What was advertising like in the 1960's?

What is Mad Men's ultimate assessment of the advertising industry of the 1960s?

• I've heard people say that Mad Men glamorizes the advertising industry of the 60s, as well as the period as a whole, and I'm amazed that anyone would perceive it that way. I see the main characters of SCDP and their clients portrayed as hollow, venal, soulless, self-important, self-hating hustlers. They're complex and deeply flawed, which is a big part of what makes the show so compelling, but glamorous? I don't think so. And while aspects of the period are glamorized, I find the predominant themes to be pretty dark. Am I in the minority?

• Answer:

  I think the real answer is that there is no single thesis. Advertising serves first and foremost as a conduit for the show to speak to a culture that is much broader than the advertising industry because every campaign is presented as an attempt to understand some target segment of the population - perfect for a show creator who doesn't want to be tied down to a single niche. Additionally, the well-to-do-ness of the characters involved, and their necessary hobnobbing with other such characters give opportunities for the show to really dive into the American Dream which was in a heyday at the time. So again, the setting works because it's a great conduit more than because these particular people are so worth our time.