http://bit.ly/18MQFm

I would not be surprised if the next guide had to do with how throw a “Mad Men”-inspired dinner party that could conveniently coincide with Sunday night episodes. This interactive strategy popular with serial drama websites from Lost to Gossip Girl encourages participation and identification with elements of the show that are blurring the lines between fandom and branding . Audiences can now be walking advertisements for the new season in person or virtually, as with the Mad Men avatars on facebook. As seen on TV is taking on a whole other level within the network.

A lot of fashion is going through/has been going through a ’60s retro phase of late: high waisted pencil skirts, tucked in blouses, shirtwaists, shirtdresses, headbands, full-skirted (and belted) dresses. Look at the current Banana Republic collection and you will see the Mad Men fashion aesthetic in action. There may not be an explicit cross-plug, but BR is the best choice, especially since it’s a nationwide chain and much ‘hipper’ than, say, Ann Taylor. (The only better choice would’ve been Anthropologie, but they just don’t have the same national reach, including mid-sized markets).

And while I don’t know how well the window displays will encourage non-viewers to give it a chance, I do know that it’s been effective — along with the Mad Men-yourself program — in generating enormous anticipation for the third season. A year ago, the buzz was not nearly as big, in part due to the number of new fans (and friends of fans who’ve caught up through DVD, such as yourself). The show may still be niche, but it’s expanding — much the way that Sex and the City did.