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On the AMC drama, Peggy Olson evolves from "just another secretary" to a Madison Avenue ad whiz, owning all of the "mad men" like the boss she is.
1. "Basket of Kisses" opens the door to a career
Peggy gets her big break when she steps up from a simple market research exercise and creates her first brilliant copy for a client.
2. She asks for a raise and gets it, along with a promotion
Taking full advantage of Don's good mood, Peggy nabs a raise, a promotion to junior copywriter and is put in charge of the Clearasil account. Leaning in FTW!
3. After nailing the Popsicle account, she finally gets out of the Xerox office
Take it. Break it. Share it. Love it. Rule the world.
4. Peggy finally stands up to her mother
After berating Peggy with concerns over Abe and living "in sin," Mrs. Olson has to eat her words as Peggy defies her wishes and lives her life her own way.
5. She learns to "speak their language"
Joan and Peggy never quite saw eye to eye, but they each offered important lessons for the other. Joan advises her that if she expects to be treated the same as the "boys," she should "speak their language" and play their game. Peggy gets rid of the schoolgirl look and repositions herself as an adult woman.
6. Comfortable in her own skin
Unable to take Stan Rizzo's crap anymore, Peggy strips to her skivvies and calls his bluff as they try to write copy for cough drops. If you'll excuse us, we're making our own "Smuggest B-- in the World" shirts.
7. When she makes an impression with her Rejuvenator pitch
Peggy finds alternate uses for the Rejuvenator "weight loss" product and does well with her pitch to the higher-ups. Though they still don't quite get what it's for...
8. Every time Peggy and Joan bond, the world is better for it
When the two smartest, savviest ladies at SCDP join forces, they're unstoppable.
9. Peggy comes into her own
The apex of Peggy's career is best seen in her beautiful pitch to Burger Chef. Peggy Olson has evolved so much!
10. When she confesses to Pete
Growing so much since her beginnings, she finally plucks up the courage to tell Pete that she had his child and gave him up for adoption.
11. Assertive is as assertive does
Peggy tells it like it is to the Heinz beans guys during her pitch: "It's young and it's beautiful, and no one else is going to figure out how to say that about beans." We appreciate her directness, but those guys (idiots!) certainly did not.
12. Peggy knows how to change the conversation
Peggy makes up her Heinz karma by landing the Heinz ketchup account all on her own, and even beats out Don by changing "the conversation."
13. Peggy singlehandedly saved SCDP
Thanks to Peggy securing a meeting with Topaz Pantyhouse, SCDP managed to carry on business. Not that they properly thanked her but whatever!
14. She defends her position as a working woman
Tired of Abe patronizing her about corporate America, she defends her work in advertising and lambasts him for writing an article that could threaten her job.
15. Peggy brings out the best in Don and vice versa
Peggy learns much from her mentor, and they eventually regard each other as equals. Peggy + Don = <3
16. Peggy hands in her notice like a boss
Triumphing against her own fears, Peggy plucks up the courage to hand in her notice to Don when she's offered a more lucrative position as Copy Chief at CGC.
17. Peggy skates by
Peggy and Roger reminisce and make the most of the empty office that only days ago housed Sterling Cooper & Partners.
18. Peggy and Stan
Peggy's talent and drive boost her up the ladder in the New York ad world, but she has always longed for someone to share it with. The funny thing is that she's been sharing life with creative partner Stan all along. It's about time the two of them realized it.