Mattel to launch Mad Men dolls

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 | By Russell Parsons

Dolls of characters from the show, which is based on the lives of careers at fictional New York advertising agency Sterling Cooper in the early 1960s, will be available from July.

Creative director Don Draper, his wife Betty, agency partner Roger Sterling and office manager Joan Holloway will be part of a collector’s series.

The doll of leading man Draper will wear his “classic, polished red-lined suit” and the other three “stylized in iconic costumes from the series”, according to Mattel.

The award-winning series airs on BBC4 in the UK and chronicles the lives of the men and women at the Madison Avenue agency.

Their lives - often hit by adultery, ill health, drink and drugs - are in stark contrast to the wholesome image of Mattel’s iconic Barbie dolls.

The toy maker relaunched Barbie as a “fashion icon” last year with new packaging and marketing.