Episode 19

Podcast

Mad Men: Should creatives be given power?

Makes Sense-SKEMA Podcast-Episode 19

Published on 15/07/2025

Would you trust Don Draper with real decision-making power? You know, the brilliant ad man from Sterling Cooper in Mad Men. Hand him a bottle of ketchup, and he’ll find the words to make it irresistible. He’s the ultimate archetype of the creative in business: talented but unpredictable, indispensable yet unruly.

Today, creatives still seem burdened by that image — few of them actually reach top leadership roles in companies. But is creativity really defined by the clichés that surround it? What kind of skills does it truly involve? Is it fundamentally at odds with decision-making? And what if we gave creatives the power to lead? Would it be chaos… or could it spark a new path to innovation?

To find out, "Makes Sense?" invited someone who could have inspired a Mad Men character himself: Marlon Alves. A Brazilian professor and researcher in strategy and organisation at SKEMA Business School. His work focuses on creativity, intuition, and the concept of exploration. In this episode, he draws powerful links between his research and scenes from Mad Men, guiding us through pop culture and real-life examples to explore a fresh take on creativity in business.

​"Makes Sense?" is a podcast from SKEMA Business School. This episode is hosted by Mary Michaelides.

Learn more about Marlon Alves.

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