Claim OwnershipUnder the Influence with Terry O'Reilly
Subscribed: 40,433Played: 904,969
Subscribe
© Apostrophe Podcast Network
Description
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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
314 Episodes
Reverse
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. They are the pop-up ads of the physical world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2Customers 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 search box. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 grandparents had more sex than you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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, to secretly getting the key to the Sistine Chapel, it’s a whole new pricey world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 – is it because those brand names give the products a sense of respect and authority? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Arkells is a band that likes to have fun.They are also a very smart band that understands the critical mix of artistry and marketing in a competitive industry. Frontman Max Kerman tells Terry the inventive ways they market their music, the creative ideas Arkells use to launch new material, and what marketing from other bands they admire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As Oscar night approaches, we head to theatres to figure out why movies about brands are so popular.“Barbie” is breaking box office records. “Air” tells the story of Nike signing Michael Jordan.“Blackberry” explains the spectacular rise and fall of the first smartphone – and is getting great reviews. And a movie about the origins of McDonald’s – starring Michael Keaton - just might surprise you.They don’t only tell the brand stories, they each ask big, existential questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 of a bus shelter - unguarded, to demonstrate a point. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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 demonstrate a point. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Recently, we produced an episode on cannabis marketing. With cannabis legalization, it’s a brand-new, challenging marketing category.As a result of that episode, I asked the Ontario Cannabis Store to introduce me to an actual cannabis producer.I wanted to know how a cannabis producer becomes licensed, how a craft cannabis company competes with the big companies, and how a small cannabis company markets its products in such a highly regulated category.In this bonus episode, I talk to Wallace McDonald-Rogers. He is the founder of Primeau Craft Cannabis. I think you’ll find his answers very interesting - and some of them are surprising. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we analyze the remarkable marketing skills of one of the top music artists in the world – Taylor Swift.She has challenged the status quo at every turn – she regained ownership of her master recordings. She convinced Apple and Spotify to pay artists in a more equitable way. She defied Hollywood. She markets her music to her fans in very surprising ways.And holds over 70 Guinness World Records. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we go one toke over the line and look at the emerging world of cannabis marketing.We start with the question - just how does a plant become illegal?We’ll explore the history of cannabis.We’ll talk about which celebrities have their own brands (Hello Willie Nelson!)Which high-end retail stores are now selling expensive cannabis paraphernalia.And which non-cannabis businesses are seeing a surprising uptick in sales - like fertilizer companies and fast-food restaurants. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we look at copycat brands.Even though they walk a razor’s edge legally, copycat brands seem to pop up all over the world.You may like Walmart here, but there’s a Wumart in China.You may like North Face apparel, but did you know there was a South Butt brand?And, we’ll tell the story of a copycat cookie that overtook the original to become the best-selling cookie in the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
To kick off our 2024 season, we look at a strange phenomenon happening in Canada. Well-established brands are suddenly leaving the country. Kleenex is leaving after nearly 100 years. Skippy Peanut Butter has skipped the country after nearly 90 years. And KFC actually held a funeral for their terrible-tasting French fries. What’s happening up here? Find out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
It’s our final episode of the season already.And as always, we throw the show open to our listeners.And answer your questions.We’ll explore why jingles have disappeared, how old jingles are being used to help Alzheimer’s patients, we’ll talk about Eddie Shack and his Pop Shoppe commercials, why the biggest companies have the dullest ads and we’ll answer that burning question: What ever happened to the “follow the bouncing ball” sing-along commercials. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
So many things in our world are influenced by marketing. This week, we look at various aspects of our lives influenced by marketing. – but you wouldn’t know it. It’s marketing hiding in plain sight. Like the concept of jaywalking – born of marketing. How marketing created the 10,000-steps-a-day health goal. And how marketing was the inspiration for one of the most popular TV series that everyone is talking about right now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week it’s our annual Bookmarks episode.I read a lot of books to research Under The Influence. But every season, there isn’t enough room to include all the great stories I find.So this episode is dedicated to those stories that didn’t fit into our regular episodes. But are so good, they are worth telling.We’ll tell an amazing story about the book Goodnight Moon.We’ll tell you why David Bowie seemed to have two different-coloured eyes.We’ll talk about why inspiration is 90% perspiration and the inside story of the historic music score from the movie Jaws. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
20th century movies and TV shows were dominated by the traditional “hero.” With high morals and an ethical code of honour. The 21st century has a different take. Today, we cheer the antihero. Like the Sopranos, Dexter and Breaking Bad. Antiheroes are liberated from that line in the sand that holds the rest of us back. They do things we are afraid to do. And do it unapologetically. And if advertising is the great mirror to pop culture, it just may explain the emergence of antihero brands – who dare you to like them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For over 100 years, “free” has been one of the most powerful words in the marketing world.And believe it or not, companies love freebies as much as their customers do.Because giving away free products generates a lot of goodwill. And goodwill generates free press.We’ll talk about a ketchup company who gave a man a free boat.A hotel who gave a couple 18 years of free stays because they had nookie in one of their rooms.And we’ll tell the story of how one company helped a teenager with huge feet – by giving him a pair of size 23 shoes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
I think there's a skip around 24’
I think the vanilla ice cream question is related to the famous vapor Lock problem in GM cars. :) search for it please
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