Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

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

August 30, 2025 27 mins

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 20...

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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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August 2, 2025 33 mins

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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July 12, 2025 45 mins

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 eve...

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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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June 21, 2025 27 mins

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 ...

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May 31, 2025 26 mins

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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May 10, 2025 32 mins

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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May 3, 2025 28 mins

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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April 24, 2025 55 mins
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 g...

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