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… read more
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There are some time-honored honorifics in the world of marketing.
“Honorifics” are titles like Mr., Mrs., Doctor, Captain or Colonel.
Like Colonel…
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 …
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” …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Recently, we produced an episode on cannabis marketing. With cannabis legalization, it’s a brand-new, challenging marketing category.
As a result of …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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.
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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. …
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 …
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, …
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 …
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 …
This week, Part 2 of how Madison Avenue invented… the housewife. Over 100 years ago, the advertising industry realized they had thousands of …
This week, we look at how Madison Avenue invented… the housewife. Over 100 years ago, the advertising industry realized they had thousands of …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Marketing contests can be tricky business.
On one hand, contests can be designed to help companies achieve certain business goals.
On the other hand, …
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 …
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.
This week on …
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 …
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 …
There are some very interesting loopholes in the world of marketing.
Because businesses are always looking for an upper hand in a competitive …
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, …
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 at …
“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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
This week, I ask my advertising colleagues for their most outrageous ad stories. The advertising business is a big money, high stress industry. And …
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 …
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 most unusual …
This week, we take a look at church signs. With congregations declining, churches are using their signs as marketing tools to attract new …
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 …
This week, we look at candy bar advertising. Millions are spent marketing candy bars every year. We’ll talk about how the movie Willy Wonka and the …
We are very excited to welcome Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe to the Apostrophe Podcast Network.
Each episode will feature two Dave and Morley stories as …
To kick off our 2023 season, we look at how the Queen’s death affects the marketing world. Over 600 companies had been granted a Royal Warrant by Queen Elizabeth,
giving them prestige and enviable marketing power. But …
Happy New Year. We have a fun 2023 season planned for you. Here's a sneak peek at what's in store...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we feature our annual look at Five Remarkable Brands: A certain scientist who is such a powerful brand that he has displaced other great …
This week, we look at the Great Women of Advertising. The Hall Of Famers who broke the rules, kicked open the doors and created some of the most …
This week, it's Part Two of "Marketing Rock and Roll." As the 1980s unfold, technology changes rock and roll marketing forever, with the arrival of …
This episode looks at the concept of “Risk.” We tell the stories of the marketers who took the biggest risks, and reaped the greatest rewards – including how one of the best loved movies of all time only survived …
This episode is about how the advertising industry covets the 18 to 49 year-old consumer. Almost all advertising is aimed at that demographic, …
One our favourite episodes from our sister podcast, We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast is the inspiring story of Colonel Harland Sanders, …
This week, we talk to baby boomers and take a look at the commercials they grew up with. From the toy and game commercials that inspired your lists to Santa, to the soft drink ads you can still sing along to 40 years …
This week, Age of Persuasion Goes To The Movies. Just in time for the Oscars, we look at great movie marketing, and talk about the landmark movies …
In this episode, we look at the Marketing Pioneers who created products that created industries. We talk about the first company to link diamond …
The advertising industry has a long history of using real people in advertising. It may be a testimonial, a hidden camera, a man-on-the-street …
This week, Terry O'Reilly looks at the ever-changing world of Green Marketing. He'll look back at how the green movement started, how it's evolved, …
Luxury Marketing is a category that is completely different from traditional brand marketing – because it is in the business of selling fantasy. …
We're re-releasing all the episodes from the last season of Age of Persuasion in 2011.
All episodes have been remastered to fit our Under The Influence format.
Episodes drop every two weeks from now until November. Enjoy.
…
This week, it’s our annual Ask Terry episode – where I answer listener questions. This year, someone wants to know which advertising category does the worst advertising, which celebrities were the most fun to work with …
This week, we look at some of the biggest arch rivalries in the marketing business. We’ll tell a story about how Burger King figured out a way to offer Whoppers at McDonald’s, how Wendy’s threw a mixtape at their rivals …
This week it’s our annual Bookmarks episode – where we tell the great stories that didn’t fit into our regular episodes. Including a story about …
This week, I tell the stories of four of my favourite brands. One holds the record for the most Oscar wins, one was a kid’s animated show produced by …
This week, the topic is rule breakers. It takes a courageous advertiser to flout the rules. The results can either be a goldmine or a landmine. We’ll …
This week, we look at boring products. There is a truism in the marketing world - boring sells. And in some of the biggest categories, boring products are the runaway best-sellers. Why do we overwhelmingly choose white …
In case you missed it, the team behind Under The Influence started a podcast network. We wanted to bring you a bonus episode this week from one of our other podcasts titled, "We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection …
This week, we look at how books are advertised and marketed. Over 2.2 million new books are published every year - so how do books get noticed? One bookstore uses movies to sell books, another gets prison inmates to …
This week, we look at the history of animated commercials. One of the very first hit the air in 1941 - for “crinkle-proof ties.” Next came Reddy Kilowatt, to quell the public’s fear of electricity in the home. Then …
This week, I ask my advertising colleagues for their most outrageous ad stories. The advertising business is a big money, high stress industry. And …
This week on Under The Influence, we tell the surprising origin stories of some famous products and brands. Because sometimes, backstories have …
This week, we look at cities and towns that are actually named after companies. We’ll talk about one town named after a shoe company, one named for a …
To celebrate Canada Reads on CBC this week, here is the first chapter of Terry's latest book, "My Best Mistake". Enjoy!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, we look at the most outrageous Hollywood Publicity Stunts. The crazier the stunt, the better. From sneaking a full-grown lion into a hotel …
This week, it’s Part Two of our “Don’t Do It Advertising” episode. Last week we looked at ads that asked you NOT to do something. This week, it’s ads that ask you NOT to do something, but really want you to DO …
This week, we look at a category of advertising that doesn’t try to sell you something. As a matter of fact, tries to get you to STOP doing something.
Like littering. And smoking. And drinking & driving.
And spilling …
This week, we look at the reasons why successful companies suddenly change their names. Sometimes those name changes are for legal reasons, sometimes …
This week, we look at powerful hospital marketing. Hospitals need marketing to generate much-needed donations. We’ll look at how one hospital uses …
In this episode, we dive into the Super Bowl. The broadcast not only attracts the biggest viewing audience of the year, it is one of the biggest marketing machines. It affects beer companies and supermarkets and even …
This week, we tell the story of one of the most colourful characters in the history of Canadian advertising - Jerry Goodis. He founded a legendary …
This week, we explore how dating agencies Sell Love. We’ll talk about the very first dating service in history, we’ll explore one app that is more …
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 at …
In this episode, we talk about the most unexpected ads of 2021. Quite a few commercials made eyebrows rise last year. From a fast-food restaurant that created outrage on International Women’s Day, to a Christmas ad that …
We’re back with our new season and the first episode is all about Bottle Cap Marketing. A bottle cap is a tiny thing but offers big opportunities. We’ll talk about how Coke figured out a way to help sophomores make …
We’ve got a fun 2022 season planned for you. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store…
It's our annual Ask Terry episode where we answer listener questions. We’ll delve into why creative advertising agencies have such boring names, to what has changed most - and least - since the Mad Men Era to why the …
This week, we talk about fake Hollywood brands. Whenever directors need a prop and there is no paid product placement, they have to use fake …
This week, we explore cemetery tourism. Before the pandemic stopped travel in its tracks, graveyards were becoming tourist hotspots. Millions of people are choosing vacation spots based on the final resting places of …
This week, we head to Broadway. Every Broadway show is mounted with incredible risk and very few shows earn back their investments. But there are …
This week, we trace the history of trading cards. For over 150 years, companies have used trading cards to entice customers to buy their products. From cigarette cards to bubble gum cards for Batman, sports teams and …
This week, it’s our annual Bookmarks episode - where we tell you the fascinating stories that didn’t fit into our regular episodes. Including a …
This week, we profile the remarkable career of, arguably, the most successful women in advertising - Mary Wells. She was a woman of firsts - the …
This week, we explore the use of nostalgia in advertising. For decades, advertisers have tapped collective memories in commercials, hoping those warm …
This week, we tell crazy stories from the world of advertising. High pressure, big money and impossible deadlines makes for some hilarious situations. Including a TV shoot where a hot air balloon towing a new car goes …
This week, we dive into the world of Fan Clubs. They are huge marketing tools for celebrities. We’ll track some of the earliest fan clubs, then …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 Supe promoting Kellogg’s commercials in the 1950s …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
We’ve got a fun 2021 season planned for you. Here’s a sneak peek at what's in store...
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Well, this week it’s our annual show where we answer listener questions. Like - why the most popular Super Bowl commercial chose to replace their …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Every episode of Under The Influence begins with an opening story. And after more than 300 episodes, we’ve told over 300 opening stories. This week, …
80 to 90% of new product launches fail. So to lower the risk, companies do trial runs. This week, we explore Test Markets - where companies launch new products in small towns to see if shoppers pay attention. We’ll tell …
This week, we explore how business can be won or lost with spontaneous off-hand remarks. Not all advertising business is conducted in a boardroom or in commercials. Sometimes somebody says something in an elevator, or …
This week, it’s our annual Brand Envy episode, where I tell the stories behind some of the brands I admire. We’ll talk about a romance novel company that was started by a fur trader, an empire created by a cartoonist …
This week, we explore the world of torture tests. Torture test commercials are one of the advertising industry’s most powerful techniques - because …
This week, we explore the world of online reviews. These days, you can leave a review for anything - from a cup of coffee to your dentist. 90% of us read online reviews before buying a product - that’s why those reviews …
This week, we explore the quiet world of ASMR marketing. ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It’s a new form of marketing that creates a calming feeling often accompanied by a tingling …
Dum dum da dum. This week, we explore the lucrative world of Wedding Marketing. Weddings are big, big business. As a result, the wedding industry is …
This week, we explore how airports are now becoming brands. You may not know it, but airports compete against each other for business. That intense rivalry has led to the complete transformation of airports - they now …
This week, we explore the surprising ideas companies use to attract new customers. Like “Finger Lickin’ Good” nail polish from KFC. Or NASCAR’s …
This week, we explore why companies change valuable brand names when expanding to other countries. Sometimes the reason is a language issue. But other times, the reasons are far more interesting. For example, Mr. Clean …
This week, we look at the phenomenon of Set Jetting. That’s when tourists flock to a city to see the sets and locations where their favourite TV shows and movies are filmed. Some towns have embraced set jetting as …
This week, it’s Part Two of our Album Covers As Marketing episode. In the 1980’s, album covers shrunk down for the first time to accommodate CDs. And in the 2000s, the advent of iPods shrunk them again to the size of a …
This week on Under the Influence, we analyze album covers as marketing. We’ll look at a world famous record cover that was almost ruined by a zipper, why flights at Heathrow Airport had to be grounded for one band’s …
This week, we look at the fascinating ways sports teams market themselves. We’ll unpack why one stadium replaced its ushers with librarians, why …
This week, we analyze how small brands outsmart their giant counterparts. We’ll look at a snack food company with a cult-like following that outsells …
This week, we step into the highly competitive world of Television Marketing. Between Netflix, Amazon and Crave, the marketing of TV shows has become a rat-race. And in a world where we can watch anything anytime, …
This week, it’s the final episode of our 2019 season: Ask Terry. And as we do every year, we’re turning this show over to you, our listeners, and answering your questions on the air. From whether subliminal advertising …
This week, we look at banned commercials. The majority of the time, ads are banned for being sexist or too suggestive. But many commercials are banned for other, more fascinating reasons. Sometimes bans …
This week, we unpack the nuanced world of Advertising Disclaimers. We’ll look at the most absurd product disclaimers of all time, why a shocking disclaimer on a brand of Lays chips sparked a 50% drop in sales and …
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. Like …
This week, it’s our annual look at brands I admire. They may not be the coolest or the biggest brands – but they’re fascinating studies in …
This week, we look at the use of profanity in marketing and the resulting upsurge in Vulgar Trademarks. Four-letter words aren’t just sought out by …
This week, we look at the fine art of selling the dream. The world of Real Estate Marketing has its own rules, its own techniques and its own unique …
This week, I’ll be sharing some of the major influences in my life that helped inform my thinking and shape my career. Including a snowplow ad from my childhood, the sound effects from one very specific cartoon, …
This week, we look at celebrities with their own brands. From a small town general store owned by a comedian to a cosmetics empire started by an …
This week, we explore Word of Mouth Advertising. Most businesses hope good products and excellent service are enough to encourage positive recommendations. But the smartest companies actually have strategies to ignite …
This week, we explore roadside attractions as marketing. Interesting and often quirky landmarks that put small towns on the map. We’ll look at one town that leveraged its name to bring in thousands of TV fans, one that …
Do you know which mascot is the most recognized but least liked on TV? This week, we look at disgusting but effective advertising mascots. Fun, cuddly characters that personify our bodily functions the way human actors …
This week, we explore the world of law firm advertising. Some of it good, some of it bad, but a handful of it highly creative. We’ll break down the …
This week, we listen to the innovative ways marketers are using sound around the world. We’ll explore how the words of an anthem in South Africa were …
This week, we explore the world of distress purchases. Distress purchases are the things we need in life, but quietly resent having to pay for like insurance, car tires, laundry appliances and batteries. But the …
This week, we explore the world of unwitting endorsers. Sometimes a celebrity is featured in an advertising campaign without his or her knowledge or …
This week, just in time for the Oscars, we look at some of the most innovative movie marketing. From advertising an R-rated superhero to marketing a silent horror film with virtually no dialogue, today’s movies aren’t …
This week, we tell the story of the most interesting adman in the world - Albert Lasker. Lasker had a hand in influencing professional baseball, Planned Parenthood, North American breakfast and not one, but two …
This week, we look at the use of brand names in songs. Sometimes lyrical mentions lead to major brand success. Other times, to lawsuits and bans. But the stories behind each are fascinating. And our list may even …
This week, we look at products made by monks. Monks create a myriad of merchandise that is sold to the public. Some sing and sell CDs of their …
This week, we explore the fascinating world of vending machines. Vending machines aren’t just soft drink dispensers, they’re marketing machines. They’re portable, branded on all sides and are becoming smarter and …
This week, we look at the history of commercial lengths. From the very first 10-minute radio commercial in 1922, to five-second commercials today, the length of ads has changed dramatically over the decades. But it’s …
This week on Under The Influence, we look at unusual and unexpected advertising placements. As the world of marketing gets more and more cluttered every day, it’s forcing advertisers to get creative. From urinals and …
This week, we look at spokesperson disasters. Hiring a celebrity spokesperson is an advertising strategy many brands can only dream of. But famous names don’t come cheap. From Oprah Winfrey, to Gilbert Gottfried and …
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 …
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, …
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 …
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 …
This week, we look at products invented by the military. The military has influenced more technology than any government, agency, business or …
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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
This week, we look at commercials that made the unlikely leap…to Hollywood. Some became big hit movies, others inspired popular songs. One even …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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, …
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 …
This week, we explore how marketers saved certain foods from oblivion by changing…their names. Many foods you enjoy started out life with very …
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 …
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 …
From the Digital Box Set: 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 …
From the Digital Box Set: 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 …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we journey to Cannes, France for the Cannes International Advertising Festival. It’s the most revered advertising competition in the world, with 90 countries submitting over 40,000 …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore how some of society's biggest taboos were broken by marketers. We’ll look at why toilet paper was a hush-hush product in the 19th century, which publication was the first …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we analyze how marketing affects the sports world. We’ll look at the massive influence that comes with owning the rights to the Olympic games, how the recent uptick in gambling …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we tell the story of the most interesting adman in the world - Albert Lasker. Lasker had a hand in influencing professional baseball, Planned Parenthood, North American breakfast and …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, it’s our annual episode where we explore brands I admire. And in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, this year’s brands are all Canadian. We’ll look at what may be the …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore how brands are becoming political for the first time in history. We’ll look at what happens when …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, it’s part two of our Gender Marketing show. In this episode, we’ll look at how companies that have historically marketed to one gender switch gears to target another. We’ll analyze …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we delve into the controversial world of Gender Marketing. How did it all start? Why are aisles and products separated by gender? Why do some companies charge women more than men for …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the fine art of selling the dream. The world of Real Estate Marketing has its own rules, its own …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we peek into the emerging world of Influencer Marketing. Today, the most popular social media influencers aren't …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we analyze inventors who later came to regret their inventions. Sometimes it's because the product ended up …
From the Digital Box Set: In this episode, we look at what happens when seemingly unrelated companies decide to partner up. By pooling their …
From the Digital Box Set: In this episode, we explore the controversial topic of Humane Marketing. From circuses to SeaWorld to fashion runways to fast food restaurants, each industry is dealing with mounting issues …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we enter the delicate world of Sponsorship Marketing. Close to 20 billion sponsorship dollars are spent each …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we analyze brand names that should never have worked. While most companies strive for positive names, others …
This week, we take a look at the biggest day of the year for the advertising industry: The Super Bowl. The only sporting event where viewers pay as much attention to the commercials as they do the game.
We'll analyze a …
This week, we look at brands that separate themselves from the herd. In the world of marketing, standing out is the most critical thing a company can do. Having a distinct personality gives shoppers a reason to remember …
In this episode, we explore why some big brands fail when they attempt to expand internationally.
It’s always interesting when massive companies with marketing firepower move into a new country and end up packing up …
This episode explores what happens to brands when a completely unexpected event occurs. Most companies tightly control every aspect of a brand - but …
In this episode, we explore the crazy world of Trademarks. The key to success in marketing is to stand out from the crowd. One of the best ways to do that is with trademarks. Brands try to create logos or slogans or …
From the Digital Box Set: This show marks the final episode of the Under The Influence 2016 season. And as we do every year, we're turning this show over to you, our listeners. We’ll be answering all the marketing and …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we take a peek into the risky, yet delicious world of commercial parodies. Some spoof ads are created just for the laughs, while others are sharp critiques of questionable products, …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore the little known and surprising world of Industrial Musicals. In an unexpected collision of Madison …
From the Digital Box Set: The research team at Under The Influence does a lot of reading over the year and finds a lot of great stories - many of …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore the world of loyalty programs. In this day and age, marketers do everything possible to encourage loyal customers, and loyalty programs are one of the most effective ways …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we take a trip to five different countries to listen to some astonishing radio advertising. From a theatre …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, it’s part two of our Strange Bedfellows episode. It’s not just smaller brands that are beginning to advertise on …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore the increasingly blurred line between advertising and porn. There has always been a line advertisers …
From the Digital Box Set: This is our annual episode where Terry tells some interesting stories about the brands he admires. This year, it includes the very first toy ever advertised on television in 1952, a teen …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore the world of business-to-business advertising. It used to be the most boring advertising in the world - where green copywriters cut their teeth and washed-up copywriters …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we search for some of the world’s oldest brands. 80% of companies fold after 18 months, the ones that survive …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at how marketing companies bounce back from blunders and epic missteps. Yes, most apologize, but what …
From the Digital Box Set: While there are many strange products in the world, there are even stranger service companies. This week, we talk about a company that rents wedding guests, a company you can hire to actually …
From the Digital Box Set: The most interesting cultural differences aren’t country to country, they're province to province, state to state and even …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore when a smaller advertiser attacks the weak spot in a bigger advertiser’s marketing. It’s a strategy of brinksmanship, because it means a smaller company not only chooses …
From the Digital Box Set: In this episode, we explore the marketing of Movie Merchandise. From the earliest days of merchandising book characters to the true beginning of movie merchandising with the birth of Mickey …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore Words Invented By Marketers. Many of those words found their way into the dictionary and have become part of our daily language, like “Dependability” and “Halitosis.” …
From the Digital Box Set: This episode explores how small moves can result in huge business gains. While much of the business world spends its time …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the consequences when marketing companies lie. From the Volkswagen scandal, to a promotion that …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, the topic is Zombie Brands - products and companies that had a long run of success, then ran into difficulties, …
From the Digital Box Set: Most products offer customers as many features and benefits as possible in order to lure shoppers toward a purchase. But then there are some companies that offer you less and profit more. We’ll …
From the Digital Box Set: In our first episode of the 2016 season, we look at how the marketing industry created many of our everyday rituals. We don't think twice about having bacon & eggs for breakfast, or taking …
From the Digital Box Set: This is the final episode of our 10th season on CBC. And to celebrate, we turn the show over to you. That means Terry will be answering listener questions. He’ll talk about why he chose …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we take the marketing lessons from big brands and apply them…to you. If you have to sell yourself, sell your …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the impact of the Internet of Things on the world of marketing. Soon, most of the devices in our lives will be given a digital voice. Your fridge will be doing your weekly …
From the Digital Box Set: This is our annual episode dedicated to great stories from our Under The Influence research books that didn’t make our …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at Famous Advertising Lawsuits. Because the stakes are so high in the world of marketing, it leads to some interesting - and odd - lawsuits. We’ll tell the story of how an …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore how Product Packaging influences what you buy. We'll tell the story of how the famous Coke bottle was …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore the world of Product Placement. From the first product placement in a movie in 1927, to E.T., to the latest movies and TV shows, advertisers look for opportunities to give …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, it’s Terry's annual look at his favourite brands. They may not be the coolest brands, or the newest or the …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the world of Tourism Marketing. Every country and city competes for lucrative tourism dollars, and …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore Limited Edition Brands. Many marketers often release special-edition products of their mainstream …
From the Digital Box Set: This episode takes a look at the most recent - and interesting - marketing innovations from around the world. From an edible pizza box, to a glove that will play music and take pictures, to …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at one of the newest trends in marketing called Giftvertising. Where marketers surprise their customers …
From the Digital Box Set: One of the biggest factors fuelling the sharing economy is the mindset of the Millennial generation. A demographic bigger than the Baby Boomers, Millennials have been conditioned by the Great …
From the Digital Box Set: The issue of geography is a subject the marketing world subscribes to. Many companies, and even entire industries, attach their brands to geographical points of origin as a way to differentiate …
From the Digital Box Set: The wins and losses at the Academy Awards change the fortunes of actors, directors and films. But what the public never sees is how movie studios - and some actors - campaign to win those …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at how hit songs are marketed. With music sales in decline, recording artists are turning to inventive marketing ideas to sell their albums. From the first 24-hour music …
From the Digital Box Set: In Part Two of "Selling The Moon," we pick up the story with the success of the Gemini program, which leads NASA to believe they might reach the moon faster than anticipated. But then tragedy …
This week, we present Part One of our "Selling The Moon" episode. Across two episodes, we'll trace the way NASA marketed the expensive moon landing to both the American public, and to Congress. In this first part, we …
From the Digital Box Set: Not all products are beautiful. While it's easy to sell a gorgeous item, the degree of difficulty ratchets up when the item …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we tackle the topic of Controversy Advertising. The number one job of all advertising is to get attention, and many brands choose to use controversial advertising ideas to break …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we looks at some of the strangest brands that exist in the world. Some are the result of odd licensing deals - …
From the Digital Box Set: Well, this is the final episode of the 2014 season. As as we do every year, we turn this show over to our listeners. I'll answer all the marketing and advertising questions listeners have sent …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at brands that mock other brands. It's a risky strategy, as one company has to ridicule another brand to …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we search for companies that offer 100%, no questions-asked, no fine print lifetime guarantees. They're hard to find, as not many companies are willing to offer that unlimited return …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at 21st Century Brands. Only 14 years into a new era, and it's astounding to look at all the new brands and categories that have changed our world. Companies that have market …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at how companies sell death. While death is usually a forbidden word in advertising, the subject of death is slowly becoming more mainstream. We'll look at the one industry …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we discuss what happens when founders are the face of a company. No one can relay the passion of a company like …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the subtle art of "nudging." Schools, marketers and even governments are now using small nudges to …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, it's Terry's annual episode where he features four brands he admires. It might be because the brand broke new ground, or has managed to stay #1, or just because it has been a part of …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, it's our annual book show. The research for Under The Influence requires a lot of reading, and listeners always ask for more information about the books we mention. So we take the …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at Elevator Pitches. The marketing industry is a business of short, concise messages. Be it the confines of 30 seconds, the space in a print ad or the restrictions of …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore How Weather Affects Marketing. With 75 years of climate data cross-referenced with reams of shopping research, marketers can now use the weather to predict sales. Sears …
From the Digital Box Set: In this episode, we look at famous people who began their careers in advertising. Many people who have gone on to shape …
From the Digital Box Set: In this episode, we look at the wild and crazy world of Viral Videos. Some brands spend big money on videos and nobody watches, meanwhile a cat video is viewed by millions. It's a world with no …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we'll explore how companies profit from personalized products, how they market those products, how consumers are drawn to companies that offer customization and how brands use …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at Ambush Marketing. It's a form of marketing where a brand tries to connect itself with an event like the FIFA World Cup - but WITHOUT paying sponsorship fees. It merely …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the big-money world of Olympic advertising. From the very first Olympic sponsors in 1896, we'll track the ever increasing presence of advertising in the Games - from the …
From the Digital Box Set: Unlike public service announcements or corporate philanthropy, Cause Marketing is when a Not-For-Profit organization teams up with a For-Profit company to further a good cause - but the …
From the Digital Box Set: In this episode, we explore how we're all influenced by pricing. Like how the price of a bottle of wine has an enormous affect on how much you enjoy that wine. We'll analyze how restaurants …
From the Digital Box Set: In our first episode of Season 3, we explore #1 Brands. We'll look at popular categories and identify the runaway …
From the Digital Box Set: It's our last episode of the season. And every year, we turn our annual season finale over to listeners and answer their questions about advertising. We'll discuss the finer details of fine …
From the Digital Box Set: This penultimate show of the season features the various lessons I've learned over the course of my 30-year advertising …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at Marketing Dead Celebrities. It's become a $2B industry. And the marketing of dead celebrities not only attracts lots of big brands, but a lot of controversy as well. We'll …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at Real Time Advertising. For over 100 years, most ad campaigns took months to produce. Suddenly, with the emergence of the Internet and social media, advertisers can react …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at how Hollywood has portrayed advertising over the years. Most pilots, lawyers and doctors roll their …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, it's my annual look at the brands I envy. They may not be the hippest, or the latest, or even the coolest …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore "Loss Leaders - the very interesting selling strategy where one product is given away for free, or at a high discount, in order to attract people to buy another more …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at Game Shows as Marketing. They've been around for almost 80 years and entertain millions, but game …
From the Digital Box Set: Along with the most famous marketing blunder of all time - the Edsel - we'll look at what caused Coke to make the mistake …
From the Digital Box Set: In the history of the advertising industry, the full force of persuasion has been put behind many products that turned out …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, it's Tales of Customer Service. We're on the hunt for great companies that went out of their way to treat their customers well. From an amusement park that delivered such superior …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at Billion Dollar Brands. There are millions of successful brands in the world, but very few of them are …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at Marketing Stunts. Many brands try to get into the Guinness Book of World Records as a marketing strategy. With that in mind, we'll talk about how an energy drink staged a …
From the Digital Box Set: This week - just in time for the Oscars - we take our annual look at creative movie trailers. We'll see how Walt Disney …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the companies that actually profit by asking you to BUY LESS. We'll explore a burger company that asks its customers to eat less beef, a printing company helps you print …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the incredible creativity happening in radio advertising today. Many advertisers think radio is yesterday's medium, but judging by the incredible work being done around …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the critical importance of timing in marketing. It's one thing to put the right message in front of the right person, but it's a fine art to put it in front of them at the …
From the Digital Box Set: Remember when you were growing up, and you'd find a prize inside your cereal box? Prizes, premiums and box-top offers have been a staple of modern marketing since the 1800s. We'll tell the …
From the Digital Box Set: Kicking off Season 2, we explore one of the most effective marketing strategies ever devised: The use of "Shame." First …
From the Digital Box Set: In this final episode of the season, Terry answers listener questions about the advertising industry. Some of the very …
From the Digital Box Set: There was a time when the humble matchbook was the top advertising medium in North America. They were handy, colourful, …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at companies that go above and beyond the call. Companies that add smart, little touches that make all the difference. Like hotels that help you fall asleep at night with …
From the Digital Box Set: The gay community will spend over $800B this year. A large percentage are affluent, hip and trendsetting, yet the advertising industry took decades to market to them. This week, we look at …
From the Digital Box Set: This is my annual look at some of my favourite books. We'll look at a new book, titled, "Mad Women," written by an original Mad Woman from the 60s era Madison Avenue. Next, we flip through the …
From the Digital Box Set: Over the lifetime of a company, mistakes happen. When those mistakes cause damage, it's appropriate for a brand to …
From the Digital Box Set: Welcome to my annual celebration of the brands I envy. They aren't necessarily the most hip or most current, or even the number one brand in their category. As a matter of fact, a "brand" by my …
From the Digital Box Set: In the world of marketing, the use of colour is a studied science. As a result, colours play a bigger role in your …
From the Digital Box Set: "Hypertargeting" is the next frontier in 21st century marketing. Marketers are gleaning and buying more and more personal information about consumers online. People are also being tracked …
From the Digital Box Set: The advertising industry has a long history of using sex to sell products. Woodbury's used sex to sell soap as far back the 1920's - and the campaign was written by a woman. But the use of sex …
From the Digital Box Set: Back in 2007, a cute video of two kids was uploaded by their father. In it, one kid bites the finger of the other. That video, called "Charlie Bit My Finger" went on to attract 420 million …
From the Digital Box Set: This episode looks at the wacky world of advertising mascots. The ad industry has a long history with mascots, as they are …
From the Digital Box Set: This episode is about how major brands in our lives simply vanish. One of magician Harry Houdini's most famous tricks was to make a 5-ton elephant disappear in front of large audiences. …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore a very interesting marketing predicament: When brands get trapped by their own image. Every once in a while, expensive brand images circle around to damage the brand. Like …
From the Digital Box Set: It may surprise you to know that many famous brands were invented completely by accident. They weren't the result of years …
From the Digital Box Set: When companies are hit with a crisis, it can be a defining moment. In the world of marketing, it's an all-hands-on-deck situation - because communication is one of the most important keys to …
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore the critical importance of movie trailers to a film's success. Hollywood now spends an average of $32 …
From the Digital Box Set: This is part two of our look at Steve Jobs the marketer. This episode traces his triumphant return to Apple after being …
From the Digital Box Set: This special two-part episode is about the late Steve Jobs. When you look at his vast technical accomplishments, it's easy to forget he was a great marketer. As a matter of fact, Apple …
From the Digital Box Set: This episode is about the history of the classified ads. We trace the very first classified ad in North America through to the explosion of classifieds online. At any given time, a glance at …
From the Digital Box Set: This episode looks at famous brands that built their companies without advertising. It's so rare in this world to build a …
From the Digital Box Set: This episode explores how voices influence us in all corners of our lives. From computer voices, to phone operator voices, to the voices we hear at airports. Some expensive celebrity voices in …
From the Digital Box Set: This episode examines the different ways in which men and women shop. Deep in our DNA, our shopping habits have been formed …
From the Digital Box Set: Welcome to the first episode of Under The Influence. In this show, we focus on the emergence of the BRIC nations as the new marketing force in the world. BRIC is an acronym for: Brazil, Russia, …
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