What an interesting puzzle!

Could it be the anniversary for something that happened in July of 1923 (since we're in July of 1963 on the show)? A birth month and year for a character - who's turning 40? Sal?

I like the idea of it being Peggy's new address - either street address or apartment number.

I thought of flight 723, and it turns out Delta had a flight 723 that flew from Vermont (where Ken is from) to Boston, and it crashed in the early 70s.

So many possibilities...

Great idea about a date in 1923, Hanna! Sal does look to be about 40 so that would fit. Duck or Pryce might also be around that age? It's hard to guess just going on looks.

Peggy moving to Manhattan was made such a big deal of a couple episodes ago, I've really been wondering why we haven't seen or heard about her new place yet, or any more about new roomie Karen Erickson, etc.

I considered 723 might be a flight number too at first, but then I thought probably not since there already was an episode title with a flight number in Season 2-- "Flight 1" where Pete's dad died in the American Airlines crash.

I too think of a hotel room because of the with room the guy on the floor .With all that money Don has now-I was wondering when they would get a bigger house---
anyone notice the wrapped cash in Don's home desk drawer-any thoughts? also,who asked Betty if she was suicidal? child social worker?
bluegirl,are you one of todays' city "working girls?"
sound like it...wouldn't it be funny if all of us give the writers ideas if they read these blogs...

@Hazel, you got me! I am a single 20-something Manhattanite, a graphic designer and grad student.

I didn't recognize the person who asked Betty about suicidal ideation-- it was an older woman with grey hair.

David Ogilvy, who created the modern "mad man" was buried on July 23rd. His partnership agency first combined with British counterparts, then went public, establishing it as a global marketing corporate enterprise. Globalization and corporatization grew the bottom line, but the creativity of industry died. He wrote, "Confessions of an Advertising Man" in 1963, and surely everyone at Sterling Cooper would have read it that summer. I think the burial date is symbolic, that the beginning of the end of this era has already begun.

Excellent comment and insight @Gee! I Googled "July 23 1963" trying to find a significant historical event but didn't catch that one.

"723" is old, now antiquated code used in 35 mm film editing that Madison Avenue ad agencies used in their commercial film editing to designate where the brand logo should be inserted.

Maybe it's a train schedule, as in the 7:23 to New York (or Ossining)

Saint Boniface fells Thor's Oak near Fritzlar, marking the decisive event in the Christianization of the northern Germanic tribes.

Thanks all for commenting. Great ideas. Neil, that is a fascinating piece of info and seems like a strong contender, thank you. Train schedule would also work.

Also, noted on another thread, dear Maddicts, was the Career Girl Murders around this time, though it happened around August 23rd, 1963, not July 23rd, 1963. It was such a significant news story, as noted by Maddict Penultimate, that is may be woven into the story next week.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Career_Girls_Murders

We definitely haven't heard anything about Peggy's move, and perhaps Weiner is saving that tidbit of the story, until next week.

I speculated that Peggy, having moved to Manhattan, and it being so expensive (Peggy has repeatedly said how expensive Manhattan is to her sister, her mother and to Don, when she asked him for a raise), perhaps she and Karen took on another career girl roommate to cover the rent, and Peggy comes home to the apartment after work, to a brutal murder scene.

Remember when Peggy called herself a 'Career Girl Seeks Roommate' in the ad she posted, up on the Sterling Cooper coffee break room board?

It's got me thinkin'....and I can't wait until Sunday, for the next episode!!

I went to Fancast.com this week and found that it has an additional sneak peek "preview" clip that may shed some light on this topic. This week's clip has Roger talking to Don about Ogilvy publishing his "Confessions of an Ad Man". Maybe the 723 is about Ogilvy.

http://www.fancast.com/tv/Mad-Men/95854/clips

Thanks Hanna! You always post the greatest clips. Sounds like it may be re: Ogilvy indeed, although Peggy's roommate getting murdered would be a really interesting storyline too.

Thanks, Neil-- how clever of you to find this thread and give us the inside scoop regarding 'seven twenty three' and commercial film editing. Any particular reason why those numbers are used in the code?

Thanks Hanna for the clip. Jon and John make such a good team. Jon H. plays a great straight man to John Slattery's deadpan funny guy.