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 agen...
Jan 11, 2015•28 min•Season 4Ep. 2
This week, we look 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 colog...
Jan 04, 2015•27 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Well, this is the final episode of Under The Influence for the 2014 season. As as we do every year, we turn this show over to our listeners. Terry answers all the marketing and advertising questions listeners have sent in, and this year, the questions are better than ever. Terry will trace the history of how Kool-Aid/Lemon-Aid stands came to be, he’ll give a first-hand report on how the very last swan-song Eaton’s campaign was developed, he’ll discuss why #1 brands still feel compelled to advert...
Jun 22, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 25
This week on Under The Influence, 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. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this sh...
Jun 15, 2014•27 min•Season 3Ep. 24
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 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.
Jun 08, 2014•27 min•Season 3Ep. 23
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. 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.
May 25, 2014•27 min•Season 3Ep. 21
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 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.
May 18, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 20
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 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....
May 11, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 19
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. 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.
Apr 27, 2014•27 min•Season 3Ep. 17
This week on Under The Influence, it's Terry O'Reilly'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. We know you want...
Apr 20, 2014•27 min•Season 3Ep. 16
This week we air 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 the...
Apr 13, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 15
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 or a website. 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...
Apr 06, 2014•27 min•Season 3Ep. 14
This week, we explore how the 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 sale...
Mar 23, 2014•27 min•Season 3Ep. 12
In this episode, we look at famous people who began their careers in advertising. Many of the people who have gone on to shape popular culture cut their teeth in the world of marketing. From Dr. Seus, 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. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-cha...
Mar 16, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 11
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, a Nivea viral video that might have gone too far, and ...
Mar 09, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 10
After a 100 years of Mass Production - where one size fit all - 21st century marketing is moving to Mass Customization - letting you custom-design everything you buy. From cars, to clothes, to shoes – to your own breakfast cereal. This week on Under The Influence, 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 K...
Mar 02, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This week, we look at Ambush Marketing. It's a form of marketing where a brand tried 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. We know you want to listen to all the ad...
Feb 16, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Just in time for the Sochi Olympics, we take the opportunity to 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 ev...
Feb 09, 2014•30 min•Season 3Ep. 6
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 organizat...
Jan 19, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 3
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 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....
Jan 12, 2014•27 min•Season 3Ep. 2
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. 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.
Jan 05, 2014•28 min•Season 3Ep. 1
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 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.
Jun 22, 2013•26 min•Season 2Ep. 25
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 small brands need big personalities, to thereason why 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 meabout presenting invoices to nervous clients, it's a collection of insights and learning. This I know: All knowledge should be s...
Jun 15, 2013•26 min•Season 2Ep. 24
It’s become a $2 billion dollar industry. And the marketing of dead celebrities not only attracts lots of big brands, but lots of controversy. 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. We know you want to listen to all the ads in...
May 25, 2013•27 min•Season 2Ep. 21
This episode explores the arrival of real-time advertising. Over the past 100 years, advertisers could never respond to an event or opportunity in minutes. But now with the Internet and social media, advertisers can. This clip talks about two of the most talked-about instances of Real-Time Advertising with Oreo Cookies and AMC Theatres. 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 inf...
May 18, 2013•28 min•Season 2Ep. 20
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. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-cha...
May 11, 2013•28 min•Season 2Ep. 19
This is 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...
Apr 27, 2013•28 min•Season 2Ep. 17
This is 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. We know ...
Apr 20, 2013•27 min•Season 2Ep. 16
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 the 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 ...
Apr 13, 2013•28 min•Season 2Ep. 15
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 went actually out of business by promising a product improvement, how a fashion house tweeted inappropriately and had an immediate PR disaster, and how a fast food company made a big mistake betting on the U.S. Olympic team. They are all great stories. Just be glad they didn’t happen to you. We know you want to listen to all the...
Apr 06, 2013•28 min•Season 2Ep. 14
