Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

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 Disney’s Pocahontas movie – that tells the truth behind the fairy tale.

Another favourite from the Archives.

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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 Marvel.

We’ll also tell a crazy story of how the most sought-after car from a Steve McQueen movie was finally found – and the cosmic coincidence that led to its discovery.

Cars are the stars.

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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 smile.

They can make you angry.

They can attract a lot of attention.

They are the pop-up ads of the physical world.

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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 Google search window is like a truth serum. We all pour our most intimate, honest questions into that search box.

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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 Pope.

An airline campaign that told you to “keep it in your pants.”

And a product that claims your grandparents had more sex than you.

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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 luxury tour planners dream up extreme vacation ideas.

From outer space, to the bottom of the ocean, to secretly getting the key to the Sistine Chapel, it’s a whole new pricey world.

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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 their category.

Is it because those products are the best?

Or – is it because those brand names give the products a sense of respect and authority.

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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 smelled like flowers.

And a stunt where an ad agency put $3 million dollars between the glass in a bus shelter, unguarded on the street - to demonstrate a point.

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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.

We’ll talk about a famous Krazy Glue commercial.

And a Volvo ad where the ad writer risked his life to demonstrate a point.

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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 famous luxury brand that is owned by a charity. And it will surprise you.

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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 convinced people to donate to a cause that started 45 years ago, but had faded from memory.

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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 destroyed them.

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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 “Where’s the beef?”

I did several commercials with Sedelmaier, and he kicked me off the set of my own commercial once. 

It’s a great story.

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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 Picture winner, an optometry chain made fun of the mix-up.

It’s called Newsjacking – and it’s becoming a powerful marketing tactic.

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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 tell a story about a doctor who was drummed out of the medical establishment all because he insisted doctors wash their hands.

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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 you might find this topic interesting.

Enjoy.

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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 couple of struggling actors who would go on to win Academy Awards. 

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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 to these products and issues for the very first time.

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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 easy to forget that.

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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 had the longest run in cinema history.

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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 advice Rue McClanahan’s mother gave her when she was told she’d never make it in television. 

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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 mixed martial arts promotion can be carbon-dated all the way back to Rickard in the ‘20s.

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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 half to be delivered to your home.

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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 the harmful effects of UV rays.

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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.

And in one story today, the alternate use of diapers may surprise you.

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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 success.

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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 in history.

Small Wonders.

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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.

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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 goods as city dwellers.

And how Seinfeld’s J. Peterman became an owner of the actual J. Peterman catalogue.

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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 confusing times and a student audio idea that attracted Taylor Swift.

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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.

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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.

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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 Records for the Beatles.

Her new book is titled “All Roads Lead To Punk: Riding the First Wave of the Phenomenal Los Angeles Punk Scene Through Music and Fashion" - and she has one fascinating story to tell.

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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 made New Yorkers furious when it said it makes the best pizza in the country.

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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 – which forced his company to respond - with humour.

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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 absolutely legitimate.

While gently pulling your leg at the same time.

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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 access, extended episodes, Q&As PLUS access to all other Apostrophe shows (Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe, We Regret To Inform You, The Beatlology Interviews) – with bonus episodes, virtual events, chats with the hosts, merch discounts & more. Subscribe now – and get a special founder's discount.

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Today we’re sharing an episode of Marketing Against The Grain — a show that leads you down the rabbit hole of marketing trends, growth tactics, and innovation.

In this episode, co-hosts Kipp Bodnar (CMO of HubSpot) and Kieran Flanagan (CMO of Zapier), dive into a leaked memo from Yahoo that explains why big businesses fail.

If you like what you hear, search for Marketing Against The Grain in your favorite podcast app. Like the one you’re using right now ;)

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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 Newsjacking - and it’s becoming a powerful marketing tactic.

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.

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 over Disney’s Pocahontas movie – that tells the truth behind the fairy tale.

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.

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 Hollywood. She markets her music to her fans in very surprising ways.

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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 retail stores are now selling expensive cannabis paraphernalia.

And which non-cannabis businesses are seeing a surprising uptick in sales - like fertilizer companies and fast-food restaurants.

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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 French fries.

What’s happening up here?

Find out.

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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.

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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 of a copycat cookie that overtook the original to become the best-selling cookie in the world.

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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 health goal.

And how marketing was the inspiration for one of the most popular TV series that everyone is talking about right now.

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For over 100 years, “free” has been one of the most powerful words in the marketing world.

And believe it or not, companies love freebies as much as their customers do.

Because giving away free products generates a lot of goodwill. And goodwill generates free press.

We’ll talk about a ketchup company who gave a man a free boat.

A hotel who gave a couple 18 years of free stays because they had nookie in one of their rooms.

And we’ll tell the story of how one company helped a teenager with huge feet – by giving him a pair of size 23 shoes. 

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This week, we take a look at four brands that have found a way to survive for decades.

One company has been entertaining crowds with wax for 200 years.

One restaurant has been topping their ice cream cones with a unique swirl for over 80 years.

Another company teamed up with a certain debonaire spy 60 years ago.

And a fourth brand has made a fortune blowing bubbles for over 75 years.

Their stories are fascinating.

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Marketing contests can be tricky business.

On one hand, contests can be designed to help companies achieve certain business goals.

On the other hand, companies can lose control over them pretty quickly.

This week, we look at some of the most interesting – and hilarious – marketing contests.

Including one about a city that held a contest to name a new building – and the public voted overwhelmingly to name it after a past mayor named Harry Baals.

True story.

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From our Season 12 Archives,

Billboards are one of the biggest creative challenges in the marketing world.

They need to be seven words or less.

They need to contain an idea.

And they need to communicate quickly as people speed by.

This week on Under The Influence, we look at the most creative billboards from around the world.

We’ll talk about a car maker that used tiny billboards to get inside their competitor’s vehicles.

How one airline used a billboard that could detect planes passing overhead.

And we’ll tell you the hilarious story of a billboard stunt gone wrong that involves a giant… muffin.

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Another favourite from our Season 12 Archives.

This week it’s our annual Bookmarks episode.

I read a lot of books to research Under The Influence. But every season, there isn’t enough room to include all the great stories I find.

So this episode is dedicated to those stories that didn’t fit into our regular episodes. But are so good, they are worth telling.

We’ll tell an amazing story about the book Goodnight Moon.

 We’ll tell you why David Bowie seemed to have two different-coloured eyes.

 We’ll talk about why inspiration is 90% perspiration and the inside story of the historic music score from the movie Jaws.

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From our Season 12 Archives... another favourite.

You’ve probably seen those Red Bull Mini Coopers driving around town with the giant Red Bull can on their roofs.

This week on Under The Influence, we look at the wild and wacky world of marketing mobiles.

They’ve actually been around for over 100 years.

We’ll crack open the story behind the Planters Peanut Nutmobiles.

We’ll take to the skies to tell you an amazing story behind the famous Goodyear blimps.

And we’ll tell the story of the famous Oscar Meyer Wienermobiles.

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There are some very interesting loopholes in the world of marketing.

Because businesses are always looking for an upper hand in a competitive category, loopholes can offer legal advantages.

A loophole can help a company overcome barriers in the marketplace. 

Sometimes, the way a product is marketed can give customers a loophole they can take advantage of.

And sometimes a 20-year-old kid can spot a loophole that panics a giant corporation.

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If you searched the question:

“What player has won the most Wimbledon singles titles,” Google will tell you it’s Roger Federer with 8 wins.

But that’s incorrect. Martina Navratilova has 9.

This week, we look at remarkable ideas that promote gender equality.

 Including an idea called Correct the Internet.com

 And one that challenged menstruation taboos with a program called “Touch the pickle.”

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The Beatlology Interviews (Season 2, Episode 1)

What if John Lennon had never died in 1980. What if George Harrison was still with us? What would it have taken to convince the Beatles to give one more major concert? In “Reunion: A Rock ’N Roll Fairy Tale” author Gary Burr tackles all those questions in a very entertaining novel. By the way, Gary has also played on nine Ringo Starr albums. He’s got some great inside stories.

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20th century movies and TV shows were dominated by the traditional “hero.”

With high morals and an ethical code of honour.

The 21st century has a different take.

Today, we cheer the anti-hero. Like the Sopranos, Dexter and Breaking Bad.

Anti-heroes are liberated from that line in the sand that holds the rest of us back. They do things we are afraid to do. And do it unapologetically.

And if advertising is the great mirror to pop culture, it just may explain the emergence of anti-hero brands – who dare you to like them.

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From our Season 12 Archives...

This week, we look at companies that have spent decades advertising to only one gender - then suddenly decide to approach the opposite sex. L’Oreal is now marketing makeup to men. Scotch distillers are now targeting women. And lingerie companies are now designing intimates for men. It’s a brand new, gender-bending world.

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From our Season 12 Archives.

Even though brand names are often protected by trademarks and copyrights, it’s remarkable how many times companies end up with the same names.

And they either get along – or they sue each other into oblivion.

This week, we look at “Brand Twins.”

We’ll talk about when Guns N’ Roses sued Guns and Rosé.

We’ll explain why there used to be the Saskatchewan Roughriders AND the Ottawa Rough Riders in the CFL.

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From our Season 12 Archives, one of our favourites.

This week, we talk about hotel marketing. 

Specifically, how some hotels attract guests by advertising specific rooms.

Some of those rooms are decorated like TV shows, some are inspired by movies, and some hotels advertise the fact something famous – or infamous - happened in their rooms.

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From our Season 12 Archives, one of our favourites

This week, we’re talking about the creative ways Hollywood markets films.

We’ll talk about how a low-budget horror movie got a ton of press just by asking people to smile.

And we’ll examine the marketing of Top Gun: Maverick – the Tom Cruise sequel that Steven Spielberg says single-handedly saved the theatrical industry.

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People often tell me they love the storytelling in Under the Influence.  One of my favourite storytellers of all time is the late, great Stuart McLean. Which is why it’s been such a joy for our network to partner with Stuart’s long-time producer Jess Milton and the Vinyl Cafe team to bring you the podcast “Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe.”

Today we are sharing the very first episode of the podcast released in 2023. Not only are there two hilarious Dave and Morley stories but it’s a great introduction to the show. We hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.

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From our Season 12 Archives, one of our favourites.

In this episode, we talk about one of the legends of the advertising business – George Lois. Out-spoken and fearless, he launched Xerox, helped elect Robert F. Kennedy, designed famous Esquire magazine covers and even once climbed out onto a window ledge to convince a client to buy an idea. 

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From our Season 12 Archives.... one of our favourites.

With multiple ways to skip commercials at our fingertips, advertisers have found a new way to reach the public. They’re jumping out of commercial breaks and into the storylines of television shows. This week, we look at a list of popular TV shows that aren’t just entertainment. They’re big marketing vehicles for companies. 

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We thought you might enjoy an episode from our sister podcast, “We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast” - this week it’s the history of the goalie mask. Coaches didn’t want them, managers rejected them, the NHL didn’t want them - but one goalie did. The rest is history.

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From our Season 11 Archives, one of our favourites.

This week, we look at the ways libraries market themselves. If you think libraries are quiet, you’ve got another thing coming. We’ll talk about a library video series that played like a TV cop show - and - we’ll look at library wars - when libraries battle each other on social media.

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From our Season 12 Archives, one of our favourites.

This week, we take a look at the most creative “help wanted” ads in the world. We’ll talk about how IKEA recruited new workers without needing to buy an ad. How VW found new mechanics by posting ads in the most unusual place. And the amazing ways the intelligence community recruits spies and code breakers.

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Now that we’ve moved the Beatlology Interviews to its own feed, you might not be caught up. Thought you might like to hear one of my favourite episodes - singer Dion DiMucci is one of only five people still alive who are on the cover of Sgt. Pepper. Dion was also supposed to be on the plane with Buddy Holly that fateful night - and he tells us that heartbreaking story. He also gives the best description of Buddy Holly that I’ve ever heard.

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From our Season 12 Archives, one of our favourites.

This week, we look at candy bar advertising. Millions are spent marketing candy bars every year. We'll talk about how the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was owned by a candy company. And we'll reveal whether it really was Phil Collins inside that gorilla costume in that famous Cadbury Dairy Milk commercial.

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From our Season 11 Archives, one of our favourites.

This week, we explore how dating agencies Sell Love. We’ll talk about the very first dating service in history, we’ll explore one app that is more about lust than love and we’ll talk about how heartthrob Reynolds created one of the best dating commercials of the last 10 years.

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This week, it’s our annual Ask Terry episode.

As we do every year, we open the show to questions from our listeners.

This week, we’ll answer a question about the longest-lasting slogans in history, we’ll explore why there is so much dancing going on in commercials these days, and we’ll play a fun game where you have to guess the celebrity voice.

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Dramatic car stunts are not just the stuff of movies.

They’re also the stuff of car commercials.

We’ll talk about one ad where skydivers risked their lives spelling out the word “Honda” in the sky, a commercial where a car speeds on the roof of a skyscraper, and a story about a car that was dropped from an airplane - and the parachute didn’t work.

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This week, we explore how advertisers market to people with disabilities.

 Disabled people are usually ignored in advertising campaigns.

Yet people with disabilities control half a trillion dollars in spending money.

We’ll look at four powerful campaigns that not only feature people with disabilities, but these commercials are disrupting the public’s negative perceptions of the disabled.

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This week, it’s our annual Brand Envy episode.

We look at four brands that I admire.

One is a cosmetics empire started by a woman in an era when women couldn’t even vote.

One is a band I have a soft spot for.

Another is a family-owned business that has lasted 88 years.

The fourth is a TV show that broke records.

And they all have one thing in common – they succeeded against all odds.

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This week, we talk about Pet Marketing.

The pet products industry is worth about $150 billion dollars. And when you love a pet, money is no object.

We’ll listen to a pet food campaign that had dogs conduct a symphony orchestra.

We’ll flip through IKEA’s CAT-alogues and DOG-alogues.

And we’ll explore Dolly Parton’s “Doggy Parton” fashion line.

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This week, it’s our annual “Bookmarks” episode.

We read a lot of books to research this show, and often we stumble on great stories that don’t fit our regular episodes.

So we save them up for this show.

We’ll talk about a new book on SNL producer Lorne Michaels, we’ll take a few notes from a famous songwriter, and we’ll talk about a Bible with a wicked typo.

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This week, we look at how the marketing industry seizes pop culture moments.

We’ll talk about a website that got national attention by making a bold prediction about a TV show.

How A1 Steak Sauce caught the funniest – and luckiest break.

And how Pepsi grabbed a hilarious opportunity by following pizza delivery drivers.

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This week, we look at public service announcements.

PSAs have to compete with - not just other PSAs - but with all other commercials out there.

And do it with an iota of the budget. It requires exceptional creativity. 

We’ll talk about how Elvis got teens to get a polio vaccine, and a drinking & driving commercial recorded by drunk actors. 

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Peter Wilken has over 40 years experience working with the world’s top brands. He has run advertising agency networks around the world. In our far-reaching conversation, Peter brings battle-tested insights to the table, tells us interesting stories about the brands he’s worked for, how to manage creative people, and explains the critical difference between branding and brand building.

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Arkells frontman Max Kerman has written his first book, “Try Hard: Creative Work in Progress.” Max talks about what a lead singer for a band does all day, the nuts and bolts of song writing, how he prepares for a show - but more importantly - Max talks about how the creative process is not all about talent, it’s about curiosity, enthusiasm, and learning how to work hard and enjoy ever minute of it. And in this interview, Max gives you a framework for how to bring more creativity into your life and where to begin.

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It was big news recently that Amazon is taking over creative control of the James Bond franchise.

So this week, we look at how James Bond has been employed to pitch products over the years.

From high-end watches, to beer, liquor and breakfast cereals, 007 has been busy.

And even the Bond villains have been hawking products.

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This week, we have some fun and listen to commercial outtakes.

Just like the movies, there are multiple takes, lots of pressure, and mistakes happen.

Sometimes actors get the words all mixed up to hilarious results.

Sometimes celebrities have melt-downs.

And sometimes professional actors just break down in a fit of the giggles.

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This week, we’ll tell the stories behind some of the most famous – and infamous – sports star endorsements of all time.

We’ll talk about a Rocket Richard commercial that spawned a catchphrase that nearly every Boomer can recite.

We’ll look at a powerful Nike commercial Serena Williams did about women in sports.

And we’ll talk about what it took to put quarterback Joe Namath in pantyhose.

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This week, we ask an interesting question:

What is the busiest day of the year for pizza delivery companies, Airbnb, Emergency Rooms, Maternity Wards, restaurants and dating apps?

What is the busiest day of the year for weddings?

And what is the busiest day of the year for… plumbers?

It’s all fascinating – and often very surprising.

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This week, we thought it would be timely to retrieve this episode from our archives. A Brand Envy episode in celebration of Canadian brands. We’ll look at what may be the most successful global retailer Canada has ever built, a television pioneer worshipped and revered by generations of Canadians and a world-class brand that operates out of the smallest village in New Brunswick. We’ve certainly bred some amazing brands up here in the Great White North. 

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This week, we take a look at one of the tools of political marketing – the campaign song.

Politicians have used songs going all the way back to at least the 1700s.

Sometimes the songs are written expressly for the political party or candidate.

Sometimes, politicians co-opt pop songs.

And sometimes, pop artists have a major problem with that.

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Recorded before a live audience at Reid’s Distillery, this episode lists some of the biggest brand fails of 2024.

We’ll talk about when Apple launched its thinnest computer ever, which led to a big fat PR problem.

We’ll look at a seasonal candle that fired up accusations of white supremacy.

And we’ll try and figure out how a children’s doll package ended up listing the URL for a porn site.

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Recently, we recorded a live show at Reid’s Distillery in Toronto. Reid’s is a great gin joint, and the vibe is a cool lounge with vintage tables and seating. There was no stage, so we recorded the podcast on the floor, with the audience seated all around us. In this episode, we talk about ads that are so bad… they become cult classics. Like the commercial where a woman has fallen and can’t get up, the local jeweller who wears tights and a cape in his ads, and that commercial where Patrick gets life insurance. They are so bad, they’re good.

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Today, movie theatres have to compete with home theatre systems and streaming services.

This week, we look at how cinemas are transforming to attract more movie goers.

To survive, theatres now offer restaurant meals and full bar menus.

They offer loyalty programs and special theme nights.

And many cinemas now offer patrons “atmospheric” movie experiences – where wind blows through your hair, rain falls from the ceiling, and seats not only jolt back and forth, they also emit smells that mirror the action on the screen.

It puts the motion in motion picture.

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There are things in the world of marketing that are forbidden.

It’s illegal to use certain sounds, for example. If an advertiser does use them, they are heavily fined.

In some countries, there are rules around using national anthems in commercials. In other countries, there are no rules.

And even Winnie the Pooh is forbidden in one country because it apparently makes fun of their leader.

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During SNL's recent 50th anniversary special, it showed a montage of their famous commercial parodies. Here’s an episode that talks about those and many others - and how SNL influenced the ad writers of my generation.

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This week, we look at how some companies advertise to haters.

Every advertiser gets negative comments on social media. Some brands shrink away – and some take those negative comments and spin them into marketing gold.

Supercuts took negative comments about cheap haircuts and created a hilarious advertising campaign.

Spirit Airlines gave haters a place to vent – then offered them 8,000 free air miles.

And drink maker Oatly, actually dedicated a website to their haters.

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This week, we take a whiff of some of the strangest fragrances being marketed today.

Choosing a perfume or cologne is a form of personal expression. What you smell like says something about you.

But does that include bacon perfume? Or mayonnaise cologne?

There’s a fragrance that makes you smell like a bakery, and a soap for men that smells like gasoline.

Uncommon Scents.

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This week, we talk about some of the most interesting people throughout history – and the fact they all had a consistent personal style.

Consistency is the key to branding, and these famous people all understood that.

We’ll take a look at Julius Caesar, who shocked fellow Romans with the way he dressed and acted.

We’ll examine the incredible popularity of Charlie Chaplin’s “Little Tramp” character that never changed throughout 25 films.

And we’ll talk about celebrities who adopted a singular colour as their personal branding – like Prince and Johnny Cash.

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This week, we look at the marketing of ICE.

It may sound like a strange topic, but our obsession with ice - as a product - is only 200 years old.

The history of ice marketing starts with an amazing story about a bold entrepreneur with a vision, the cutthroat clash between competing ice companies, and the long list of ice brands and products that has transformed our lives.

It's a remarkable story.

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This week, we take a look at Last Chance Tourism.

Tourism companies around the world have started to advertise specific destinations to travelers, because those locations have a very unique offering.

Namely, they are vanishing.

From glaciers, to polar bears, to the Amazon Rainforest. Marketers are using a strategy called “Loss Aversion” – where the emotional impact of a loss is felt more intensely than a gain.

So people are rushing to these locations, afraid they might miss their last chance to see them.

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In our first episode of 2025, we explore a strange aspect of advertising.

Specifically, when TV and movie characters endorse products. Not the actors themselves - but the characters they portray.

It's a trend that started in the early '60s with the Andy Griffith Show and Bonanza.

Today, it includes characters like Breaking Bad's Walter White and even Phil Dunphy from Modern Family.

Sometimes it's funny - and sometimes it bends the time/space continuum.

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As you might know, the team behind Under The Influence has more podcasts executive produced by Terry. The story in this episode of Backstage at the Vinyl Cafeis the most requested Vinyl Cafe story of all time.

"Today is the day Dave cooks the turkey!" Jess tells us why it gives her such pleasure to say those words, and plays the beloved story that has become a Christmas tradition for so many. So roll out the cookies, grab the wrapping paper or trim the tree as you enjoy "Dave Cooks the Turkey." And check out Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe for more holiday favourites.

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Another one of our favourite episodes from our sister podcast We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast and just in time for the holiday, is the rejection story of the movie Elf. This beloved and timeless Christmas classic, starring Will Ferrell brought in over $200M at the box office. But, back in 2000 the script was rejected by production companies, studios, directors and actors.

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Terry was recently interviewed on Dr. Andrea Wojnicki's podcast, Talk About Talk. Andrea is an executive communications coach. She helps executives improve their communication skills and elevate their confidence and credibility.

It is an interesting chat about communication. Hope you enjoy it.

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