Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

From our archives, a favourite... Occasionally, an old advertising campaign is brought back from the dead. Even if it has been off the air for decades. In this episode, we’ll discuss a recurring Coke commercial that has been called the most popular ad of all time. A much-loved beer campaign that has been revived after 34 years. And a controversial commercial that was yanked off the air in 1989, bu...

Because Terry LOVES books, we do an annual Bookmarks episode. This one is from 2024. There’s never enough room to include all the great stories we find in our research books. So this episode is dedicated to all those stories that didn’t fit into our  regular  episodes.    The theme is “bravery” - and we’ll talk about how a brave goaltender revolutionized hockey, how Larry David...

In this episode, we go back in advertising history and take a look at the ads and commercials that could never, ever, EVER run today. They are either so politically incorrect, so sexist, or so inappropriate, you won’t believe your ears. From doctors recommending cigarettes, to 7-Up advertising to babies, to everyone singing about the joys of DDT, it’s amazing to think they all ran back in the day....

Jerry Goodis was one of the most colourful characters in the history of Canadian advertising. He founded a legendary advertising agency and created some of Canada’s longest-running ad campaigns. And while doing that, he attacked the ad industry for producing terrible ads. He was loved and hated but couldn’t be ignored.   Another favourite from our Archives.   We know you want to lis...

Taking a look at the most creative audio ideas from around the world.   Including a podcast for runners that only works if you’re actually running, a police recruitment campaign that capitalized on the popularity of True Crime, and a very ambitious alternative audio track created to be played over Disney’s Pocahontas movie – that tells the truth behind the fairy tale. Another favourite from t...

Another favourite from our archives... Almost every movie and television show needs cars, and auto companies are happy to supply them – because it helps sell a lot of cars. We’ll look back at  James Bond  and  Starsky & Hutch , and explore auto partnerships with movie franchises like  Transformers  and  Marvel . We’ll also tell a crazy story of how the most sought...

From the Under The Influence Archives, one of our favourites.... Take a walk down any busy main street, and you’ll probably see one of the oldest forms of advertising:   The sandwich board.   They have been around for over 200 years.   Cities try and ban them. Storekeepers love them.   They can make you smile. They can make you angry. They can attract a lot of attention.  ...

From The Under The Influence Archives... Customers often lie to companies in surveys, polls and focus groups. Yet advertisers rely on that flawed and false feedback to market brands and create advertising campaigns. So what are advertisers to do? One solution is Google. What we type into the Google search window is like a truth serum. We all pour our most intimate, honest questions into that searc...

A favourite episode from our Archives.... 80% of all advertising is ignored. That’s why some advertisers employ cheeky advertising. It’s usually bold – outrageous – and sometimes even rude – but always with a playful undertone. We’ll talk about a fruit company that printed an open letter to the Pope. An airline campaign that told you to “keep it in your pants.” And a product that claims your grand...

An encore episode from the Under The Influence Archives. A very interesting favourite. Most tourism marketing aims at the largest audience possible. This week, we look at a sub-category aimed at the smallest audience possible: Billionaire Tourism.   The super wealthy get bored easily. That means luxury tour planners dream up extreme vacation ideas. From outer space, to the bottom of the ocean...

From the Under The Influence Archives. One of our favourites. There are some time-honored honorifics in the world of marketing. “Honorifics” are titles like Mr., Mrs., Doctor, Captain or Colonel.  Like  Colonel  Sanders,  Dr . Scholl’s,  Mr . Clean and  Mrs . Butterworth’s. They’re usually leaders in their category. Is it because those products are the best? Or –...

An encore episode of Under The Influence.... one of our favourites. Last week, we talked about the best historic demonstration commercials of all time. This week, we feature some of the most recent. Like an air freshener commercial that tricked blindfolded people into thinking a filthy toilet smelled like flowers. And a stunt where an ad agency put $3 million dollars between the glass in a bu...

An encore episode of Under The Influence.... one of our favourites. This week, I ask a dozen of the top creative directors in the advertising business to tell me the best “demonstration commercials” they have ever seen. Because there is nothing more powerful than a dramatic product demonstration. We’ll talk about a famous Krazy Glue commercial. And a Volvo ad where the ad writer risked his life to...

This week, we open the show up to our listeners, and answer your very interesting questions. Ever wonder why gas station prices always include decimal points? Well, we’ll tell you why. We’ll listen to some memorable commercials starring kids, and play “Where are they now.” And we’ll talk about a famous luxury brand that is owned by a charity. And it will surprise you. We know you want to listen to...

This week, we look at the level of advertising creativity north of the border. We’ll talk about a campaign that used real “sleep talking” to sell mattresses. We’ll explore a remarkable idea that transformed the annual migration of penguins into a protest march. And we’ll look at a campaign that convinced people to donate to a cause that started 45 years ago, but had faded from memory. We know you...

This week, we look at a humble marketing tool. The Flexi Disc. These razor-thin, flexible vinyl records had poor sound quality, but they helped sell cars, hit songs, chewing gum, soap operas and even Beatle records. And in one case, a family won a million dollars with a flexi, and it nearly destroyed them. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you  don’t ,&...

This week, we pay tribute to one of the greatest commercial directors in the ad business. You may not know the late Joe Sedelmaier by name, but you certainly know his work. He directed the famous “Fast Talking Man” ad for FedEx and a landmark commercial for Wendy’s that contained the line “Where’s the beef?” I did several commercials with Sedelmaier, and he kicked me off the set of my own commerci...

This encore episode of Under The Influence is one of our favourites of 2026. Lately, companies have been hijacking breaking news stories to create ads. When thieves broke into the Louvre with a ladder, the ladder company quickly produced a tongue-in-cheek ad. When the Oscars read the wrong Best Picture winner, an optometry chain made fun of the mix-up. It’s called Newsjacking – and it’s becoming a...

This week, it’s our annual Bookmarks episode. We read a lot of books to research this show. And this episode is dedicated to the great stories that didn’t fit into our  regular  season. We’ll talk about the importance of numbers in marketing, and a hilarious tale about expense reports. And we’ll tell a story about a doctor who was drummed out of the medical establishment all because...

We're dropping an interview I recently did with Dr. Brian Goldman, host of White Coat, Black Art, an excellent CBC radio show and podcast into our feed. We're chatting about hospital advertising. And because they rely on fundraising, we discuss how effective hospital advertising is. We thought you might find this topic interesting. Enjoy. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On...

It’s part two of our episode that revisits the very first commercials ever produced for famous products. From the very first commercial for something called the Big Mac, to the first TV ad for a new doll called Barbie, we take a trip back in time.  Including the very first commercials starring a couple of struggling actors who would go on to win Academy Awards.  We know you want to liste...

This week, we take a look at marketing  firsts. Specifically, the very first commercials ever produced for famous products and companies. From the debut of the Jolly Green Giant, to the first AIDS PSAs, to the very first pharmaceutical ad, all the way to the first iPhone commercial, we say hello to these products and issues for the very first time. We know you want to listen to all the a...

This week, we talk about spectacular landmarks built by visionary entrepreneurs. These magnificent buildings stand in Toronto, New York and Chicago. They are all very different in design, built in different eras, but they share one thing in common. They are all named after famous brands. And it’s easy to forget that. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you&nbs...

This week, it’s our annual Brand Envy episode, where I tip my hat to great ideas that have lasted for years. We’ll talk about a very funny character who has made the world laugh without uttering a single word. An idea that was born on the side of highways. And we’ll talk about a movie that has had the longest run in cinema history. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off...

This week, we're dropping an episode from our sister podcast, "We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast". In this podcast series, we talk about the mountain of rejections famous and successful people had to overcome and how they did it. In this episode, we talk about the golden piece of advice Rue McClanahan’s mother gave her when she was told she’d never make it in television.  We know...