Today has been unusual for me, and that’s because I’ve been thinking a lot about ketchup. Heinz ketchup to be specific. And all it took for that to happen was for the company to use an ad campaign it originally rejected five decades ago, when it said no to Don Draper‘s pitch.

In news we first came across at Adweek, today the company announced that they will be using the minimalist “Pass the Heinz” advertisements that Don Draper, Stan Rizzo, and Pete Campbell pitched in season six of AMC‘s Mad Men. Heinz is even crediting both the fictional Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and the very real creative agency DAVID for the campaign. They say you’ll be able to see the ads in New York City “through traditional print ads and outdoor billboards.”

If you don’t remember the episode or the meeting, you can watch it again here.

The main problem the Heinz executives had at the time, mainly that their own product was nowhere to be found in the ad, is what the current regime finds so appealing, describing it as “clever” and “modern,” and complimenting it because it “doesn’t require paragraphs of copy to convey what Heinz brings to the table.”

Yeah, plus Mad Men was the best and we miss it, so we’re thrilled for any chance we get to talk about it, even if it takes ketchup to make that happen. Jon Hamm didn’t mention to us that he had landed a new client when he visited us at SXSW this weekend (though he had plenty to say about Baby Driver, so stay tuned for that), but his Don Draper, despite lacking in personally redeeming traits like responsibility or fidelity, and even though he was a little short on ethics and morality, could craft a damn good ad!

This seems like such a smart and fun idea by Heinz, it has us wondering something that seems obvious now: why haven’t other companies done this?

It’s so simple it’s crazy this hasn’t happened before. The ad has already been created by Matthew Weiner and his writers, so they don’t have to worry about taking pitches. Mad Men is one of the greatest shows ever with a built-in audience who will gobble up a cross promotion like a kid eating some fries. And in the modern world of native ads, viral marketing, and brand awareness, this is a way to achieve all of those in a natural way.

So here are just a few of our other favorite Don Draper created ads that could–and should–be made into a reality.

Hilton Hotels

Old Connie Hilton might have wanted the moon, but here we are in 2017 and we still don’t even have a B&B on the moon, let alone a hotel, so he was a little early with his demands. Too bad, because this was an effective and beautifully designed ad campaign.

The Kodak Carousel

Lost in probably the single most famous pitch in the show’s history, the moving, emotional heavy wrap up to season one that brilliantly blurred the lines between Don Draper the ad exec and Don Draper the man, was the fact it was a great campaign. Nostalgia sells. We know because you guys can’t get enough stories about awesome things from the ’90s. Kodak could make a killing selling these, even as retro machines, by using an ad campaign that would make us nostalgic for Mad Men. INCEPTION-STYLE ADVERTISING.

Hershey’s Bar

Okay, maaaaaybe not the best ending to a meeting. Generally you want to avoid telling stories about growing up in a whorehouse in a business setting, unless the business is an actual whorehouse. (It was still an amazing moment for viewers). But besides that Mrs. Lincoln, the pitch was great. Who doesn’t like to think of happier times and chocolate? Now maybe Hershey’s isn’t eager to have people thinking about the other half of Don’s meeting, but it’s fine. It’s not quite the problem Jaguar would have to overcome.

Ugh.

GIF: Tumblr/Lynchoid

Yup.

Of course, in the most meta-Mad-Men-marketing idea ever, the biggest missed opportunity by a company is by one that didn’t immediately start using a Don Draper ad as soon as it appeared on the show. Especially since they actually did create it themselves years ago.

Coca-Cola’s “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke”

If Coca-Cola started airing this commercial again you could feel nostalgia for a commercial you are remembering while being nostalgic over a show that constantly made use of nostalgia, including with this very commercial.

….I think I just talked myself into buying a Coke. Or of re-watching Mad Men. And I’m still thinking about ketchup.

That’s how good Don Draper was!

What other Mad Men campaigns would you like to see really used by a company? Sell us your best pitch in the comments below.

Featured Image: AMC
Body Images: Heinz/DAVID/Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce