Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

This week, it’s our annual Bookmarks episode - where we tell fascinating stories from our research that didn't make it into the regular season. We’ll talk about a book that maintains if you build a better mousetrap, the world will NOT beat a path to your door. And we’ll tell a story from a biography of Bruce Lee that proves sometimes the only way to sell a product is to increase its price. Throw on your reading glasses and join us for Bookmarks 2020.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some people call Under The Influence UTI for short. It’s not a good nickname. But some brand nicknames are positive and extremely valuable - like Coke and Chevy - and some nicknames like “Whole Paycheck” don’t make Whole Foods happy. Join us this week as we explore the implications of brand nicknames. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every episode of Under The Influence begins with an opening story. And after more than 300 episodes, we’ve told over 300 opening stories. This week, we look back at the ones that generated the most listener feedback - from a story about a one-armed martial artist to the unorthodox ways lovers communicated in the Victorian era to the story of the greatest racehorse of all time.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

80 to 90% of new product launches fail. So to lower the risk, companies do trial runs. This week, we explore Test Markets - where companies launch new products in small towns to see if shoppers pay attention. We’ll tell the stories of successful product launches as well as a few notable product disasters.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we explore how business can be won or lost with spontaneous off-hand remarks. Not all advertising business is conducted in a boardroom or in commercials. Sometimes somebody says something in an elevator, or in a speech or in a doorway that leads to winning an account - or losing it. Talk ain’t cheap.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, it’s our annual Brand Envy episode, where I tell the stories behind some of the brands I admire. We’ll talk about a romance novel company that was started by a fur trader, an empire created by a cartoonist and a certain cream cheese with its very own spokes-angel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we explore the world of torture tests. Torture test commercials are one of the advertising industry’s most powerful techniques - because when a product can survive a dramatic test, it can convince a lot of people to buy the product. Unless, that is, the torture test goes very wrong… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode explores the world of online reviews and their influence on consumer decisions. It discusses the challenges of identifying fake reviews and provides tips on spotting them. The episode also delves into the legal consequences of negative reviews and explores the impact of online reviews on consumer decision-making and business marketing.

This podcast explores the world of ASMR marketing, discussing its history, triggers, and growing popularity on YouTube. It showcases brands that use ASMR to create unique sensory experiences, including Accs products and Reese's peanut butter cups. The podcast also explores the collaboration between Hershey Canada and Bell Media to create the movie Reese Picking, highlighting the various advertising efforts and proposing the idea of a quiet ASMR commercial during the Super Bowl.

Dum dum da dum. This week, we explore the lucrative world of Wedding Marketing. Weddings are big, big business. As a result, the wedding industry is a big marketing category. From invitations and flowers to dresses and cakes, weddings are an $80 billion-dollar industry. And planning the perfect wedding day is a lot of pressure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.