Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

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...

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 marketi...

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 doc...

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.

We know you want ...

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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