Under The Influencewith Terry O'Reilly
Latest
The unexpected way Nixon's ban on cigarette ads changed TV forever
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.
How Audi used Wi-Fi to outsmart BMW
As the world of marketing gets more and more cluttered every day, it’s forcing advertisers to get creative. And Audi rose to the challenge.
Big News from Under The Influence: The Arrival of the Digital Box Set
We're excited to announce that our Digital Box Set is here. For the first time ever, the entire Under The Influence archive of past episodes will be available for podcast download free of charge. No more waiting, no more paywalls.
The day a beer brand found out its celebrity spokesperson was in rehab
In the world of advertising, landing a celebrity is a big deal. But celebrities attract a lot of attention. And so do their mishaps.
Celebs you didn't know started out in the ad biz
From Dr. Seuss to Obi-Wan Kenobi, the list may surprise you...
The Nivea prank that had airplane passengers sweating
How Nivea pranked travelers, Evian made babies dance and other viral brand videos.
How some grocery store mirrors nudge you toward healthier choices
Why Texas grocery stores are using strategically-placed mirrors and self-image to steer customers toward the produce section.
How Bill Gates really feels about the "Get A Mac" Apple ads
Why Jaguar parodied Mercedes infamous chicken commercial, how Samsung poked fun at Apple and how Apple perfected advertising mockery with Microsoft.
Do your favourite brands match up with the rest of Canada's?
From top coffee brand to favourite car make, the answers may surprise you.
A list of the top-earning dead celebrities
From Marilyn Monroe to Charles Schulz, the world's top-earning deceased celebrities may surprise you...
How Keith Richards wrote one of the biggest rock songs in history...in his sleep
After a night of partying, Keith Richards woke up to find that part of the evening was recorded on his cassette player.
The ingenious way Elvis Presley even made money off his haters
Colonel Tom Parker, the mastermind behind Elvis's rise to fame, found a clever way to make money off Elvis fans and non-fans alike.
The real reason most prices end in 99 cents
Over 60 per cent of prices end in the number 9. And the reason behind this odd phenomenon is more complex than you may think.
The best elevator pitch in history
The elevator pitch Steve Jobs gave to Pepsi president John Sculley to convince him to join Apple is one of the best of all time.
Under The Influence host Terry O'Reilly answers listener questions
From why some commercials overstay their welcome, to whether lawn signs really affect elections, to the inspiration behind the Under The Influence theme song, host Terry O'Reilly answers social media questions.
How self-driving cars will change your life
While it may seem like a bit of a novelty these days, the era of the autonomous car is fast approaching. And the implications for business, marketing and everyday life are astounding. Fasten your seatbelts.
The total fluke that helped Las Vegas tourism recover after the 2017 shooting
When a city experiences a massive crisis, it must find a way to restore its tourism. All cities rely on tourism – it is often one of the top revenue-generating industries and employs one of the biggest workforces.
This brand created the first ad visible from outer space
The aim of all advertising is to create selling ideas that are impossible to ignore. And in its quest to bring as much attention as possible to brands, the ad biz has shattered a world record or two along the way.
How a military tragedy led to the invention of GPS
The army has invented more products than any other agency, company or organization in history. You'd be astounded at how many products - invented by the military - that now sit in your home at his very moment.
How a billion dollar cosmetics company started off by selling books
One door-to-door book salesman in the 1800s enticed housewives to buy his books by offering them a free vial of perfume. And the rest is cosmetics history.
Which brand colours encourage you to buy
Interpreting colours is an interesting science. In the world of marketing, colours play a bigger role in your purchasing decisions than you may think.
This major company brags about being second best. Here's why.
As a rule, no company ever wants to point a neon sign at its flaws. In the world of advertising, everything's always coming up roses. But there are a few brave advertisers out there who know that there can be incredible power in a negative.
The day Gordon Lightfoot died, then came back to life
Why Gordon Lightfoot was surprised to hear he had died on his car radio one day, how the voices in his head helped Brian Wilson make music, and other rock history stories.
How a pants-free Tom Cruise rescued Ray-Ban
Back in the early ‘80s, Ray-Ban sales took a dive. The brand needed a life raft. And one came…in the form of a pants-free Tom Cruise.
Famous ads you didn't know became movies or sitcoms
Once in a blue moon, commercials make the unlikely leap…to Hollywood. Some become big hit movies, others inspired popular songs. One even became a TV series that was voted one of the worst sitcoms of all time. But that’s what can happen when an ad hitchhikes to Hollywood.
