talks to her as she stares at him. She's tripping. Danny comes to collect her. Roger belittles him and Danny socks him in the gut.
Don, now high, puts the make on the blond actress. A woman who looks like Megan to him interrupts him. She says it's cool, it's California everybody shares. She's dressed like a hippie. She claims she quit her job and came to be with him and is pregnant. He asks what she thinks it is-- girl or boy-- and she says it's a "second chance." She leads him through the party to the bar. She says "everybody's looking for you." Then he has a vision of the soldier he saw in Hawaii, he informs him he's dead. He then sees a body floating in a pool. It is him. Roger pulls him out and he spits out water.
Back in New York, Ted Chaough returns with good news that the high up at Chevy Jack, finally signed off and showed him the car. They're ready to move to the next step. Benson arrives with bad news that Manischewitz wants to put them in review. Ted asks if Cutler was there. Benson says he convinced him to let him go. Ted says Roger asked them to watch his dog and the dog ran away. Cutler says they appreciate what Bob tried to do (cover Cutler's ass) and as a reward they're adding him to the Chevy account. Ted seethes. Benson loves it. Cutler says with Avon coming in and Chevy moving up, Manischewitz is no great loss. Ted says Cutler is splitting the place, and not in half. Cutler say they'll give them something.Ted wonders what they have to give. Cutler has no answer.
On the flight back Don has caught a cold which he can't understand since Cali is usually good to him. Roger says he learned that NYC is the center of the universe. He says his shrink says it's important to know who you are and Roger says he's a curious child with a full head of hair and a thriving business. And Don is a terrible swimmer. They smile. Then Don broods.
Pete calls Joan on the carpet for the Avon situation. Avon sent over a note and some free samples. Pete is mad that she and Peggy ditched him. Joan protects Peggy. Joan points out that Avon is happy. Pete smarms that he bets they are. Joan says it's better than getting screwed by him. He stalks off to tattle to Ted. Peggy tells Joan she'll handle Ted. Joan says it's too late for that. Pete and Ted return. Peggy is dismissed. She goes into Joan's office and listens in. Pete says he has no issue that Joan brought the business. But protocol is that an account executive lays the ground work and then a junior is appointed to maintain the bosses' relationship with the account. Joan is speechless at first. Peggy sends a note to Joan saying the Avon man is on the phone. Joan goes into her office and Peggy shushes her as they listen in as Ted says possession is 9/10ths of the law and that they're all working together now and all agency business is Pete's business. Pete is incensed. Joan thanks Peggy for the save. Peggy says she better hope that the guy from Avon really calls.
Roger and Don head into the office. Pete pulls them into Don's office wanting to tattle about Joan. But then Ted, Bert, and Cutler enter. Burt says they should get Joan and Pete says no. Ted relays the news about Chevy and Joan with Avon. Cutler breaks the news about Manischewitz. Ted and Jim say they have a deferential idea for the name of the company: Sterling, Cooper and Partners. Sterling and Cooper like it. Cutler says it's equally offensive to everyone: Don, Ted, and Jim, and RIP Layne. They're willing to do it so Don also says yes. SC&P says Don aloud. Cutler says they'll get the art department at work on a logo. Pete can't believe that Don is okay with this and says this is not the same business anymore. Don says if Pete doesn't like it maybe it's time to get out of the business.
Pete grabs a joint from Stan and tokes up.
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