Mad Men Premiere Party with a 1960s Theme

AMC's Mad Men follows Dan Draper, the biggest ad man, and ladies man, at the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Advertising Agency, as he tries to stay atop his game in both the boardroom and bedroom in 1960s New York.

The 4th season of the provactive series is set to premiere July 25th, so why not celebrate the return of the Mad Men cast with a premiere party that's decked in your favorite 60s style? Read on for our Mad Men party ideas and host one of the season's most talked about fetes!

*All photos courtesy of AMC.com

What's a Mad Men Party Without a Few Drinks?

Drinks and Mad Men go hand-in-hand. That is why we came up with this fun way to play a drinking game as you watch the drama unfold at your Mad Men watch party.

Play this game at your party.

A 1963 Music Playlist

Out of the Top 100 hits of 1963, here are our favorite ten. Be sure to make your own playlist too on iTunes or on YouTube. If you opt out of a 1960s playlist, consider playing smooth jazz at your party.

The End of the World - Skeeter Davis
 
My Boyfriend's Back - The Angels
 
Walk Like A Man - Four Seasons
 
She's a Fool - Lesley Gore
 
Blame It On Bossa Nova - Eydie Gorme
 
Puff, the Magic Dragon - Peter, Paul, and Mary
 
He's So Fine - The Chiffons
 
Devil in Disguise - Elvis Presley
 
You're The Reason I'm Living - Bobby Darin
 
Rhythm of the Rain - The Cascades

A Menu Made for 1963

Serve finger foods at your premiere party. Here is a list of 1960's-inspired sophisticated and tasty party food.

Food
 
Deviled Eggs: Try our Deviled Egg Recipes Article for some delicious ideas.
 
Donuts: French Crullers, bite-sized doughnut holes, or Old-Fashioned Doughnuts work best. Take these out of the box and stagger them on a silver serving tray.
 
Bagel and lox platter: Take a long a large rectangular serving platter and lay out your beautiful salmon slices along the center. Then, pre-cut your bagels and place them on a circular tray next to the salmon.
 
Shrimp Cocktail
 
Stuffed Mushrooms

Cheese and Crackers

Mad Men Appetizer

Try making this Mad Men theme appetizer that looks like a cocktail!

Get the complete recipe here. 

Sandwich Platter: You can either order a sub and cut the sub into slices, or arrange cold-cuts on a rectangular serving platter and accompany them with sliced rolls along with jars of Dijon mustard.
 
Cocktails
 
No 1960s party is complete without an assortment of classic cocktails to really get the party started in style! This is what you should serve at your Mad Men Premiere Party-don't be afraid to serve some (if not all) of your drinks in paper cups, especially water!
 
Old Fashioned

Tom Collins
 
Dry Martini
 
Helpful Hint: Prepare these cocktails before the party and either serve them in plastic cups or glasses and display them in a circular arrangement on the table. 

Office Party Decor Tips

Keep your decor clean and simple. Even though the 1960s gave rise to a hippie and drug culture, the sophisticated Mad Men of Madison Avenue do not adhere to that.
 
Decor Ideas
 
Use plates, cups, and utensils with bright colors and groovy designs.
 
Paper pom-poms and paper streamers (after all, it is an office party).
 
Lay out a selection of candy cigarettes for all your guests to enjoy.
 
If possible, fill your party space with vintage ads from the 1960s. Print some of your favorites out on pieces of gloss paper or take these to your local copy center to have bigger prints printed out. Not only are they a nice touch to the party, but they'll be a nice addition to your home post-party too.

More Mad Men Party Tips

Here are some great ways to tie your whole pary together-from beginning to end, we've got the best idea's to make your "Mad Men" party a success!

Invitations
 
Put your party invitations on business cards. Learn how to make business cards using Microsoft Word.
 
Dressing Up
 
Have your party guests dress up in 1960s attire.
 
Slogan Game
 
As your guests arrive, hand them a list of advertising slogans with a pen or pencil and have them guess what product each slogan advertises. It'll be entertaining to see them struggle because these are so familiar yet no one can really place them.
 
Helpful Hint: Tell your friends to arrive to the party at least an hour before the season premieres, being disturbed during the show and having to miss some of the show are completely unacceptable!