Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

Discover the secrets to crafting impactful elevator pitches that capture attention in mere moments. Delve into John Scully's fascinating transition from Pepsi to Apple, revealing corporate culture clashes. Explore how crucial clarity can shape business decisions, with an emphasis on the power of succinct communication. Learn from legendary figures like Pat Riley and the evolution of pitches from classic ads to today’s digital 'twit pitches.' This entertaining journey highlights the art of persuasion in the fast-paced world of marketing.

This week, we explore how the weather affects marketing. With 75 years of climate data cross-referenced with reams of shopping research, marketers can now use the weather to predict sales. Sears Automotive knows that 5-year old car batteries die after three consecutive days of sub-zero temperatures, so they advertise on day four. The busiest day of the week at Harley-Davidson dealerships is exactly 22°C and sunny. When spring temperatures hit 21°C, hair removal products surge 1400%, and BBQ sales jump 200%. And did you know that when the temperature drops just one degree in the Fall – just one degree - mousetrap sales surge 25%? Marketers do.And while they can’t manage weather, marketers can certainly now manage the financial implications of weather.It’s a whole new day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we look at famous people who began their careers in advertising. Many of the people who have gone on to shape popular culture cut their teeth in the world of marketing. From Dr. Seus, Salman Rushdie and Bob Newhart, to Sir Alec Guinness - yes, Obi-Wan Kenobi himself - they all spent their formative years writing copy.Each learned some valuable skills on their way to the top. And their stories are remarkable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we look at the wild and crazy world of Viral Videos. Some brands spend big money on videos and nobody watches, meanwhile a cat video is viewed by millions. It’s a world with no rules, fuelled by luck and timing. We’ll look at the most viewed videos ever, including a video a woman made when she quit her job that attracted almost 10 million views, the Evian bottled water video that went into the Guinness Book of World Records, a Nivea viral video that might have gone too far, and a Dove video that broke the Evian world record.These days, marketers can’t necessarily spend their way to consumer attention, they have to earn it.And Viral Videos can be just the ticket. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a 100 years of Mass Production - where one size fit all - 21st century marketing is moving to Mass Customization - letting you custom-design everything you buy. From cars, to clothes, to shoes – to your own breakfast cereal.This week on Under The Influence, we’ll explore how companies profit from personalized products, how they market those products, how consumers are drawn to companies that offer customization, and how brands use customization to fight competitors.Including how Burger King stole market share from McDonald’s by letting customers personalize their burgers.Their slogan: “Have it your way!” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we look at Ambush Marketing. It's a form of marketing where a brand tried to connect itself with an event like the FIFA World Cup - but WITHOUT paying sponsorship fees. It merely ambushes the festivities. Or one brand intrudes on another brand's advertising to gain attention. Either way, it's uninvited advertising, it's very controversial - plus the stories are riveting.And the Olympics has a long and fascinating history with ambush marketing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore the evolution of Olympic advertising, from the first sponsors in 1896 to the present day. Learn about the story of the oldest Olympic medalist, the incorporation of art competitions, the impact of television broadcast rights, and the growing financial strain on host countries.

Unlike public service announcements or corporate philanthropy, Cause Marketing is when a Not-For-Profit organization teams up with a For-Profit company to further a good cause – but the For-Profit partner makes a profit while helping. It’s a contentious strategy – as most people don’t like to hear the word “profit” in the same breath as “charity.” But this new marketing strategy depends on profit to survive.  We’ll tell the story of how Cause Marketing began in the 1980s, how Bono’s RED organization learned a hard lesson about cause marketing, and how several big corporations teamed up with worthy causes to make the world a better place. While making their balance sheets better at the same time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore how we're all influenced by pricing. Like how the price of a bottle of wine has an enormous affect on how much you enjoy that wine. We’ll analyze how restaurants design menus to steer you toward the most profitable dishes, and how retail stores use psychology to persuade you to spend more.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our first episode of Season 3, we explore #1 Brands. We'll look at popular categories and identify the runaway best-selling brands and analyze why they are #1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.