PODCAST · society
Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly
by Apostrophe Podcast Network
Under the Influence gives listeners a rare backstage pass into the hallways, boardrooms and recording studios of the ad industry.Join host and adman Terry O’Reilly for fascinating (and humorous) stories that connect the dots between pop culture, marketing and human nature. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
-
Houston, We Have Pizza: Advertising in Outer Space
In this episode, we shoot for the moon. Now that commercialized space travel has arrived, the world of marketing is setting its sights on the stars. We’ll talk about ads on rocket ships, ads on spacesuits, and television commercials filmed on the International Space Station. There are companies…
more -
Die Another Day: Reviving Old Commercials
From our archives, a favourite... Occasionally, an old advertising campaign is brought back from the dead. Even if it has been off the air for decades. In this episode, we’ll discuss a recurring Coke commercial that has been called the most popular ad of all time. A much-loved beer campaign that...
-
Bookmarks
Because Terry LOVES books, we do an annual Bookmarks episode. This one is from 2024. There’s never enough room to include all the great stories we find in our research books. So this episode is dedicated to all those stories that didn’t fit into our regular episodes. The theme is “bravery” - and...
-
The Gong Show: Ads That Could Never (Ever) Run Today
In this episode, we go back in advertising history and take a look at the ads and commercials that could never, ever, EVER run today. They are either so politically incorrect, so sexist, or so inappropriate, you won’t believe your ears. From doctors recommending cigarettes, to 7-Up advertising to...
-
How Jerry Goodis Made an Advertisement a Beautiful Thing
Jerry Goodis was one of the most colourful characters in the history of Canadian advertising. He founded a legendary advertising agency and created some of Canada’s longest-running ad campaigns. And while doing that, he attacked the ad industry for producing terrible ads. He was loved and hated…
more -
Putting the Awe in Audio
Taking a look at the most creative audio ideas from around the world. Including a podcast for runners that only works if you’re actually running, a police recruitment campaign that capitalized on the popularity of True Crime, and a very ambitious alternative audio track created to be played over...
-
Cars Are The Stars: Automobile Brands In Hollywood
Another favourite from our archives... Almost every movie and television show needs cars, and auto companies are happy to supply them – because it helps sell a lot of cars. We’ll look back at James Bond and Starsky & Hutch, and explore auto partnerships with movie franchises like Transformers and...
-
Ham on Wry: All About Sandwich Board Advertising
From the Under The Influence Archives, one of our favourites.... Take a walk down any busy main street, and you’ll probably see one of the oldest forms of advertising: The sandwich board. They have been around for over 200 years. Cities try and ban them. Storekeepers love them. They can make you...
-
Pants are on Fire: When Customers Lie to Marketers
From The Under The Influence Archives... Customers often lie to companies in surveys, polls and focus groups. Yet advertisers rely on that flawed and false feedback to market brands and create advertising campaigns. So what are advertisers to do? One solution is Google. What we type into the…
more -
Cheeky Advertising
A favourite episode from our Archives.... 80% of all advertising is ignored. That’s why some advertisers employ cheeky advertising. It’s usually bold – outrageous – and sometimes even rude – but always with a playful undertone. We’ll talk about a fruit company that printed an open letter to the...
-
Billionaire Tourism for the Super Wealthy
An encore episode from the Under The Influence Archives. A very interesting favourite. Most tourism marketing aims at the largest audience possible. This week, we look at a sub-category aimed at the smallest audience possible: Billionaire Tourism. The super wealthy get bored easily. That means...
-
When You're This Big, They Call You Mister
From the Under The Influence Archives. One of our favourites. There are some time-honored honorifics in the world of marketing. “Honorifics” are titles like Mr., Mrs., Doctor, Captain or Colonel. Like Colonel Sanders, Dr. Scholl’s, Mr. Clean and Mrs. Butterworth’s. They’re usually leaders in…
more -
Seeing Is Believing: The Power of Demonstration Commercials - Part Two
An encore episode of Under The Influence.... one of our favourites. Last week, we talked about the best historic demonstration commercials of all time. This week, we feature some of the most recent. Like an air freshener commercial that tricked blindfolded people into thinking a filthy toilet...
-
Seeing Is Believing: The Power of Demonstration Commercials
An encore episode of Under The Influence.... one of our favourites. This week, I ask a dozen of the top creative directors in the advertising business to tell me the best “demonstration commercials” they have ever seen. Because there is nothing more powerful than a dramatic product demonstration....
-
Ask Terry 2026
This week, we open the show up to our listeners, and answer your very interesting questions. Ever wonder why gas station prices always include decimal points? Well, we’ll tell you why. We’ll listen to some memorable commercials starring kids, and play “Where are they now.” And we’ll talk about a...
-
Creativity is the Most Powerful Business Tool: Canadian Marketing Awards 2026
This week, we look at the level of advertising creativity north of the border. We’ll talk about a campaign that used real “sleep talking” to sell mattresses. We’ll explore a remarkable idea that transformed the annual migration of penguins into a protest march. And we’ll look at a campaign that...
-
Flexi Discs
This week, we look at a humble marketing tool. The Flexi Disc. These razor-thin, flexible vinyl records had poor sound quality, but they helped sell cars, hit songs, chewing gum, soap operas and even Beatle records. And in one case, a family won a million dollars with a flexi, and it nearly...
-
Joe Sedelmaier Tribute
This week, we pay tribute to one of the greatest commercial directors in the ad business. You may not know the late Joe Sedelmaier by name, but you certainly know his work. He directed the famous “Fast Talking Man” ad for FedEx and a landmark commercial for Wendy’s that contained the line…
more -
Newsjacking
This encore episode of Under The Influence is one of our favourites of 2026. Lately, companies have been hijacking breaking news stories to create ads. When thieves broke into the Louvre with a ladder, the ladder company quickly produced a tongue-in-cheek ad. When the Oscars read the wrong Best...
-
Bookmarks 2026
This week, it’s our annual Bookmarks episode. We read a lot of books to research this show. And this episode is dedicated to the great stories that didn’t fit into our regular season. We’ll talk about the importance of numbers in marketing, and a hilarious tale about expense reports. And we’ll…
more -
Terry Guests on "White Coat, Black Art" with Dr. Brian Goldman
We're dropping an interview I recently did with Dr. Brian Goldman, host of White Coat, Black Art, an excellent CBC radio show and podcast into our feed. We're chatting about hospital advertising. And because they rely on fundraising, we discuss how effective hospital advertising is. We thought…
more -
Debut Commercials - Part Two
It’s part two of our episode that revisits the very first commercials ever produced for famous products. From the very first commercial for something called the Big Mac, to the first TV ad for a new doll called Barbie, we take a trip back in time. Including the very first commercials starring a...
-
Debut Commercials
This week, we take a look at marketing firsts. Specifically, the very first commercials ever produced for famous products and companies. From the debut of the Jolly Green Giant, to the first AIDS PSAs, to the very first pharmaceutical ad, all the way to the first iPhone commercial, we say hello…
more -
Monumental Advertisements: Branded Buildings
This week, we talk about spectacular landmarks built by visionary entrepreneurs. These magnificent buildings stand in Toronto, New York and Chicago. They are all very different in design, built in different eras, but they share one thing in common. They are all named after famous brands. And it’s...
-
Brand Envy (2026)
This week, it’s our annual Brand Envy episode, where I tip my hat to great ideas that have lasted for years. We’ll talk about a very funny character who has made the world laugh without uttering a single word. An idea that was born on the side of highways. And we’ll talk about a movie that has…
more -
Rue McClanahan: Every Kick's A Boost
This week, we're dropping an episode from our sister podcast, "We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast". In this podcast series, we talk about the mountain of rejections famous and successful people had to overcome and how they did it. In this episode, we talk about the golden piece of...
-
Selling Violence: Marketing Combat Sports
This week, we look at the marketing of violent sports. Starting with a man named Tex Rickard, who wrote the playbook on fight promotion back in the 1920s. We’ll analyze how WWE pro wrestling took a page from Rickard to create spectacles. And we look at the phenomenon that is the UFC – and how…
more -
Unhinged Advertising: The Power of the Absurd
This week, we look at weird, unhinged advertising. Like the “PuppyMonkeyBaby” Super Bowl commercial. The sad Skittles commercial where everything a man touches turns to Skittles. A leather diaper you can wear to heavy metal concerts so you won’t miss any songs. And a pizza that takes a year and a...
-
Nobody's Ugly on Radio: The Superpower of Audio
This week, we listen to the most creative use of sound and voice. Like the mattress company that gave people discounts based on how loud they snored. We’ll explore a radio campaign that says ugly is a superpower. And we’ll play a vinyl record that was left out in the sun that warns people about…
more -
It's a Floor Wax and a Dessert Topping: Unintended Product Uses
There are many products in the world that have “unintended uses.” Originally designed for one purpose, the general public has discovered alternate uses for these items. From Windex to baking soda to Ozempic, the makers of these products had no idea they would be used for so many unimagined tasks....
-
Sweaty Billboards: Marketing The Movies
With the Oscars around the corner, we take a look at creative movie marketing. We’ll talk about miniature billboards that promoted Ant-Man. A billboard that actually sweated to promote an action film. And we’ll discuss a movie that was saved by a Beatle – then got banned, and was a box office...
-
Small Wonders: Tiny Inventions. Big Impact.
This week, we tip our hat to the tiny, small innovations that make our lives better. Like the tiny arrow on your fuel gauge. And the bread clip. And the miniscule treadwear indicators on your car tires. In every case, the inventor saw something nobody else saw, and their miniature ideas went down...
-
Car Cuisine: Car Companies in the Food Business
This week, we look at the link between food and cars. Did you know that Volkswagen makes sausages. And Rolls-Royce makes honey. Did you know cars have even been named after foods and beverages – like the Mitsubishi Pistachio and the Suzuki Cappuccino. It’s true – and it’s tasty marketing. We know...
-
From Tiffany’s to Donkeys: Catalogues Rise Again
This week, we look at the staying power of Catalogues. They’ve been around since the mid 1800s, and they helped build the country. We’ll talk about how catalogues let retailers reach people in far-flung towns and villages. How catalogues finally allowed rural folks to have access to the same…
more -
Happy World Radio Day. Revisiting "Air Quotes: Creative Radio"
In celebration of World Radio Day, we look back on some of the most creative radio advertising from around the world. It’s the toughest medium to write for – but it’s also the most creatively freeing. We’ll hear commercials for a hair removal product, a fast-food series created for these…
more -
Terry Ranks The Super Bowl 60 Ads
Super Bowl 60 had an interesting mix of commercials - from humorous to emotional to plain weird. Terry ranks his favs and compares his list to audience favs. 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...
-
Jingles: Rhythmic Instruction Manuals
This week, we look at a sub-category of jingles. Most successful jingles are catchy little earworms. But these particular little ditties use lyrics to tell you how to use the product, or how to play the advertised game. They’re not just catchy… they’re rhythmic instruction manuals. We know you…
more -
Interview with Genny Schorr, Punk Pioneer and Wardrobe Stylist To Rock Stars
Inspired by the Beatles, Genny Schorr was a member of one of the first female punk bands in LA. She co-owned a vintage fashion store frequented by rock stars, and was wardrobe stylist for the Bangles, Tom Petty, and Linda Ronstadt. Her spouse is Kosh, who was the creative director of Apple…
more -
Rage Marketing: Monetizing The Fury
This week, we look at “Rage Marketing.” Where a company or organization intentionally provokes the public to get angry. And hopefully spend money. We’ll look at the American Eagle/Sydney Sweeney controversy. We’ll talk about an actress who faked her own death to make a point. And how Connecticut...
-
Clapback Advertising: The Art of the Response Ad
This week, we look at “Clapback Ads.” A clapback ad is a response or retaliation to another commercial. We’ll talk about a Canadian province that took offence to a Vrbo ad. A youth orchestra who retaliated against a big car commercial. And a tech company CEO who got caught having an affair –…
more -
Fakevertising
The world of marketing has discovered there’s money to be made in creating fake ads. But, they’re not trying to fool you - they’re trying to entertain you. Companies are creating fake ads and fake stores and even fake mistakes - on purpose - in order to gain your attention. The trick is to appear...
-
Lend us your ears – we have some exciting news
You asked, we listened. For the first time ever, both Android and Apple users can now get access to our exclusive subscriber-only bonus option. And we’re offering more exclusive content than ever to our subscribers. Introducing Apostrophe All Ears. You get: ad-free listening (tisk tisk), early...
-
Newsjacking
Lately companies have been hijacking breaking news stories to create ads. When thieves broke into the Louvre with a ladder, the ladder company quickly produced a tongue-in-cheek ad. When the Oscars read the wrong Best Picture winner, an optometry chain made fun of the mix-up. It’s called...
-
Putting The Awe in Audio
This week, we look at the most creative audio ideas from around the world. Including a podcast for runners that only works if you’re actually running, a police recruitment campaign that capitalized on the popularity of True Crime, and a very ambitious alternative audio track created to be played...
-
The Marketing of Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version)
This week, we analyze the remarkable marketing skills of one of the top music artists in the world - Taylor Swift. She has challenged the status quo at every turn - she regained ownership of her master recordings. She convinced Apple and Spotify to pay artists in a more equitable way. She defied...
-
Cannabis Marketing
This week, we go one toke over the line and look at the emerging world of cannabis marketing. We start with the question - just how does a plant become illegal? We'll explore the history of cannabis. We'll talk about which celebrities have their own brands (Hello Willie Nelson!) Which high-end...
-
Disappearing Acts: When Popular Brands Are Discontinued
This week, we look at a strange phenomenon happening in Canada. Well-established brands are suddenly leaving the country. Kleenex is leaving after nearly 100 years. Skippy Peanut Butter has skipped the country after nearly 90 years. And KFC actually held a funeral for their terrible-tasting…
more -
Double Fantasy Guitarist Earl Slick Talks About Lennon
December 8th is the 45th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. In this very revealing interview, I talk with Earl Slick, guitarist on Double Fantasy. Earl talks about recording John’s final album, Lennon’s sense of humour, and how Earl found out about John’s murder. We know you want to listen to…
more -
Copycat Brands
This week, we look at copycat brands. Even though they walk a razor’s edge legally, copycat brands seem to pop up all over the world. You may like Walmart here, but there’s a Wumart in China. You may like North Face apparel, but did you know there was a South Butt brand? And, we’ll tell the story...
-
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Surprising Influence of Marketing
So many things in our world are influenced by marketing. This week, we look at various aspects of our lives influenced by marketing. – but you wouldn’t know it. It’s marketing hiding in plain sight. Like the concept of jaywalking – born of marketing. How marketing created the 10,000-steps-a-day...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Under the Influence gives listeners a rare backstage pass into the hallways, boardrooms and recording studios of the ad industry.Join host and adman Terry O’Reilly for fascinating (and humorous) stories that connect the dots between pop culture, marketing and human nature.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Apostrophe Podcast Network
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly have?
Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly currently has 438 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly about?
Under the Influence gives listeners a rare backstage pass into the hallways, boardrooms and recording studios of the ad industry.Join host and adman Terry O’Reilly for fascinating (and humorous) stories that connect the dots between pop culture, marketing and human nature. Hosted on Acast. See...
How often does Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly release new episodes?
Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly publishes regularly with 438 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly?
You can listen to Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly?
Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly is created and hosted by Apostrophe Podcast Network.
URL copied to clipboard!