May 2010 Archives

Tuesday May 25, 2010

Season 4: "Opportunism"

Airs on Radio One:
Saturday 29 May, 2010 10am
Monday 31 May, 2010 11:30am

Terry O'Reilly is fond of noting, "there's an opportunity hiding in everything." This week he explores the way advertisers seize opportunities. He'll explain why Nike chose to launch its latest Tiger Woods ad just as the golfer was drawing worldwide headlines during his return to the Masters; how a car brand turned a viral video into a marketing opportunity, and even how NASA manages to sneak a little brand building into the launching of its rockets.

Listen to this episode as streaming audio (runs 27:30)

In this episode you hear how the viral video campaign by Blendtec founder Tom Dickson found some highly topical fodder for his blender. He's known for blending stuff. Golf balls. Lightbulbs. A German-English dictionary. All to dramatically - and humorously - demonstrate the power of his blenders. Check out what he blended in this recent ad and the incredible reaction.

They got such intense reactions to this ad, that they launched the "Will It Blend? - Free iPad Giveaway." They are giving away either an iPad, or it's "ashes," to appeal to both the lovers and the haters of the iPad that they heard from.

Also on this week's episode, Terry's take on how Tiger Woods- and Nike- returned to public view after Mr. Wood's storied personal misadventures. Judging by your response to the piece Terry wrote for the Ottawa Citizen about it, and on our Age of Persuasion Facebook page, it's clear that a great many people are interested to hear that!

What do you think about opportunistic advertising like this?

Categories: Past Episodes

Tuesday May 18, 2010

Season 4: "Negative Advertising"

Airs on Radio One:
Saturday 22 May, 2010 10am
Monday 24 May, 2010 11:30am

Attack ads have become the staple of political campaigns. Now negative advertising is gaining in popularity throughout the ad business. But do negative ads work? This week, Terry O'Reilly explores the attraction- and danger- of ads that take shots at rivals. He shows how some great campaigns are negative without seeming negative. And he'll recall some notable negative campaigns that backfired.

Listen to this episode as streaming audio (runs 27:30)

On this week's show you hear some of the best examples of this kind of advertising. To whet your appetite, here are some ads Terry talks about on this week's show.

During the cola wars of the 1980's, the two big soft drinks brands played hardball, while the world watched. Coke pursued its traditional, blue skies, apple pie, feel-good demographic. Pepsi went after youth.
Here's an award-winning 1984 spot directed by Joe Pytka.

Same war, different campaign. Terry explains why this ad featuring MC Hammer was banned in Japan and what Pepsi had to change in the spot to have it air in the U.K.

What do you think of negative advertising?

Categories: Past Episodes

Thursday May 13, 2010

Season 4: "Slogans"

Airs on Radio One:
Saturday 15 May, 2010 10am
Monday 17 May, 2010 11:30am

Originally aired:
Saturday 6 February, 2010 10am
Monday 8 February 2010 11:30am

The word slogan- (which by the way, is a word ad people never, ever use) derives from the Gaelic "slaugh gairn", meaning "cry of the host," or "battle cry." Slogans were once an advertising staple- the brief, pithy line that embodies a brand and its promise- from "A Little Dab'll Do Ya" to "Trust your Car to the Man Who Wears the Star," to- dare we say- "Canada Lives Here." But nowadays, as Terry O'Reilly explains, the slogan is dying out, as major brands turn from words to sentiments, emotions and icons.

Listen to this episode as streaming audio (runs 27:30)

Categories: Past Episodes

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Thursday May 6, 2010

Season 4: "Persuasion Fail"

Airs on Radio One:
Saturday 8 May, 2010 10am
Monday 10 May 2010 11:30am

Originally aired:
Saturday 30 January, 2010 10am
Monday 1 February 2010 11:30am

Search the words "Commercial Fail" on YouTube, and you quickly learn that advertising mishaps are funny, bizarre, and prolific. This week, Terry O'Reilly takes a break from his customary celebration of great advertising, and offers a tour of some of the great train wrecks of his industry. From Burger King's disastrous "Where's Herb", to a lesser-known, and spectacularly unsuccessful margarine commercial featuring- yes- Eleanor Roosevelt.

Listen to this episode as streaming audio (runs 27:30)