AMC launches “Mad Men” avatar creator

mad-men-avatar

AMC is not content that you are aware of the upcoming Season 3 premiere of its hit series Mad Men on Aug. 16. First, it took over Banana Republic stores with ’60s fashion chic. Now, the network has partnered with illustrator Dyna Moe to launch the Mad Men Yourself avatar creator. This application allows fans to create and customize ’60s-style digital avatars that reflect the look of Mad Men‘s characters (and listen to some light ’60s lounge pop while doing so), from smooth-talking Don Draper to sassy office manager Joan Holloway. Like the popular Simpsons movie and Japanese anime avatar creators, these can be downloaded and shared on various social networks, including Facebook, Twitter and iPhone.

Dyna Moe’s work first became familiar to Mad Men fans in 2008, when she began a project to draw a scene every week of the show. This “Mad Men Illustrated” Flickr set went viral and made the artist/filmmaker/comedian famous.

“The enthusiasm that AMC and [series creator] Matthew Weiner have shown for my illustrations is an honor and very exciting,” says Moe. “I’ve stayed up all night for weeks at a time drawing hundreds of different elements for the avatars — anything you could digitally stick on, near or behind your virtual Sterling Cooper employee. No detail is too small. I know Mad Men enthusiasts everywhere will go ga-ga for this new online activity.”

Along with the avatar creator, AMC will host a weekly caption contest at its website. Each Monday, the site will feature a brand-new Dyna Moe illustration, based on the latest Season 3 episode, for which visitors can submit a caption.