Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

This week, it’s our annual Ask Terry episode - where we answer listener questions on the air. From the inspiration behind our theme song, to why some commercials overstay their welcome, to whether lawn signs really affect elections, this year’s questions were fun and insightful. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you  don’t ,  subscribe ad-free...

This week, we look at how self-driving cars affect the world of marketing. While it may seem like a bit of a novelty these days, the era of the autonomous car is fast approaching. And the implications for business, marketing and everyday life are astounding. Fasten your seatbelts.  We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you  don’t , ...

This week, we look at how tourism survives a tragedy. When a city experiences a massive crisis, it must find a way to restore its tourism. All cities rely on tourism – it is often one of the top revenue-generating industries and employs one of the biggest workforces. From Toronto’s SARS outbreak to Hurricane Katrina, it all comes down to a crisis plan, speed and smart marketing. We know...

This week, we look at the ad industry’s place in the Guinness Book of World Records. The aim of all advertising is to create selling ideas that are impossible to ignore. From the world’s largest coupon, to the most expensive commercial ever made, to the first ad visible from outer space, breaking a record can be a great marketing strategy. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this sho...

This week, we look at products invented by the military. The military has influenced more technology than any government, agency, business or organization in history. From the appliances in your kitchen, to the big screen in your living room, to the car you drive, you’d be surprised how much of your world is military-inspired.  We know you want to listen to all the ads in this...

This week, we explore the art of door-to-door sales. From encyclopaedias, to make-up, to vacuum cleaners, many corporations were built on the shoe leather of direct sales. It was a tough way to make a living. But the best salespeople never met a door they couldn't open. We’ll even look at the famous names in Hollywood that started out as door-to-door salespeople. The list may surprise yo...

This week, we look at brands that aren’t afraid to celebrate their weaknesses. As a rule, no company ever wants to point a neon sign at its flaws. But there are a few brave advertisers out there who know there can be incredible power in a negative. Like a brand that advertises the fact that its product tastes awful, or another that boasts being  second  in its category. We know...

This week, it’s our annual look at  brands  I admire. They may not be the hippest, the latest or the coolest, but I envy them for a reason. Like the most iconic studio in rock history, the first casual shoe ever invented or the world’s most timeless sunglasses. Join us for a peek at a few of my favourite things… We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On th...

This week, it’s our annual look at  brands  I admire. They may not be the hippest, the latest or the coolest, but I envy them for a reason. Like the most iconic studio in rock history, the first casual shoe ever invented or the world’s most timeless sunglasses. Join us for a peek at a few of my favourite things… We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On th...

This week, we look at commercials that made the unlikely leap…to Hollywood. Some became big hit movies, others inspired popular songs. One even became a TV series that was voted one of the worst sitcoms of all time. But that’s what can happen when an ad hitchhikes to Hollywood. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you  don’t ,  subscribe ad-...

This week, it’s part two of our Jingles episode. Jingles had a great run until the late ‘80s, then songs overtook them. But a few big jingles have beaten the trend in recent years – one in particular has even made one company billions of dollars… We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you  don’t ,  subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast...

This week, we explore the use of  jingles  in advertising. So many brands were built on the backs of jingles. From the Big Mac, to Smarties, to Wheaties cereal. Successful jingles stay lodged in our minds forever. Once you hear them, learn the melody and start singing the lyrics,  you  become the advertiser.  We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show...

This week, we explore famous products named after their inventors. Some products are so cemented in our minds we forget those names once belonged to people. Shrapnel was invented by Henry Shrapnel, nachos were invented by Nachos Anaya and the leotard was invented by a Jules Leotard. We’ll even look at some inventors who wish their names had been forgotten... We know y...

This week, we look at products that went from worthless to priceless.  Products someone created out of something everyone else ignored. It might be scraps on the ground that people stepped over, or useless waste destined for the scrap heap. But in each case, the resulting product was a masterpiece of instinct and insight… We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chan...

This week, we explore the world of celebrities in advertising. We’ll tell the story of a super shy mega star at one of her very first gigs, how Alan Arkin defied all advertising norms and why an afternoon behind the mic makes Alec Baldwin sweat. Celebrities cost big money, have big opinions and make big demands. But if the commercial is good, their presence can be rocket fuel.   We know...

This week, we debunk urban brand myths. Myths that live on as assumed facts in marketing textbooks, MBA courses, endless business seminars and dinner parties. It's easy to accept rumours as truth because they're usually dramatic and juicy. But many of the myths you’ve heard and maybe even passed along are actually...untrue.    We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show....

This week, we explore the fascinating world of Comic Book Advertising. A world where Sea-Monkeys could be trained, X-Ray Specs saw through clothes, Charles Atlas taught bodybuilding secrets and one-day karate courses could be yours for just a dollar. You probably spent your allowance on one or two in your day... We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you  do...

This week, we explore how marketers solve difficult problems. We’ll look at how Monty Python stopped piracy by giving away content for free, how a wardrobe change transformed Steve Martin’s career and why the president of Bogota replaced police officers…with mimes. Sometimes the only solution is a wild and crazy idea. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance y...

This week, we explore how marketers saved certain foods from oblivion by changing…their  names . Many foods you enjoy started out life with very  unappetizing  names. Some so off-putting, I’m willing to bet you would have never gone near them. But you probably have one or two in your fridge today… We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you  do...

This week, we delve into the emerging world of subscription marketing.  Did you know you could have underwear sent to your door every month? How about joining the Salami of the Month club? Or maybe your cat needs a regular toy top-up.  You can subscribe to just about anything these days - and some of the items may surprise you. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On t...

This week, we explore the advertising campaigns that had everything stacked against them and yet went on to become hugely successful. The resistance may have come from clients who hated the idea, focus groups that gave the thumbs-down, apprehension within the agency or even that the initial research declared them failures. But they survived and thrived because someone said...Damn The Torpedoes. We...

This week, we analyze how old school products survive in the 21st century. Many brands can’t keep up with the digital age, but others have found a way to succeed – some doing  even better business today. We’ll look at how one company makes money by  retiring  its products, why another partnered up with its biggest competitors to stay relevant and how an entire profession saved...

This week, we explore how some of the craziest fads are marketed. We'll look at how one student's school project changed the way we sleep, why a single toy made Tyco the subject of bomb threats   and how a popular piece of jewellery was inspired...by doctors. From the Thighmaster to the Pet Rock, we'll break down what makes fads  so  absolutely irresistible.  We know you w...

This week marks the final episode of the 2017 Under The Influence season. And as we do every year, we're turning this show over to you, our listeners. We’ll be answering the marketing and advertising questions you've sent us through social media. From how we come up with new episode topics each week, to why mattress companies  don’t  use sex to sell mattresses, to which commercials are m...

This week, it’s our annual Bookmarks episode. The research team at Under The Influence does a lot of reading over the year, and finds a lot of great stories - many of which don't fit into our regular season. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't be told. We’ll look at why Sting laughs at the beginning of Roxanne, how the U.S. military learned a lesson in branding when it got soldiers to eat th...