Claim OwnershipUnder the Influence with Terry O'Reilly
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Under the Influence gives listeners a rare backstage pass into the hallways, boardrooms and recording studios of the ad industry.
Join host and adman Terry O’Reilly for fascinating (and humorous) stories that connect the dots between pop culture, marketing and human nature.
Join host and adman Terry O’Reilly for fascinating (and humorous) stories that connect the dots between pop culture, marketing and human nature.
196 Episodes
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1This week, we dive into the world of Fan Clubs and how they're huge marketing tools for celebrities. We’ll track some of the earliest fan clubs then compare them to the fan clubs in the digital era. We’ll also explore the big shift in power that swung from celebrities over to their fans.
This week, we talk about companies and products that turn 50 years old this year. Back in 1971, some of the best-selling products were created that are still best-sellers today. There were also a number of famous advertising campaigns launched that year. Join us and see if you remember them.
This week, we look at televised award shows and how they are very effective marketing for movies, Broadway plays and recording artists. We’ll explore whether Oscar nominations sell more tickets than Oscar wins, how Grammys can make a career and how Tony awards can rescue a play overnight.
This week, we listen to the most Creative Radio advertising from around the world. It’s the toughest medium to write for - but it’s also the most creatively freeing. We’ll hear commercials for a hair removal product, a fast-food series created for these confusing times and a student audio idea that attracted Taylor Swift.
This week, in an encore episode, 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…
This week it’s our annual Brand Envy episode. This season, we look at four unique companies. One completely changed a sport forever. One became the best-selling toy of all time. Another has influenced the music business since 1894. And one had a heavenly idea. All achieved something that had never been done before.
This week, we look at famous Animals in Advertising. The ad industry has a long history of using animals in commercials. From Spuds MacKenzie the original party animal to the majestic Budweiser Clydesdales to Morris the finicky Cat, they all have fascinating stories to tell.
This week, we look at one of the oldest advertising mediums - skywriting. From its beginning back in the early 1920s, skywriting was once the most sensational advertising medium in the country. We’ll look at the most famous skywriting campaigns, the most recent billboards in the sky and some of the most amusing spelling errors.
This week, we explore how the pandemic is affecting the world of marketing. Some products are tanking while others are setting sales records. We’ll tell the story of how one airline has started selling airplane food in grocery stores and why lipstick sales have tanked but plastic surgery is booming. Who wins and who loses is very surprising.
This week, we explore Superheroes in Advertising. Superman was the archetype of the modern superhero and he was the archetype for how superheroes were used in ads. From Superman promoting Kellogg’s in the 1950s to Batman hawking savings bonds to Batgirl advocating equal pay for equal work, stoic superheroes became the ultimate spokes-characters.
This week, we look at the most Famous Movie Posters of all time. The movie poster is the beginning of the story - often the first piece of marketing created for a new film. We’ll look at how posters are designed and we’ll analyze how the best posters influence ticket buyers.
This week, we learn about famous Female Brand Icons. In a marketing world full of Mr. Cleans, Ronald McDonalds and Mr. Whipples, there are female brand characters that were just as successful - and some even lasted longer. Join us as we draw a direct line from Josephine the Plumber and Madge the Manicurist to Flo from Progressive.
This week, we explore what happens when an established spokesperson switches brands. We’ll tell the story of how the Verizon “Can you hear me now?” guy ended up pitching Sprint, how “The Most Interesting Man in the World” went from Dos Equis to tequila and how a spokesperson for a hamburger chain got fired when she pitched spaghetti sauce.
Welcome to Season 10. It's good to be back. This week, we explore how this new era of racial reckoning is affecting the world of marketing. Several of the leading brands have their roots in racial stereotypes, like Aunt Jemima - which took its imagery from the slave era. Some brands, like Eskimo Pies, have announced they are now re-naming their products and acknowledging their old names were offensive to Indigenous people. We'll also look at sports teams and their long history of controversy with team names. Hope you'll join us.
We’ve got a fun 2021 season planned for you. Here’s a sneak peek at what's in store...
This week it’s our final episode of the 2020 season, where we answer listener questions sent to us through social media. Like - why the most popular Super Bowl commercial chose to replace their lead actor, why Gatorade’s famous "Be Like Mike" campaign called Michael Jordan “Mike” when no one ever called him that before and we’ll answer the age-old question - why are there so many bad ads?
Thanks for tuning in, folks. It's been a fun season. We'll see you next year.
This week we’re talking about the Mandela Effect. It is defined as “collective false memory.” That means many of us remember things incorrectly and we all remember them incorrectly the same way. From famous movie lines to song lyrics to details of traumatic events and even to famous commercials, we all think our memories are time-stamped videos of our lives. But they are not.
This week, we explore the branding of diseases. Over the course of history, diseases have been named after people and countries with devastating effects. Names have stigmatized entire regions, decimated industries and have even caused diplomatic crises. And countries have weaponized diseases for political purposes. As with all branding, words matter.
This week it’s our annual Bookmarks episode, where we tell fascinating stories from our research that didn't make it into the regular season. We’ll talk about a book that maintains if you build a better mousetrap, the world will NOT beat a path to your door. And we’ll tell a story from a biography of Bruce Lee that proves sometimes the only way to sell a product is to increase its price. Throw on your reading glasses and join us for Bookmarks 2020.
Some people call Under The Influence "UTI" for short. It’s not a good nickname. But some brand nicknames are positive and extremely valuable - like "Coke" and "Chevy." Others like “Whole Paycheck” don’t make Whole Foods happy. Join us this week as we explore the implications of Brand Nicknames.
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I can't be the only person shaking their head at the ridiculousness of today's political correctness whitewashing branding. 20 years from now people of colour will be complaining they aren't represented in branding.
I can't get enough
An excellent episode - brought back great memories- thanks Terry!
entertaining as always. but maybe a little tone-deaf celebrating brands that made it through a pandemic despite the odds, while hundreds of your listeners are struggling with exactly that battle right now and probably won't have such luck.
my favourite banana slicer review was the one who complained that it curved the wrong way. dad joke gold.
how can I get podcasts text?
love you podcast
where is season 6 and 7?
Love the show but one correction, the ridiculously named Redskins are a football team. The baseball team with the equally ridiculous name is the Cleveland Indians.
Mailed it in on this episode. 5 minutes of examples of number stations. I think one station would do the trick
Excellent show. Thank you!
Great episode. If only all the episodes were so full and rich with little fluff to fill out the 25 minutes
love this show
this is one of my favourite shows to listen to on CBC
Dont think season 2 is available yet. Check CBC website
I can't find season 2 any where ! It would be awesome to see it here. Any suggestions anyone ?
this is the best! thank you!
excellant show more pls
yes, more, more, more pls
please post more episodes of under the influence