Under The Influencewith Terry O'Reilly
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The day John Lennon made history in the sky over Toronto
Why John Lennon and Yoko Ono hired a famous skywriter to send a some celestial messages.
Why plastic surgery is booming during Covid
Lipstick and deodorant sales may be down, but Botox and fillers are up 90 per cent.
The super valuable treasure one man found in the walls of his home
Back in the 1930s, it was common to insulate homes using newspaper. But when one man renovated his house, he came across something completely unexpected.
How J. Edgar Hoover accidentally invented the Ten Most Wanted poster
Over 490 Most Wanted fugitives have been apprehended by the FBI, one-third of which were captured thanks to tips from the public.
How a detective used a disguise to save the life of a president
A fateful train ride and a floppy hat changed the course of history in more ways than one.
Why the "Can you hear me now?" guy sprinted to another brand
When a spokesperson switches companies, it can attract a lot of attention.
Why an episode of The Golden Girls was removed in 2020
The final episode aired almost 30 years ago when Bea Arthur’s character marries and moves away, breaking up the gang. So it may surprise you to learn The Golden Girls got into a little bit of trouble this past year.
Feature
Under the Influence is back!
Under the Influence is back for its 10th season (and Terry's 16th year on CBC Radio). And we've got a fun season planned for you.
Quarantine 4-Pack: Movies
A two hour podcast playlist for our cinephile listeners.
He's been putting out fires for 75 years — but do you know his name?
"The Mandela Effect" is a term for collective false memory — when a group of people misremembers a fact the same way. A phenomenon this famous bear knows all too well.
How the Spanish Flu wasn't Spanish at all
Over 100 years later, it's still remembered as the Spanish Flu. But the pandemic didn't originate in Spain.
Why sometimes the best way to sell a product is to increase its price
An interesting lesson in marketing from one Bruce Lee.
The Sopranos gave 200 fans their own mob nicknames
When the 20th anniversary of the Sopranos rolled around in 2019, HBO wanted to entice people to watch the series again and celebrate the milestone. And their free strategy earned them 300 media impressions.
Why Coca-Cola railed against the nickname 'Coke'
"Coke" wasn't always a welcome nickname. In fact, early Coca-Cola ads attempted to dissuade the public from using the term.
How flowers were a secret language in the Victorian era
It's called "floriography." And it conveyed anything from conjugal love, to anxiety to celibacy.
These major brands created the biggest product failures
Come take a walk through the Museum of Failure.
Only these three movies have won all five major Oscars
It's an exclusive club, with one member from an unexpected genre.
How Mickey got Disney through the Great Depression
The unbelievable story of how Mickey Mouse went from movie character to movie merchandising icon.
How a fur trader trapped Harlequin romance novels
The unexpected history of Harlequin romance novels involves a Hudson's Bay fur trader and the Toronto Star.
How the CIA has used the Meow Mix jingle
The famous repeating Meow Mix jingle is one of the most memorable jingles of all time. A fact the CIA uses to their advantage.
Can you be sued for leaving a negative online review?
Over 90 per cent of us read online reviews before purchasing a product these days. And those ratings can make or break a company or product.
How Dove chocolate, Applebee's and IKEA are tingling your senses
ASMR, or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, is a new phenomenon being embraced by brands everywhere, in an attempt to tingle your senses and open your wallet.
How matchbooks were used to track down Osama bin Laden
From big beer and tobacco companies, to the war effort, to Hollywood, to the smallest mom and pop businesses, matchbook advertising was effective and affordable for everyone. And believe it or not, even the U.S. State Department used matchbook advertising recently to hunt down Osama bin Laden.
How social media has influenced the wedding industry
There was a time when the only weddings we saw were the ones we attended. But in today’s social media world, we see thousands of weddings, from every imaginable angle.
The fascinating ways airports compete for your business
The word “airport” is also code for the word “brand.” Believe it or not, airports compete heavily for airlines, passengers and retail sales. As a result, airports have redesigned themselves to become highly competitive brands.
