Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

There are millions of successful brands in the world, but very few of them are in the exclusive billion dollar club. We'll test your ability to guess which brands in your life are the billion-dollar ones, and we'll tell you which of P&G's brands reached $10 billion first, which cookie is worth a cool billion, which Hollywood movie star is has sold the most tickets, and which NHL franchise is the only billion-dollar team in the league. Join us as we look at the mega brands that outsell all the others.The list may just surprise you.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 record-breaking jump from space, why a giant popsicle stunt melted before it even started, why unsuspecting travelers ended up running through a train station like James Bond, and how Richard Branson pulled off a stunt that drove British Airways crazy.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, just in time for the Oscars - we take our annual look at creative movie trailers. We’ll see how Walt Disney convinced the public to watch the first-ever full-length animated movie, how some trailers don’t show a frame of the actual film they’re advertising, how some trailers contain footage not found in the movie itself, and we’ll tell you the story of why thousands of people bought tickets to a movie, watched a trailer that ran before the movie started, then got up and went home. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Under The Influence, 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 less, why Gillette has suddenly started encouraging men to change blades less often, and why a clothing company insists that you buy less of their apparel.It’s a completely counter-intuitive marketing strategy, but each of these companies is doing more business than ever.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Under The Influence, 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 the world, radio isn't dead, it's hotter than ever.We'll look at the top radio advertising ideas that have won in recent international award shows, including one remarkable idea that used code to reach kidnapped soldiers in Columbia.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 perfect moment.We’ll look at how the United States Navy used perfect timing to double their applications by taking advantage of a certain movie playing in theatres. We’ll explain why Dr. Scholl’s chose to pitch inner soles in the washrooms of nightclubs and how Hellman’s Mayonnaise used perfect timing to talk to women in grocery stores. We’ll also talk about how Target stores know you’re pregnant before your family does, and we’ll wrap up the episode by explaining why the fishing lure industry has Marilyn Monroe to thank.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 story of how the first ever box-top offer was the result of a critical marketing mistake – but it set the stage for a century of product giveaways. We’ll also explore the psychology of free prizes, like how the public is instantly attracted to a mail-in offer, but so few go to the trouble of redeeming their prize.From the first Kellogg’s cereal prize, to Crackerjack, to the Happy Meal, to a promotion involving the Beatles that resulted in a lawsuit - it’s a fascinating aspect of marketing.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To kick off the 2013 season, we explore one of the most effective marketing strategies ever devised: The use of “Shame” as a marketing tool.First emerging in the late 1800s, toothpaste ads suggested a fresh mouth could help you attract a mate. But advertisers had a major obstacle to overcome – bad breath and body odour were not socially unacceptable then. So advertisers focused their sizable resources to linking odours to shame, and then shame to product solution. From bad breath, dandruff and ring-around-the-collar to gray hair, plastic surgery and skin lightening, the strategy of social shame has become the most lucrative selling strategy of all time.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode of the season, Terry answers listener questions about the advertising industry. Some of the very insightful questions include: When was the very first ad every done? Do celebrities have to actually use a product before they endorse them? Why do advertisers still use Imperial measurements in ads? Does product placement work better than traditional advertising? And "what effect will the loss of the penny have on traditional 99 cent sale prices?" Hope you'll join us for some very surprising answers.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was a time when the humble matchbook was the top advertising medium in North America. They were handy, colourful, cheap and even a moderate smoker would be exposed to the advertising over 20 times a day. Matchbook advertising pre-dated radio, and was embraced by almost every industry. From big beer and tobacco companies, to the war effort, to Hollywood, to the smallest Mom & Pop businesses, matchbook advertising was effective and affordable for everyone. And believe it or not, even the State Department used matchbook advertising recently to hunt down Osama bin Laden.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 sleep aids, grocery stores that help you read the small type on vitamin bottles, hardware stores that give you maps of their aisles, airports that know you need to charge up between flights, and business cards that are so unique you never forget them. Grab a coffee and join us for companies that go the extra inch.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The gay community will spend over $800 billion dollars 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 L.G.B.T. - or Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender - advertising. From the first gay characters on mainstream television in the 70s, to the first big brand that dared to openly advertise to the Gay community in 1981, to the 10-year drought of gay advertising brought by the onset of AIDS, to its resurgence due to a recession, to the flashpoint of Ellen Degeneres coming out on her TV show, to the first transgender Miss Canada Universe contestant, to the friction it all still causes today, the gay market is a fascinating study in diversity, courage, profit and respect.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 pages of another new book by one of the most outspoken and notorious Mad Men of all time - George Lois - whose no-holds barred book of advice will certainly ruffle some feathers. Simon Sinek's book, titled, "Start With Why" argues that most companies don't know WHY their in business, and will not succeed as a result. Lastly, we discuss a book by Steven Johnson that looks at where good ideas come from.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the lifetime of a company, mistakes happen. When those mistakes cause damage, it's appropriate for a brand to apologize. Yet, it rarely happens. This week, we look at the companies that chose to apologize. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is 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 definition doesn't even have to be a product or service, it could be a location, a person or an animal. But they must be unique, they must be revolutionary or counter-intuitive, and they must have survived.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the world of marketing, the use of colour is a studied science. As a result, colours play a bigger role in your purchasing decisions than you may think. A colour can make you feel a certain way about a company, or it can trigger you.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"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 online, as marketers watch their buying habits.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 has always been a polarizing technique.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 views. To say it over-performed would be an understatement.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Marketing has its own version of that trick.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Marketing has its own version of that trick.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It may surprise you to know that many famous brands were invented completely by accident. They weren't the result of years of research, or painstaking experiments, or scientific brilliance - they were simply stumbled upon by mistake.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 handling a disaster.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we explore the critical importance of movie trailers to a film's success. Hollywood now spends an average of $32 million per movie to advertise. But trailers have changed dramatically over the years.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is part two of our look at Steve Jobs the marketer. This episode traces his triumphant return to Apple after being banished for 12 years and his bold choice to release advertising that suggested Apple was on the cusp of greatness.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 the classifieds tells us a lot.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode looks at famous brands that built their companies without advertising. It's so rare in this world to build a multi-million, or multi-billion dollar company without relying on advertising. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 commercials are hardly recognizable.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode examines the different ways in which men and women shop. Deep in our DNA, our shopping habits have been formed and the differences between the genders couldn't be more stark.We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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, India and China. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you don’t, subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.