Ep 3. The Benefactor

In Mad Men season 2 episode 3, entitled "The Benefactor," the world of advertising comes face to face with the politics of the time as Sterling Cooper is tasked with creating a campaign for a new cigarette aimed at reaching African American consumers.

The episode opens with Don Draper, the creative genius behind the agency, searching for inspiration for the new account. In a moment of downtime, we see Don perusing a copy of "The Feminine Mystique," suggesting the show is setting up a theme for the episode around women's shifting roles in society at the time.

Meanwhile, Peggy, newly promoted to junior copywriter, is given the opportunity to work on the project alongside her male colleagues. Despite being underestimated and belittled by her coworkers, Peggy produces some of the episode's strongest ideas.

As the campaign takes shape, the agency faces pushback from both the cigarette company and racial activists who make it clear that the ad is exploiting the suffering of black people. The founder of the company, Lee Garner Jr., arrives to oversee the advertising campaign as unapologetic entitlement oozes from him. The character made a previous appearance in season one where his inappropriate behavior veiled behind loud laugh seemed to unsettle even the seasoned staff at Sterling Cooper.

Throughout the episode, we see Don struggling to confront his own prejudices and conditioning regarding race. It is clear that the fictional character, despite being a celebrated genius, must navigate his own internal barriers. Nonetheless, his initial idea was to play up the themes of freedom, pride, and nature in that order, as he didn't want the advertisement to seem like pandering. Yet Peggy intervenes and suggests they scrap this conventional approach and go with something that feels more specific and authentic.

As the team struggles with the ethical implications of working on the campaign, Peggy shows that she is willing to take a stand. She defies her boss by confronting Garner Jr., making it clear she will not allow something that goes against her moral compass for the sake of pleasing a client.

Meanwhile, Betty Draper, Don's wife, deals with her own issues around dependence. As she becomes friends with another mother, Francine, Betty is reminded of her lack of identity outside of her role as a wife and mother. In an emotional scene, Betty admits to Francine that she often feels trapped and unsure of her place in the world.

As the episode comes to a close, the Sterling Cooper team races to finish the campaign, which manages to offer a sensitive take for the intended audience without propagating racist imagery. In the end, Sterling Cooper will present a proposal which handles the racial sensitivity and pride with a fresh approach, and a healthy dash of wit.

"The Benefactor" demonstrates a continued exploration of the themes of identity, belonging, independence, and ethics that Mad Men is renowned for whilst skillfully weaving in contemporary issues of race relations. It offers an engaging perspective of both the internal and external struggles of the characters as they adapt to the changes of their times.