Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

By Apostrophe Podcast Network

What's Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly about?

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.

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Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly episodes:

04.13.2024
Pants on Fire: When Customers Lie to Marketers
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....
04.06.2024
Cheeky Advertising
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...
03.30.2024
Billionaire Tourism
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...
03.16.2024
When You're This Big, They Call you Mister
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...
03.11.2024
Terry Interviews Arkells Lead Singer Max Kerman
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,...
03.09.2024
Buy-O-Pics: When Brands Become Movies
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...
03.02.2024
Seeing is Believing: The Power of Demonstration Commercials - Part 2
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...
02.24.2024
Seeing is Believing: The Power of Demonstration Commercials
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...
02.10.2024
Putting the Awe in Audio
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...
02.05.2024
Terry talks with a Cannabis Producer
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...
02.03.2024
The Marketing of Taylor Swift: (Taylor's Version)
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...
01.27.2024
Cannabis Marketing
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...
01.13.2024
Copycat Brands
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...
01.06.2024
Disappearing Acts: When Popular Brands Are Discontinued
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...
01.02.2024
We're back January 6th
Happy New Year. We have a fun 2024 season planned for you. Here'a a sneak peek at what's in store... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
12.05.2023
Sounds That Sell
Every once in a while, we drop an interesting show into our feed that we think you’ll like. This week, it’s “Twenty Thousand Hertz” - a show about the world’s most recognizable and interesting sounds. The show’s title comes from the highest...
11.25.2023
Ask Terry (From the AOP Archives)
This week, we turn the show over to listeners. It’s our annual “As Terry” show. We asked you to submit any questions you had about the advertising world, and you responded with a record amount of very interesting, very insightful...
11.04.2023
Terry's Book Club (From the AOP Archives)
This week, we invite you to our Book Club. We'll be telling stories from Terry's favourite advertising books, and will examine the incredible lessons they contain that have served him well for his entire career. By the way, a few of...
10.21.2023
We May Not Be Big, But We're Small - World's Smallest Record Store
As you might know by now, the team behind Under The Influence has more podcasts executive produced by Terry. More on the Apostrophe Podcast Network can be found here. One of the podcasts we are very proud of just started its...
10.07.2023
Three Foot Marketing (From the AOP Archives)
This week we’re going shopping. The topic is “Three Foot Marketing.” Research shows that 75% of shopping decisions are made in the store, and they are all made within the last three feet – meaning that critical distance between your...
09.23.2023
Dynamic Duos: The Famous Partnerships in Advertising (From the AOP Archives)
This week we look at “Dynamic Duos” - those rare ad agency/client relationships that resulted in some of the most famous advertising of all time. We’ll examine the relationship between Nike founder Phil Knight and his ad agency creative director Dan...
09.09.2023
Speed Bumps: The Magical Ingredient in Marketing (From the AOP Archives)
This week we look at how smart marketers use Speed Bumps to generate greater sales. While modern marketing loves a friction-free fast transaction, smart marketers know that a perfectly-placed speed bump can slow the selling process down Plus, we reveal...
09.02.2023
Rejecting Mad Men
In case you missed it, the team behind Under the Influence has more podcasts. Five, to be exact. Executive produced by Terry O', meet the Apostrophe Podcast Company. Apostrophe brings you Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe, Surviving Life with Survivorman Les Stroud and We Regret To...
08.21.2023
The Sound of Persuasion (From the AOP Archives)
This week, Under The Influence listens to the sounds of persuasion. Advertising has used sound to sell for decades. But sound can be used for more than painting pictures on radio – sound can be carefully created to persuade. The stories behind...
08.05.2023
Genericide: When A Brand Name Becomes Generic (From the AOP Archives)
This week, we look at the concept of “Genericide” – when brand names become generic. Many of the pioneering brands in our world risked losing their trademarks – as courts would rule that their names had become generic. Zipper, escalator...
07.22.2023
The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented The Housewife - Part 2 (From the AOP Archives)
This week, Part 2 of how Madison Avenue invented… the housewife. Over 100 years ago, the advertising industry realized they had thousands of household products to sell. All they needed was a customer. So they invented the Happy Homemaker, and for the next 25 years, encouraged...
07.08.2023
The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented The Housewife - Part 1 (From the AOP Archives)
This week, we look at how Madison Avenue invented… the housewife. Over 100 years ago, the advertising industry realized they had thousands of household products to sell. All they needed was a customer. So they invented the Happy Homemaker, and for the next 25 years, encouraged...
06.24.2023
Ask Terry 2023
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...
06.17.2023
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Surprising Influence of Marketing
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...
06.10.2023
Bookmarks 2023
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...
06.03.2023
The Allure of the Bad-Ass: Advertising Antiheroes
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...
05.27.2023
Nooner Nookie: The Allure of Marketing Freebies
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...
05.20.2023
The Phrase That Pays: Marketing Contests
Marketing contests can be tricky business. On one hand, contests can be designed to help companies achieve certain business goals. On the other hand, companies can lose control over them pretty quickly. This week, we look at some of the most interesting –...
05.13.2023
Canadaland Goes Under The Influence
Jesse Brown, founder of Canadaland Podcast Network, and Terry O'Reilly have a fun conversation about the business of podcasting, the line between journalism and advertising and how Terry had to get used to being touched by strangers. Hosted on Acast....
05.06.2023
Billboards Are Always in Bloom
Billboards are one of the biggest creative challenges in the marketing world. They need to be seven words or less. They need to contain an idea. And they need to communicate quickly as people speed by. ...
04.29.2023
Brand Envy (2023)
This week, we take a look at four brands that have found a way to survive for decades. One company has been entertaining crowds with wax for 200 years. One restaurant has been topping their ice cream cones with a unique swirl...
04.22.2023
Hitting the Road with Marketing Mobiles
You’ve probably seen those Red Bull Mini Coopers driving around town with the giant Red Bull can on their roofs. This week on Under The Influence, we look at the wild and wacky world of marketing mobiles. They’ve actually been around for...
04.15.2023
Johnny Wants the Jet: The Loopy World of Loopholes
There are some very interesting loopholes in the world of marketing. Because businesses are always looking for an upper hand in a competitive category, loopholes can offer legal advantages. A loophole can help a company overcome barriers in the marketplace. Sometimes, the way...
04.08.2023
Hard Days & Golden Knights: The World of Brand Twins
Even though brand names are often protected by trademarks and copyrights, it’s remarkable how many times companies end up with the same names. And they either get along – or they sue each other into oblivion. This week, we look at “Brand...
04.01.2023
Long Overdue: The Creative Boom of Library Marketing (Encore)
This week, we look at the ways libraries market themselves. If you think libraries are quiet, you’ve got another thing coming. We’ll talk about a library video series that played like a TV cop show - and - we’ll look...
03.25.2023
Touch The Pickle: Marketing Gender Equality
“What player has won the most Wimbledon singles titles,” Google will tell you it’s Roger Federer with 8 wins. But that’s incorrect. Martina Navratilova has 9. This week, we look at remarkable ideas that promote gender equality. Including an idea called Correct...
03.18.2023
You Can Check In, But You Can Never Check Out: Branded Hotel Rooms
This week, we talk about hotel marketing. Specifically, how some hotels attract guests by advertising specific rooms. Some of those rooms are decorated like TV shows, some are inspired by movies, and some hotels advertise the fact something famous – or infamous –...
03.11.2023
Dish Night at the Movies: Marketing Motion Pictures
This week, we’re talking about the creative ways Hollywood markets films. We’ll talk about how a low-budget horror movie got a ton of press just by asking people to smile. And we’ll examine the marketing of Top Gun:...
03.04.2023
The Commercial From The Black Lagoon: Horror in Advertising
This week we look at horror in advertising. We’ll talk about why the Red Cross produced a horror commercial for blood donations. How Nike had a horror commercial yanked off the air. And a water company that actually cast its product...
02.26.2023
When You've Got It, Flaunt It: The George Lois Story
In this episode, we talk about one of the legends of the advertising business – George Lois. Out-spoken and fearless, he launched Xerox, helped elect Robert F. Kennedy, designed famous Esquire magazine covers and even once climbed out onto a...
02.18.2023
Only In Advertising: Stories From The Front Lines (Encore)
This week, I ask my advertising colleagues for their most outrageous ad stories. The advertising business is a big money, high stress industry. And so much can go sideways. Sometimes film shoots go horribly wrong, sometimes clients make the most...
02.11.2023
Gold, Silver & Spinach: TV Shows As Marketing
With multiple ways to skip commercials at our fingertips, advertisers have found a new way to reach the public. They’re jumping out of commercial breaks and into the storylines of television shows. This week, we look at a list of...
02.04.2023
Fish Where The Fish Are: Surprising Help Wanted Ads
This week, we take a look at the most creative “help wanted” ads in the world. We’ll talk about how IKEA recruited new workers without needing to buy an ad. How VW found new mechanics by posting ads in the...
01.28.2023
One Sentence Sermons: The Wit of Church Signs
This week, we take a look at church signs. With congregations declining, churches are using their signs as marketing tools to attract new members. And they’re using humour to do it. We’ll look at the history of funny church signs, we’ll examine...
01.21.2023
Tools for the Family Jewels: Gender Bending Brands
This week, we look at companies that have spent decades advertising to only one gender - then suddenly decide to approach the opposite sex. L’Oreal is now marketing makeup to men. Scotch distillers are now targeting women. And lingerie companies...

What's Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly episodes:

Pants on Fire: When Customers Lie to Marketers

Cheeky Advertising

Billionaire Tourism

When You're This Big, They Call you Mister

Terry Interviews Arkells Lead Singer Max Kerman

Buy-O-Pics: When Brands Become Movies

Seeing is Believing: The Power of Demonstration Commercials - Part 2

Seeing is Believing: The Power of Demonstration Commercials

Putting the Awe in Audio

Terry talks with a Cannabis Producer

The Marketing of Taylor Swift: (Taylor's Version)

Cannabis Marketing

Copycat Brands

Disappearing Acts: When Popular Brands Are Discontinued

We're back January 6th

Sounds That Sell

Ask Terry (From the AOP Archives)

Terry's Book Club (From the AOP Archives)

We May Not Be Big, But We're Small - World's Smallest Record Store

Three Foot Marketing (From the AOP Archives)

Dynamic Duos: The Famous Partnerships in Advertising (From the AOP Archives)

Speed Bumps: The Magical Ingredient in Marketing (From the AOP Archives)

Rejecting Mad Men

The Sound of Persuasion (From the AOP Archives)

Genericide: When A Brand Name Becomes Generic (From the AOP Archives)

The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented The Housewife - Part 2 (From the AOP Archives)

The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented The Housewife - Part 1 (From the AOP Archives)

Ask Terry 2023

Hiding in Plain Sight: The Surprising Influence of Marketing

Bookmarks 2023

The Allure of the Bad-Ass: Advertising Antiheroes

Nooner Nookie: The Allure of Marketing Freebies

The Phrase That Pays: Marketing Contests

Canadaland Goes Under The Influence

Billboards Are Always in Bloom

Brand Envy (2023)

Hitting the Road with Marketing Mobiles

Johnny Wants the Jet: The Loopy World of Loopholes

Hard Days & Golden Knights: The World of Brand Twins

Long Overdue: The Creative Boom of Library Marketing (Encore)

Touch The Pickle: Marketing Gender Equality

You Can Check In, But You Can Never Check Out: Branded Hotel Rooms

Dish Night at the Movies: Marketing Motion Pictures

The Commercial From The Black Lagoon: Horror in Advertising

When You've Got It, Flaunt It: The George Lois Story

Only In Advertising: Stories From The Front Lines (Encore)

Gold, Silver & Spinach: TV Shows As Marketing

Fish Where The Fish Are: Surprising Help Wanted Ads

One Sentence Sermons: The Wit of Church Signs

Tools for the Family Jewels: Gender Bending Brands