Under The Influence
Under The Influence
Take an unprecedented ride through the hallways of the ad industry.Host and adman Terry O'Reilly explores why we make the shopping decisions we make, and how we are influenced by words, colours and images. He tells stories of the remarkable creativity found at the higher realms of marketing, and analyzes the ads we love to hate.
Updated: Saturdays
Download episodes from this podcast for: 1 Year
Visit Show Site: http://www.cbc.ca/undertheinfluence
Subscribe:
All podcast episodes
Use the links below to download a file.
S5E09 (Archive) - Achilles Heel Advertising: Repositioning The Competition
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 to attack a larger company, but it attacks the weakness in a bigger company’s strength. It takes surgical precision, but when done well, the smaller advertiser gains market share, while diminishing the bigger company’s reputation at the same time. We’ll talk about how Avis aimed an arrow at Hertz, how Tylenol overtook the much larger Bayer Aspirin, how Scope used a slingshot to battle the Goliath in the mouthwash category, and the amusing story of how a potato chip company battled a competitor by finding the soft spot in its ingredient list.
This is an encore episode that aired originally on March 3, 2016.
Download S5E09 (Archive) - Achilles Heel Advertising: Repositioning The Competition
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:16]
S5E08 (Archive) - Movie Merchandising
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 Mouse and the Disney Studio, the marketing of toys and games became a critical strategy for movie and television studios. We chart the milestones in entertainment merchandising, how those milestones became a marketing strategy to build loyal audiences and how the biggest merchandising breakthrough in a galaxy far, far away changed everything.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 24, 2016.
Download S5E08 (Archive) - Movie Merchandising
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:05]
S5E06 (Archive) - Words Invented By Marketers
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.” While some other familiar words like Retsyn and Fahrvergnugen were around for a short time, then disappeared into the annals of commercial history. We’ll also get to the bottom of Corinthian Leather.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 11, 2016.
Download S5E06 (Archive) - Words Invented By Marketers
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:33]
S5E05 (Archive) - Small Move, Big Gain
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 looking for the big idea, many companies enjoy massive results with tiny moves and subtle tweaks. We’ll look at how a hit movie that was turned down by every studio in town was finally sold thanks to a small change in the way it was pitched, how Obama used a small tactic to beat John McCain and how broccoli made a small move to become popular during the infamous OJ Simpson trial.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 3, 2016.
Download S5E05 (Archive) - Small Move, Big Gain
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:16]
S5E04 (Archive) - When Marketers Lie
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the consequences when marketing companies lie. From the Volkswagen scandal, to a promotion that brought Hoover to its knees, to a company that promised super-charged sexual enhancement, each was a case of fraud with disastrous repercussions. Join us as we explore what happened and whether those companies ever regained the trust of their customers.
This is an encore episode that aired originally on January 27, 2016.
Download S5E04 (Archive) - When Marketers Lie
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:38]
S5E03 (Archive) - Zombie Brands
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, and were either shut down or slipped into bankruptcy - only to rise from the dead and exist yet again. We’ll look at an airline grounded 25 years ago that has taken flight again, a retailer that died and came back, a television show that was cancelled then resurrected to become one of the most successful of all time and an automobile that once ruled the road, was then discontinued, then exhumed. All zombie brands that still roam the earth.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 20, 2016.
Download S5E03 (Archive) - Zombie Brands
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:30]
S5E02 (Archive) - Promise Less, Profit More
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 look at a book company that eliminated their books and made millions, an electronics company that broke all the rules by eliminating the recording function from a tape machine and made history and how two companies looked at a shoe and made millions by throwing away the laces.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 14, 2016.
Download S5E02 (Archive) - Promise Less, Profit More
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:15]
S5E01 (Archive) - How Marketing Created Rituals
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 a coffee break, or using soap to wash our hands. But each of those routine rituals was invented by marketing companies to sell more product. You may even be surprised to learn that when our kids trick or treat has a marketing story behind it. Join us as we explore how these and many more rituals began and how they influence your life.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 1, 2016.
Download S5E01 (Archive) - How Marketing Created Rituals
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:44]
S4E25 (Archive) - Ask Terry 2015
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 advertising as a profession, how political marketing differs from product marketing, whether the jingle is definitely dead, why some bad commercials actually work and how he would advertise marijuana brands. The questions are fun, insightful and amusing. Hope you’ll tune in.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 20, 2015.
Download S4E25 (Archive) - Ask Terry 2015
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:52]
S8E25 - Ask Terry 2019
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 exists, to if my career has made me a cynical consumer, to which of the Beatles was the best marketer, this year’s questions were fun and insightful. Oh - and you’ll get a chance to meet the team, too.
Download S8E25 - Ask Terry 2019
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:55]
S4E24 (Archive) - Selling Yourself: The Art of Personal Branding
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 services, if you want more “likes” and followers, or if you’re looking for a job - this episode explores how to manage your social media, how to pick the best profile photo, how to maintain a consistent tone of voice and how to avoid cliches in your resume. It’s time to overhaul your personal brand.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 7, 2015.
Download S4E24 (Archive) - Selling Yourself: The Art of Personal Branding
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:13]
S4E22 (Archive) - The Internet of (Marketing) Things
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 grocery shopping for you - and that means marketers will have to send discount coupons to your appliances. Your car will be able to make appointments with a mechanic all by itself, and you can now order laundry detergent, coffee and bathroom tissue with the push of Wi-Fi Amazon Dash button in your home. We’ll look at the fine line between convenience and intrusion and why marketers are looking forward the Internet of (marketing) Things.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 30, 2015.
Download S4E22 (Archive) - The Internet of (Marketing) Things
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:25]
S4E21 (Archive) - Bookmarks 2015
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 regular season. We’ll tell the story of why Tim Hortons always chooses brown bricks for their stores, how Best Buy helped men set up their electronics without offending their manhood, an amusing story about the problem of Ronald McDonald taking naps between scenes of a television commercial and how Levis sold a product to the teenagers of Europe that they didn’t even want - but eventually loved.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 23, 2015.
Download S4E21 (Archive) - Bookmarks 2015
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:51]
S4E20 (Archive) - Sue Me, Sue You Blues: Famous Advertising Lawsuits
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 elderly woman sued McDonald’s because her coffee spilled on her lap and why she won the case. How Microsoft came gunning for a 17 year-old Mike Rowe's website with the domain name www.MikeRoweSoft.com. How a Hollywood actress sued a store for tweeting a photo of her shopping there. And the amusing story of Hall & Oates suing a company over a cereal called Haulin’ Oats. Everyone rise, court is in session.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 16, 2015.
Download S4E20 (Archive) - Sue Me, Sue You Blues: Famous Advertising Lawsuits
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:42]
S8E24 - God Save The Commercial: When Ads Are Banned
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 cripple a campaign, other times they’re puzzling, but more often than not, they’re rocket fuel.
Download S8E24 - God Save The Commercial: When Ads Are Banned
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:13]
S4E19 (Archive) - Even In The Dark: How Packaging Persuades You To Buy
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 born, how the psychology behind packaging designs influence you in grocery stores and how Tropicana and Tide learned the hard way that package design can be bad even when it's good.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 9, 2015.
Download S4E19 (Archive) - Even In The Dark: How Packaging Persuades You To Buy
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:45]
S4E17 (Archive) - Show Me The Money: The World of Product Placement
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 their products starring roles. We’ll look at the history of product placement, how it evolved and the most famous examples of how it went right - and how it went horribly wrong.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 25, 2015.
Download S4E17 (Archive) - Show Me The Money: The World of Product Placement
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:47]
S4E16 (Archive) - Brand Envy 2015
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 biggest - they are just fascinating studies in marketing. Terry looks at an armoured truck company that decided to transport money instead of packages, a business that started because of spilled milk, a board game created to protest capitalism and a 51-year-old game show that still attracts over 25 million viewers per week. Each wildly successful, each still going today and each one of them survived because of an unforeseen opportunity.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 18, 2015.
Download S4E16 (Archive) - Brand Envy 2015
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:47]
S4E15 (Archive) - Tourism Marketing
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 the resulting marketing is often highly creative and fascinating. We’ll tell the story of a city that promised to keep secrets, a state that offered one tourist the job of a lifetime, and a country that actually benefited from being insulted in a movie.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 11, 2015.
Download S4E15 (Archive) - Tourism Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:43]
S8E23 - The Risk in the Asterisk: Fine Print & Advertising Disclaimers
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 the presidential attack ads that changed political disclaimers forever. It really puts the "risk" in asterisk. Hope you'll join us.
Download S8E23 - The Risk in the Asterisk: Fine Print & Advertising Disclaimers
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:18]
S4E14 (Archive) - Limited Edition Brands
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we explore Limited Edition Brands. Many marketers often release special-edition products of their mainstream brands. It may be a special limited-time flavour or colour, or it may be a kooky version of their usual product. It's an interesting marketing strategy, because marketers create limited-edition brands for very specific reasons - to generate new attention, or test-drive a new product or to celebrate an event. Some work, some don't - but the stories behind them are often fascinating.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 4, 2015.
Download S4E14 (Archive) - Limited Edition Brands
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:10]
S4E13 (Archive) - The Marketing Innovations Episode
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 rentable office desks, to personal climate controls for airplane seats, to rain that actually smells like brands - the latest marketing innovations are simply unbelievable.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 28, 2015.
Download S4E13 (Archive) - The Marketing Innovations Episode
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:30]
S4E11 (Archive) - Giftvertising
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at one of the newest trends in marketing called Giftvertising. Where marketers surprise their customers with elaborate free gifts, film their reactions and put the resulting video on YouTube, hoping it will go viral. From airlines to banks to retail stores, big brands are embracing the trend. We'll also look at the psychology behind Giftvertising, why it works, and the pros and cons of employing it.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 14, 2015.
Download S4E11 (Archive) - Giftvertising
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:48]
S4E10 (Archive) - The Sharing Economy
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 Recession to shed the responsibility of ownership. They want the movie, but not the DVD. They want the music, but not the CD. They want the ride, but not the car. That attitude is beginning to have an enormous impact on marketers, as the biggest consumer demographic in history would rather share than buy. Join us as we explore the marketing implications of the sharing economy.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 6, 2015.
Download S4E10 (Archive) - The Sharing Economy
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:50]
S8E22 - Bookmarks 2019
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 - why Beatles producer George Martin was first assigned to the Fab Four as punishment by his boss. Why an episode of Mary Tyler Moore was considered to be so morbid that a brand new director had to be brought in to handle it tastefully. And why there were blank spaces in Bill Murray's original Caddyshack script. Hope you'll join us.
Download S8E22 - Bookmarks 2019
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:04]
S4E09 (Archive) - Geography As Branding
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 themselves and assert superiority. From German engineering to Russian vodka to Swiss watches, "Geography as Branding" is a powerful marketing strategy that often comes with a premium price tag. This week, we explore if that premium price tag is justified...
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 28, 2015.
Download S4E09 (Archive) - Geography As Branding
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:53]
S4E08 (Archive) - For Your Consideration: The Hollywood Oscar Campaigns The Public Never Sees
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 Oscars. The strategies used to influence Academy voters are fascinating, involving millions of dollars, trade advertising, parties, swag, the White House, law suits and even trips to old age homes to sway elderly voters. Grab a bag of popcorn and tune in.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 21, 2015.
Download S4E08 (Archive) - For Your Consideration: The Hollywood Oscar Campaigns The Public Never Sees
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:53]
S4E06 (Archive) - Marketing Hit Songs
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 video, to hiding lyrics in library books, to downloading a new album onto 500 million music libraries, to the opposite strategy of issuing one single copy of a new album, marketing hit songs has never had more interesting notes.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 7, 2015.
Download S4E06 (Archive) - Marketing Hit Songs
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:27]
S4E01 (Archive) - Strange Brands
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 - like WikiLeaks, which is now licensing its brand out to other manufacturers. Others are the result of unusual marketing opportunities - like a Burger King body spray. We kid you not. From Mandela wines to Motörhead Shiraz, we explore how these strange products came about, the thinking behind them, and the resulting sales results. Hey, even the U.S. Marines have their own cologne.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 2, 2015.
Download S4E01 (Archive) - Strange Brands
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:47]
S8E21 - Brand Envy 2019
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 marketing. From a record store with a sense of humour to a cartoon with virtually no dialogue, this year's list gives me a mean case of Brand Envy.
Download S8E21 - Brand Envy 2019
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:14]
S8E20 - To Bleep Or Not To Bleep: Vulgar Trademarks
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 small, feisty companies looking for attention anymore, but by some of the largest advertisers in the world. Is it obscene, or is it free speech? These days, I swear it's hard to tell.
Download S8E20 - To Bleep Or Not To Bleep: Vulgar Trademarks
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:13]
S4E05 (Archive) - Selling The Moon, Part II
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 strikes and the Apollo project is put on hold for more than a year. But when the improved Apollo program returns, the race to the moon accelerates - as does the remarkable marketing that surrounds it. NASA continues to sell the moon landing as a technological marvel that will benefit Americans, advertisers jump on the bandwagon, television networks brace for the big landing, and Neil Armstrong finally delivers on JFK's promise.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 30, 2015.
Download S4E05 (Archive) - Selling The Moon, Part II
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:04]
S4E04 (Archive) - Selling The Moon, Part I
From the Digital Box Set: 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 see how the Russians got to space first, prompting President John F. Kennedy to promise a moon landing - not only as a way to win the space race - but to improve his public relations after the Bay of Pigs fiasco. The journey to the moon will be one of the most expensive endeavours in history, and NASA needed to constantly market the program to keep Americans interested, and Congress signing the cheques. Part One is all about putting the moon shot in motion. In Part Two, we'll pick up the story with the Apollo program, the tragedies and achievements that push the space program closer to the moon, and the way NASA never took its foot off the marketing/PR pedal until Armstrong climbed down that historic ladder.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 24, 2015.
Download S4E04 (Archive) - Selling The Moon, Part I
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:25]
S4E03 (Archive) - Selling Ugly
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 is butt-ugly. Some ugly products need a lot of clever marketing to succeed, while no amount of marketing can save other hideous brands. Then, every once in a while, some ugly products become runaway hits. In this episode, we tell the story of how a big grocery store figured out a way to sell deformed vegetables, how ugly footwear continues to attract millions of customers, how ugly toys created an empire and how the car industry has had mixed success selling some of the ugliest cars in history. No doubt about it, ugly can be pretty fascinating.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 16, 2015.
Download S4E03 (Archive) - Selling Ugly
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:55]
S4E02 (Archive) - Controversy Advertising
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 through the clutter. It's a risky strategy, as controversy always courts trouble. We look at how Kmart used controversy to blow the dust off its staid image, how Kimberly-Clark used an eyebrow-raising idea to sell a discrete product and we tell the story of how one advertiser tried to sue his advertising agency for generating the wrong kind of controversy during the Super Bowl.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 9, 2015.
Download S4E02 (Archive) - Controversy Advertising
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:07]
S8E19 - Selling The Dream: Real Estate Advertising (An Encore Presentation)
This week - in an encore broadcast - 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 breed of salespeople. We'll tell the story of how the word "Realtor" was reluctantly blessed by Merriam-Webster, why so many real estate agents use photos of themselves as a marketing tactic and what happens when the real estate business tries enticing buyers using humour. It's a form of marketing that touches all of us and it usually involves the biggest purchase of our lives.
Download S8E19 - Selling The Dream: Real Estate Advertising (An Encore Presentation)
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:54]
S3E25 (Archive) - Dear Terry 2014
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 in, and this year, the questions are better than ever. We'll trace the history of how Kool-Aid/Lemonade stands came to be, discuss why #1 brands still feel compelled to advertise, explore why Cadillac owners don't like vanilla ice-cream, why advertisers love using babies and small critters in their ads, what the rules are when it comes to the amount of advertising allowed every hour - and more. It's a fun Q&A; - hope you'll join us.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 21, 2014.
Download S3E25 (Archive) - Dear Terry 2014
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:47]
S8E18 - Under The Influence of My Influences
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, hilarious actors I worked with and seeing the corner of a billboard flapping in the wind. It's a little lesson in who's had me under the influence.
*This podcast includes previously unaired bonus content. You're welcome.
Download S8E18 - Under The Influence of My Influences
[mp3 file: runs 00:36:09]
S3E20 (Archive) - Selling Death
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 that truly specializes in it - the funeral industry. From QR codes on headstones, to live cams on caskets, to fish reefs made from your ashes, funeral homes are starting to market brand new services to attract customers. We'll also look at the recent popularity of death as entertainment - with the record-breaking audiences for The Walking Dead and a certain reality show called "Best Funeral Ever."
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 16, 2014.
Download S3E20 (Archive) - Selling Death
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:42]
S3E21 (Archive) - 21st Century Brands
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 values greater than 100 year-old companies, six-year old gadgets that rule our lives, and brand new product categories that demand unprecedented marketing strategies - all of which creates a list of 20th century products that are quietly disappearing. It's eye-opening when you take stock.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 23, 2014.
Download S3E21 (Archive) - 21st Century Brands
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:28]
S3E23 (Archive) - Satisfaction Guaranteed
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 policy. We'll look at one of the companies that pioneered the 100% lifetime guarantee, a company that abandoned 100% lifetimes guarantees after 75 years and we'll talk about the extreme risks these kind of guarantees pose, and the even greater rewards these companies enjoy.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 6, 2014.
Download S3E23 (Archive) - Satisfaction Guaranteed
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:29]
S3E24 (Archive) - When Brands Mock Other Brands
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 make a point - and mocking a rival always fuels retaliation. We'll talk about how Miller High Life mocked Anheuser-Busch during the Super Bowl, how Jaguar mocked Mercedes, how Samsung mocked Apple, how Apple mocked Samsung, and how Apple kind of perfected mocking when it set its sights on Microsoft.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 13, 2014.
Download S3E24 (Archive) - When Brands Mock Other Brands
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:28]
S8E17 - Best Product In A Leading Role: Celebrity CEOs
This week, we look at celebrities with their very own brands. From a small town general store owned by a comedian to a cosmetics empire started by an 18-year-old to a winery that was funded by the Godfather movies - a few of them are even billion-dollar enterprises.
Download S8E17 - Best Product In A Leading Role: Celebrity CEOs
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:10]
S3E15 (Archive) - Terry's Bookshelf
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 opportunity every year to talk about the research books we've read, and tell additional stories from those books. In this year's show, we'll talk about how Bobby Orr met Gordie Howe's elbow, how the Romans turned their weakness in sea battles into a strength, how baggage inspectors at El-Al Airlines put their lives on the line, and how the rock band Kiss did something so wonderful for their fans that it ended up putting Kiss on the map.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 11, 2014.
Download S3E15 (Archive) - Terry's Bookshelf
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:41]
S3E16 (Archive) - Brand Envy 2014
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 our lives for so long. With that in mind, he'll celebrate a certain mac & cheese that has been with us since 1937, a TV show that broke ground in 1969, a condiment that has been #1 for over 100 years and the most successful movie franchise of all time.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 19, 2014.
Download S3E16 (Archive) - Brand Envy 2014
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:44]
S3E17 (Archive) - Nudge: The Persuasive Power of Whispers
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 gently steer people toward making more positive decisions in their lives. Those nudges included sending people a handwritten note when they are behind on their taxes because a handwritten note gets their attention, or putting the image of a housefly in urinals so men had something to aim at, thereby eliminating overspray by 80%. Or the simple act of getting high school kids to fill out a college application before they graduated that changed the course of their lives. Nudges are small, almost invisible and often controversial. It's a fascinating new aspect of influence.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 25, 2014.
Download S3E17 (Archive) - Nudge: The Persuasive Power of Whispers
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:38]
S3E19 (Archive) - When Founders Are The Face of The Company
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 the founder - but while they may be the heart and soul of a company, should they be the face? We'll explore what happened to Kentucky Fried Chicken after the Colonel died, how Dave Thomas built Wendy's to be the #3 burger company, how Martha Stewart's company coped when their founder went to jail and the curious story of how Men's Wearhouse fired their own founder - after he had been the face of the company for over 30 years.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 5, 2014.
Download S3E19 (Archive) - When Founders Are The Face of The Company
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:14]
S8E16 - Red Sheep: The Power of Word-Of-Mouth Advertising
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 word-of-mouth chatter. It's the oldest form of advertising, but it's the most effective by far.
Download S8E16 - Red Sheep: The Power of Word-Of-Mouth Advertising
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:49]
S3E10 (Archive) - Viral Videos
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 rules, fuelled by luck and timing. We'll look at the most-viewed videos ever, including a video a woman made when she quit her job that attracted almost 10 million views, the Evian bottled water video that went into the Guinness Book of World Records and a Dove video that broke the Evian world record. These days, marketers can't necessarily spend their way to consumer attention, they have to earn it. And Viral Videos can be just the ticket.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 3, 2014.
Download S3E10 (Archive) - Viral Videos
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:58]
S3E11 (Archive) - Advertising Alumni
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 popular culture cut their teeth in the world of marketing. From Dr. Seuss, Salman Rushdie and Bob Newhart, to Sir Alec Guinness - yes, Obi-Wan Kenobi himself - they all spent their formative years writing copy. Each learned some valuable skills on their way to the top. And their stories are remarkable.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 14, 2014.
Download S3E11 (Archive) - Advertising Alumni
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:50]
S3E12 (Archive) - Sunny With a Chance of Mousetraps: How Weather Affects Marketing
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 Automotive knows that 5-year old car batteries die after three consecutive days of sub-zero temperatures, so they advertise on day four. The busiest day of the week at Harley-Davidson dealerships is exactly 22°C and sunny. When spring temperatures hit 21°C, hair removal products surge 1400%, and BBQ sales jump 200%. And did you know that when the temperature drops just one degree in the Fall - just one degree - mousetrap sales surge 25%? Marketers do. And while they can't manage weather, marketers can certainly now manage the financial implications of weather. It's a whole new day.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 21, 2014.
Download S3E12 (Archive) - Sunny With a Chance of Mousetraps: How Weather Affects Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:03]
S3E14 (Archive) - Elevator Pitches
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 Twitter. The true test of an idea is whether or not it can be explained in just a few words. An elevator pitch forces that discipline - if an idea can be explained in the time it takes an elevator to go from the first floor to the second floor, it's probably a solid idea. And if it can't be - it probably means the advertising idea is fuzzy. We'll explore the art of the elevator pitch in business, in publishing and in the land of the quick pitch - Hollywood.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 4, 2014.
Download S3E14 (Archive) - Elevator Pitches
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:16]
S8E15 - Little Big Towns: Roadside Attractions As Marketing
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 built a giant animal statue to get highway drivers to take a detour and another that built a monument to attract both human and non-human visitors.
Download S8E15 - Little Big Towns: Roadside Attractions As Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:52]
S3E04 (Archive) - Marketing Rock 'n' Roll - Part I
From the Digital Box Set: In part one of a two-part series, we'll trace the Marketing of Rock all the way back to its origins with Elvis Presley and his wily manager Colonel Tom Parker. We'll tell the story of how the Beatles lost millions by not following Elvis's blueprint, and how the Rolling Stones borrowed a page right out of the books of Madison Avenue to compete against the Fab Four. Plus, what show on marketing rock and roll would be complete without mentioning the biggest marketing machine in the history of rock and roll - KISS. Part Two will begin with the emergence of MTV. It's a fascinating and interesting journey.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 24, 2014.
Download S3E04 (Archive) - Marketing Rock 'n' Roll - Part I
[mp3 file: runs 00:25:29]
S3E05 (Archive) - Marketing Rock 'n' Roll - Part II
From the Digital Box Set: This week, it's Part Two of "Marketing Rock 'n' Roll." As the 1980s unfold, technology changes rock 'n' roll marketing forever with the arrival of MTV. The launch of MTV is one of the great marketing stories of all time, and it almost went under before it began - but was saved by Mick Jagger and a one dollar bill. We'll analyze how MTV changed the music business and how Michael Jackson's video Thriller changed MTV. We'll also talk about how the Internet revolutionized the marketing of rock and roll forever. From iTunes to YouTube to the invention of Apps - suddenly technology was the newest rock star.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 31, 2014.
Download S3E05 (Archive) - Marketing Rock 'n' Roll - Part II
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:05]
S3E07 (Archive) - Ambush Marketing
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 ambushes the festivities. Or one brand intrudes on another brand's advertising to gain attention. Either way, it's uninvited advertising, it's very controversial - plus the stories are riveting. And the Olympics has a long and fascinating history with ambush marketing.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 14, 2014.
Download S3E07 (Archive) - Ambush Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:06]
S3E09 (Archive) - Have It Your Way: How Mass Customization Is Changing Marketing
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 customization to fight competitors. Including how Burger King stole market share from McDonald's by letting customers personalize their burgers. Their slogan: "Have it your way!"
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 28, 2014.
Download S3E09 (Archive) - Have It Your Way: How Mass Customization Is Changing Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:42]
S8E14 - Disgustingly Effective: The Marketing of Bodily Functions
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 never could. But they all have one thing in common: they're disgustingly lucrative.
Download S8E14 - Disgustingly Effective: The Marketing of Bodily Functions
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:16]
S3E01 (Archive) - Looking Out For Number One
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 best-selling brands and analyze why they are #1. The best-selling car in Canada has been on top for 15 years. Know what it is? Bet you can't guess the #1 pharmaceutical drug in Canada - it's completely different from the top one in the U.S. Most re-tweeted Tweet of all time? Number one in-home coffee brand? Hint: It's not Tim Hortons. Some brands are on top because they solve our problems, some win through sheer media weight and others are reflections of our deepest desires.
This is an encore episode that aired originally on January 3, 2014.
Download S3E01 (Archive) - Looking Out For Number One
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:28]
S3E02 (Archive) - The Psychology of Price
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 design menus to steer you toward the most profitable dishes and how retail stores use psychology to persuade you to spend more. We'll also explore the psychological power of the number "9" - how we're drawn to prices that end in "99 cents." And how we're willing to pay more for products that end in the number 9! Pricing has a lot more to do with psychology than straight math. It's all about marketing and it's an eye-opening story.
This is an encore episode that aired originally on January 10, 2014.
Download S3E02 (Archive) - The Psychology of Price
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:22]
S3E03 (Archive) - Cause Marketing
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 For-Profit partner makes a profit while helping. It's a contentious strategy - as most people don't like to hear the word "profit" in the same breath as "charity." But this new marketing strategy depends on profit to survive. We'll tell the story of how Cause Marketing began in the 1980s, how Bono's RED organization learned a hard lesson about cause marketing and how several big corporations teamed up with worthy causes to make the world a better place. While making their balance sheets better at the same time.
This is an encore episode that aired originally on January 18, 2014.
Download S3E03 (Archive) - Cause Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:20]
S3E06 (Archive) - Marketing The Olympics
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 marketing milestones to the resulting controversies - including the year the IOC approved Olympic cigarettes! We'll also analyze how the IOC deals with the tension between keeping the Olympic ideals in place while needing more and more advertising revenue every four years. It's a fascinating journey.
This is an encore episode that aired originally on February 7, 2014.
Download S3E06 (Archive) - Marketing The Olympics
[mp3 file: runs 00:29:28]
S8E13 - Promise Less, Profit More (An Encore Presentation)
This week, it's an encore broadcast of Promise Less, Profit More. 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 look at a book company that eliminated their books and made millions, an electronics company that broke all the rules by eliminating the recording function from a tape machine and made history, and how two companies looked at a shoe and made millions by throwing away the laces.
Download S8E13 - Promise Less, Profit More (An Encore Presentation)
[mp3 file: runs 00:29:05]
S8E12 - Objection Overruled: Law Firm Advertising
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 lawyer advertising laws that get some firms in trouble, we'll look at the controversial billboard that got one lawyer death threats and the YouTube campaign that went viral - earning a divorce firm over 90M impressions.
Download S8E12 - Objection Overruled: Law Firm Advertising
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:17]
S8E11 - Air Quality: Rule-Breaking Radio Advertising
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 altered to send a powerful message about abuse, why Romanian radio stations switched over to mono to save lives and why some journalists are using music as a censorship loophole. Join us as we assess the current air quality.
Download S8E11 - Air Quality: Rule-Breaking Radio Advertising
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:21]
S8E10 - Distress Purchases
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 psychology marketers employ to steer you toward those purchases is fascinating.
Download S8E10 - Distress Purchases
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:25]
S2E24 (Archive) - This I Know
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 career. From the fact that small brands need big personalities, to the reason committees aren't creative, to the truism that all marketing is theatre, to six tips for presenting ideas that have never proven me wrong, to a secret my car mechanic taught me about presenting invoices to nervous clients, it's a collection of insights and learning. This I know: All knowledge should be shared.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 15, 2013.
Download S2E24 (Archive) - This I Know
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:16]
S2E25 (Archive) - Dear Terry
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 print in TV commercials, the impact of DVRs on advertising, why politicians don't use jingles, why advertisers use teaser ads, why the same actors keep showing up in the same commercials, why it seems like lawyers write the copy in so many ads, and why some ads are just so dumb.
It will be a buffet of Q&A.; Hope you'll join us for our last episode of Season Two.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 22, 2013.
Download S2E25 (Archive) - Dear Terry
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:10]
S8E09 - Unwitting Endorsers
This week, we explore the world of Unwitting Endorsers. Sometimes a celebrity is featured in an advertising campaign without his or her knowledge or permission. There's no denying the pull of celebrity, but a brand is a legal property. And if you trespass, you risk trouble.
Download S8E09 - Unwitting Endorsers
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:12]
S2E19 (Archive) - Nothing In Common: How Hollywood Portrays Ad People
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 eyes at the way Hollywood depicts them - and ad people are no exception. From the 1947 movie The Hucksters, to the Rock Hudson/Doris Day film Love Come Back, to Darrin Stephens in Bewitched, to Dudley Moore in Crazy People, to the Tom Hanks movie Nothing In Common, all the way to Mad Men. We'll rate them all, and see where they got it right and where they got it very, very wrong. Join us for a fun and funny journey through the decades.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 11, 2013.
Download S2E19 (Archive) - Nothing In Common: How Hollywood Portrays Ad People
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:55]
S2E20 (Archive) - Real Time Advertising
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 in minutes. From answering questions live on YouTube to the immediate messages brands put out during the blackout at this year's Super Bowl to instant marketing during snowstorms and hurricanes, it demonstrates how far advertising has come. It's no longer a game of inches, it's a game of seconds.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 18, 2013.
Download S2E20 (Archive) - Real Time Advertising
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:33]
S2E21 (Archive) - Nobody's Dead Anymore: Marketing Deceased Celebrities
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 trace the use of dead celebrities in advertising, we'll analyze "Dead Q Scores," we'll list the top-grossing dead celebrities, and we'll tell some amazing stories about ads that featured Audrey Hepburn, Michael Jackson, Fred Astaire and Marilyn Monroe - and how their families felt about those commercials It's a brave new world, now that nobody's dead anymore.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 25, 2013.
Download S2E21 (Archive) - Nobody's Dead Anymore: Marketing Deceased Celebrities
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:31]
S8E08 - Putting The Woo In Hollywood: Marketing The Movies
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 just breaking records, they're breaking all the rules.
Download S8E08 - Putting The Woo In Hollywood: Marketing The Movies
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:13]
S2E15 (Archive) - Game Shows As Marketing
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 shows are also powerful marketing vehicles. We'll trace their history from early radio to their debut on network television and explore their interesting evolution from quiz shows (and quiz show scandals) to the modern game show format. We'll also analyze how Let's Make A Deal and The Price is Right work with advertisers to sell thousands of products. And we'll tell a fascinating tale of how one contestant broke down the basic advertising formula of The Price Is Right to win big.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 13, 2013.
Download S2E15 (Archive) - Game Shows As Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:34]
S2E16 (Archive) - Loss Leaders: How Companies Profit By Losing Money
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 profitable product. We'll track the earliest loss leaders of shaving blades and Jell-O recipes, all the way up to today's printers, video games and even Kindles - all of which are loss leaders. You might be surprised to know how many loss leaders swirl all around you every day. Advertisers know what to give away in order to profit.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 20, 2013.
Download S2E16 (Archive) - Loss Leaders: How Companies Profit By Losing Money
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:03]
S2E17 (Archive) - Brand Envy 2013
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 brands. They could be a product, a service or even a person - but I envy them for a reason. Like a famous toy that was discovered when its inventor was installing a light fixture, a television network that leads the Emmy race every year, a knife that can be identified from 30 feet away and a person who has built an empire by breaking all the rules. All extraordinary brands, all I envy as a marketer.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 27, 2013.
Download S2E17 (Archive) - Brand Envy 2013
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:53]
S8E07 - The Most Interesting Adman in The World: The Story of Albert Lasker (An Encore Presentation)
This week, we travel back to Season 6 to 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 presidential elections. And he just happened to change the world of advertising in the process.
Download S8E07 - The Most Interesting Adman in The World: The Story of Albert Lasker (An Encore Presentation)
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:50]
S2E11 (Archive) - Tales of Customer Service
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 customer service that other corporations asked for lessons to a shoe company you can order a pizza from to a store that actually accepted a returned product they didn't even sell just to keep their customer happy - join us as we search for companies that go the extra inch.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 16, 2013.
Download S2E11 (Archive) - Tales of Customer Service
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:33]
S2E12 (Archive) - Selling Danger
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 to be incredibly unsafe. Even when those products were used exactly as advertised, they created enormous hazards, physical risk, and in some cases, even death. We'll explore how we invited asbestos and DDT into our homes as miracle products, how certain games for children ended up posing incredible risks, and how a much-heralded drug ended up being one of the most devastating products in modern history. In most of these cases, no one could foresee they were selling danger.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 23, 2013.
Download S2E12 (Archive) - Selling Danger
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:41]
S2E14 (Archive) - Famous Marketing Blunders
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 of changing their fabled formula, how a company actually went out of business by promising a product improvement, how a fashion house tweeted inappropriately and had an immediate PR disaster, and why a fast food company made a big mistake betting on the U.S. Olympic team. They're all great stories. Just be glad they didn't happen to you.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 6, 2013.
Download S2E14 (Archive) - Famous Marketing Blunders
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:25]
S8E06 - The Pompatus of Skippy: Brand Names In Songs
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 include some of your favourite songs.
Download S8E06 - The Pompatus of Skippy: Brand Names In Songs
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:30]
S2E08 (Archive) - Coming Soon: The Art of the Movie Trailer
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 convinced the public to watch the first-ever full-length animated movie, why 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 the story of why thousands of people bought tickets to a movie, watched a trailer, then got up and went home.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 23, 2013.
Download S2E08 (Archive) - Coming Soon: The Art of the Movie Trailer
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:17]
S2E09 (Archive) - Marketing Stunts
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 record-breaking jump from space, why a giant popsicle stunt melted before it even started, how unsuspecting travellers ended up running through a train station like James Bond, and how Richard Branson pulled off a stunt that drove British Airways crazy. Hope you join us for some eyebrow-raising stories.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 2, 2013.
Download S2E09 (Archive) - Marketing Stunts
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:46]
S2E10 (Archive) - Billion Dollar Brands
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 in the exclusive billion dollar club. We'll test your ability to guess which brands in your life are the billion-dollar ones. 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.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 9, 2013.
Download S2E10 (Archive) - Billion Dollar Brands
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:22]
S8E05 - Monastic Merchandise: Products Made By Monks
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 chants. Others brew their own beer. A few even deal in cannabis. But in almost all cases, the products sell well and sell fast. And the reasons why are fascinating.
Download S8E05 - Monastic Merchandise: Products Made By Monks
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:05]
S1E06 (Archive) - Big Chill Marketing
From the Digital Box Set: This week, we look at the use of hit songs in advertising. It started in a big way back in 1983, with the movie The Big Chill. A huge part of the movie's success was based on its soundtrack, which featured over 20 of the biggest hits from the '60s and '70s. When Madison Avenue saw just how much hit songs resonated with baby boomers, it opened the floodgates. To this day, hit songs have been one of the advertising industry's most influential tools - but it wasn't without some interesting bumps along the way.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 10, 2012.
Download S1E06 (Archive) - Big Chill Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:37]
S2E01 (Archive) - Shame: The Secret Tool of Marketing
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 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. Join us as we peel back the layers of shame in our modern world.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 5, 2013.
Download S2E01 (Archive) - Shame: The Secret Tool of Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:21]
S2E02 (Archive) - A Prize In Every Box: Box-Tops, Toys and Free Prizes
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 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.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 12, 2013.
Download S2E02 (Archive) - A Prize In Every Box: Box-Tops, Toys and Free Prizes
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:15]
S2E03 (Archive) - Timing Is Everything
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 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 insoles in the washrooms of nightclubs. And how Hellman's Mayonnaise used perfect timing to get 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. All true. All due to great timing.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 19, 2013.
Download S2E03 (Archive) - Timing Is Everything
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:03]
S2E04 (Archive) - Radio Is Dead: Long Live Radio
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 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.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 26, 2013.
Download S2E04 (Archive) - Radio Is Dead: Long Live Radio
[mp3 file: runs 00:25:31]
S2E05 (Archive) - Buy Less: How Some Companies Profit By Asking You to Spend Less
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 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.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 2, 2013.
Download S2E05 (Archive) - Buy Less: How Some Companies Profit By Asking You to Spend Less
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:06]
S8E04 - Vending Machines: Coin-Operated Marketing
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 smarter. The list of wacky items you can find in vending machines around the world may surprise you.
Download S8E04 - Vending Machines: Coin-Operated Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:28:15]
S1E19 (Archive) - Brand Envy 2012
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 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. This year, I tip my hat to a street that has come to symbolize glamour and success, a company that helps people move their lives in search of new beginnings, a city that became known as the mecca for country music, a company that created an empire out of leftovers, and an athlete who overcame a raging temper to become the most calm, revered champion in his sport.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 12, 2012.
Download S1E19 (Archive) - Brand Envy 2012
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:13]
S1E20 (Archive) - Sorry Seems To Be The Smartest Word: When Brands Apologize
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 apologize. Yet, it rarely happens. This week, we look at the companies that chose to apologize. From O.B. Tampons, who apologized to their customers with a song, to Domino's Pizza, who was forced to apologize when employees made an embarrassing YouTube video, to Maple Leaf Foods, whose CEO apologized to the families of people who had died from contaminated food. If an apology is genuine and timely, sorry is definitely the smartest word.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 19, 2012.
Download S1E20 (Archive) - Sorry Seems To Be The Smartest Word: When Brands Apologize
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:13]
S1E21 (Archive) - Books, Books, Books
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 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.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on May 26, 2012.
Download S1E21 (Archive) - Books, Books, Books
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:35]
S1E22 (Archive) - LGBTQ Advertising: Chasing The Pink Dollar
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 L.G.B.T.Q - or Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Queer - advertising. From the first gay characters on mainstream television in the 70's, 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 Universe Canada contestant, to the friction it all still causes today, the gay market is a fascinating study in diversity, courage, profit and respect.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 2, 2012.
Download S1E22 (Archive) - LGBTQ Advertising: Chasing The Pink Dollar
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:22]
S1E23 (Archive) - It's The Little Things
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 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.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 9, 2012.
Download S1E23 (Archive) - It's The Little Things
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:05]
S1E24 (Archive) - Striking Images: Matchbook Advertising
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, 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.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 16, 2012.
Download S1E24 (Archive) - Striking Images: Matchbook Advertising
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:29]
S1E25 (Archive) - Ask Terry 2012
From the Digital Box Set: 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 made? 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.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on June 23, 2012.
Download S1E25 (Archive) - Ask Terry 2012
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:16]
S8E03 - A Matter of Time: The History of Commercial Lengths
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 isn't the changing lengths of commercials that's so fascinating. It's the reasons why.
Download S8E03 - A Matter of Time: The History of Commercial Lengths
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:31]
S1E13 (Archive) - When Brands Houdini
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. Marketing has its own version of that trick - when big brands vanish into thin air. Like auto brands Oldsmobile and Pontiac, now both gone. Big retail brands like Woolworth's and Eaton's, both no more. And a big brokerage house, once the second largest in the United States, E.F. Hutton, now just a historical footnote. Each was an elephant in their respective categories, all now vanished.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 31, 2012.
Download S1E13 (Archive) - When Brands Houdini
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:33]
S1E14 (Archive) - Mascots
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 some of the most enduring advertising symbols of all time. As a matter of fact, mascots have outlived most other advertising campaigns. The Jolly Green Giant just turned 84, for example. But this episode is about the modern mascots of advertising. In many ways, they resemble the mascots of the past, each created to personify the essence of the product. But they contain differences, too, mostly in the great strides technology now offers. We'll look at the E-Trade talking baby mascot, the Coke Polar Bears, the Great A&W; Root Bear, and of course, the Energizer Bunny, who keeps on going and going and going?
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 7, 2012.
Download S1E14 (Archive) - Mascots
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:38]
S1E15 (Archive) - Charlie Bit My Ad: When Advertising Works Too Well
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 views. To say it over-performed would be an understatement. The same phenomenon occasionally occurs in the world of advertising - because sometimes ads work too well. In some instances, the ads work so well, it creates problems for the advertisers. Like Axe Deodorant, whose marketing to insecure men worked so well, it became known as the brand for geeks and dorks. Or retailer H&M;, who featured a poster of supermodel Heidi Klum wearing a bikini, and had their entire advertising campaign stolen the next day. Then there's Priceline.com, whose commercials starring William Shatner worked so well, they had to kill him off.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 14, 2012.
Download S1E15 (Archive) - Charlie Bit My Ad: When Advertising Works Too Well
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:11]
S1E16 (Archive) - Sex In Advertising
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 has always been a polarizing technique. We'll explore how Calvin Klein built an empire on sex, how Abercrombie & Fitch revived a dying brand with sex and we'll look at the fascinating story of a beer company that used sex to sell its product, then were sued by its own female employees.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 21, 2012.
Download S1E16 (Archive) - Sex In Advertising
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:33]
S1E17 (Archive) - Hypertargeting
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 online, as marketers watch their buying habits. Using that deep information, advertisers are "hyper-targeting" consumers with ads that are tailor-made for individuals. Featuring the products they want, when they want them, at a price based on their spending ability, at the precise moment they are about to make a choice. How much advertisers know about you is remarkable.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on April 28, 2012.
Download S1E17 (Archive) - Hypertargeting
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:18]
S1E18 (Archive) - Colour Schemes: How Colours Make You Buy
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 purchasing decisions than you may think. A colour can make you feel a certain way about a company, or it can trigger a specific desire. A simple change in colours can affect the sales of a product immediately, or a certain colour can make us seem more desirable to the opposite sex. Colours can encourage us to spend money - or even gamble. There is no doubt about it, colour is a secret language.
This is an archived episode that airs originally on May 5, 2012.
Download S1E18 (Archive) - Colour Schemes: How Colours Make You Buy
[mp3 file: runs 00:26:12]
S8E02 - Wacky Ad Spaces
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 sheep to foreheads and armpits, welcome to the world of wacky ad spaces.
Download S8E02 - Wacky Ad Spaces
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:48]
S8E01 - Jumping The Shark: Spokesperson Disasters
Welcome to the 2019 season of Under The Influence. In this first episode, 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 Eric Clapton, celebs attract a lot of attention. But so do their mishaps.
Download S8E01 - Jumping The Shark: Spokesperson Disasters
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:50]
S1E01 (Archive) - A New BRIC In The Wall
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, India and China. Unlike North American markets, which are wobbling, the middle classes of these four nations are experiencing explosive growth. As a result, they are creating innovative marketing tactics and strategies we've never seen before. BRIC countries are about to completely influence North American marketing as we know it.
This archived episode aired originally on January 7, 2012.
Download S1E01 (Archive) - A New BRIC In The Wall
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:39]
S1E02 (Archive) - Men Are From Sears, Women Are From Bloomingdale's
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 and the differences between the genders couldn't be more stark. Most men are tactical and mission-oriented, whereas the majority of women like to browse, compare and window-shop. Most men like to buy and leave, but women like to take their time. As a matter of fact, a recent study showed that women spend eight years of their lives shopping. Retailers have observed these differences for decades and the ways they have designed shopping environments around them to influence purchases is fascinating.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 14, 2012.
Download S1E02 (Archive) - Men Are From Sears, Women Are From Bloomingdale's
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:38]
S1E03 (Archive) - Voices of Influence
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 commercials are hardly recognizable, while other anonymous voices are sometimes twice as influential. The texture, the qualities, the inherent warmth or aloofness of a voice are just as important as the content the voice delivers.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 21, 2012.
Download S1E03 (Archive) - Voices of Influence
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:35]
S1E04 (Archive) - Great Brands That Never Advertise
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 multi-million, or multi-billion dollar company without relying on advertising. But several companies have done just that - and with enormous success.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on January 28, 2012.
Download S1E04 (Archive) - Great Brands That Never Advertise
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:30]
S1E05 (Archive) - Getting Personal in the Classified Ads
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 the classifieds tells us exactly what we were wearing, what we had lost, what we wanted to find, and how we courted. From "Lost and Found," to "Help Wanted," to the wild and wacky world of "Personal" ads, the classified section is an incredible chronicle of our existence.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 4, 2012.
Download S1E05 (Archive) - Getting Personal in the Classified Ads
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:38]
S1E07 (Archive) - The Marketing Genius of Steve Jobs, Part 1
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 co-founder Steve Wozniak said that marketing was Jobs' greatest skill. We'll unpack his boldness as a marketer and the success that launched Part Two, where we will look at his many marketing strategies from 1997 to his death in 2011.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 18, 2012.
Download S1E07 (Archive) - The Marketing Genius of Steve Jobs, Part 1
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:17]
S1E08 (Archive) - The Marketing Genius of Steve Jobs, Part 2
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 banished for 12 years and his bold choice to release advertising that suggested Apple was on the cusp of greatness, even though the world knew it was on the brink of disaster. But that bravado pays off as Jobs inspires his company and releases the iMac, iPod, iTunes and Apple retail stores all in the same year. Then Jobs hits his stride and releases not only the iTunes store but the iconic iPhone, and with it, some of the most effective advertising the industry has ever seen. His marketing instincts and his courage further propel Apple to even greater heights with the iPad. And even as he is diagnosed with cancer, he manages to build Apple into the second most valuable company in the world.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on February 25, 2012.
Download S1E08 (Archive) - The Marketing Genius of Steve Jobs, Part 2
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:27]
S1E09 (Archive) - Movie Marketing
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 million per movie to advertise. But trailers have changed dramatically over the years - and now many give away the entire story line. How much is enough? Do you tease with plot points or do you give away the ending to attract more moviegoers? Do audiences today now want to know the ending before seeing the movie? We'll look at several films that chose to give it all away in the trailers, and in particular, the movie "Castaway" - which had trouble generating an audience, until it gave away the ending in its advertising.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 3, 2012.
Download S1E09 (Archive) - Movie Marketing
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:35]
S1E10 (Archive) - Marketing In A Crisis
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 handling a disaster. How a company handles a crisis reveals everything about that organization, and no company is ever truly ready for the crisis that befalls them. We'll look at the famous Tylenol tampering case, the recent Carnival Cruise disaster, how New York City struggled to let the world know it was still open for business in the wake of 9/11, and how Mr. Alec Baldwin handled his mini-PR crisis when he was kicked off a plane for refusing to turn off his cell phone. Someone once said: "Never waste a crisis" - let's see if that philosophy holds true.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 10, 2012.
Download S1E10 (Archive) - Marketing In A Crisis
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:28]
S1E11 (Archive) - Accidental Brands
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 of research, or painstaking experiments, or scientific brilliance - they were simply stumbled upon by mistake. Like IMDB (the Internet Movie Data Base) that began as a simple list of pretty actresses compiled by a movie buff. Or Play-Doh, which started life as a wallpaper cleanser. Popsicles were invented when a flash freeze surprised the residents of San Francisco one night. A certain breakfast cereal was originally invented in a sanatorium to suppress sexual urges. And speaking of lust - Viagra was created for completely non-sexual reasons - then became a blockbuster wonder drug. Each is famous, their stories are fascinating and all are accidental brands.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 17, 2012.
Download S1E11 (Archive) - Accidental Brands
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:45]
S1E12 (Archive) - Handcuffed By Brand Image
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 Apple, which acted completely out of character when an iPhone prototype was found in a bar. Sometimes, a brand image can actually kill a brand - like Pets.com, which created an image it couldn't deliver on. Or the diet suppressant called Ayds, which found itself trapped inside a 40-year old brand image when AIDS the disease began its devastation. Or the Hummer, which found itself trapped in an era of gas-price and climate concerns. Then there's the Hans Brinker Budget Hotel in Amsterdam - worst hotel in the world, with the worst brand image - and they like it that way.
This is an archived episode that aired originally on March 24, 2012.
Download S1E12 (Archive) - Handcuffed By Brand Image
[mp3 file: runs 00:27:29]
Big News from Under The Influence
Hi, folks. We're very excited to announce the arrival of our Digital Box Set. For the first time ever, the entire Under The Influence archive of past episodes will be available for download right here free of charge. No more waiting, no more paywall. So if you missed any of our earlier seasons, here's your chance to catch up on any of the over 140 episodes. Beginning tomorrow, we're releasing Season One of our archives, with the other seasons to quickly follow.
Download the Under The Influence Digital Box Set right here - with the first season rolling out January 3rd. Hope you enjoy it.
Download Big News from Under The Influence
[mp3 file: runs 00:01:44]
Stay Connected with CBC Radio