Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

There was a time when the humble matchbook was the top advertising medium in North America. They were handy, colourful, cheap and even a moderate smoker would be exposed to the advertising over 20 times a day. Matchbook advertising pre-dated radio, and was embraced by almost every industry. From big beer and tobacco companies, to the war effort, to Hollywood, to the smallest Mom & Pop businesses, matchbook advertising was effective and affordable for everyone. And believe it or not, even the State Department used matchbook advertising recently to hunt down Osama bin Laden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we look at companies that go above and beyond the call. Companies that add smart, little touches that make all the difference. Like hotels that help you fall asleep at night with sleep aids, grocery stores that help you read the small type on vitamin bottles, hardware stores that give you maps of their aisles, airports that know you need to charge up between flights, and business cards that are so unique you never forget them. Grab a coffee and join us for companies that go the extra inch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The gay community will spend over $800 billion dollars this year. A large percentage are affluent, hip and trendsetting, yet the advertising industry took decades to market to them. This week, we look at L.G.B.T. - or Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transgender - advertising. From the first gay characters on mainstream television in the 70s, to the first big brand that dared to openly advertise to the Gay community in 1981, to the 10-year drought of gay advertising brought by the onset of AIDS, to its resurgence due to a recession, to the flashpoint of Ellen Degeneres coming out on her TV show, to the first transgender Miss Canada Universe contestant, to the friction it all still causes today, the gay market is a fascinating study in diversity, courage, profit and respect. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is my annual look at some of my favourite books. We'll look at a new book, titled, "Mad Women," written by an original Mad Woman from the 60s era Madison Avenue. Next, we flip through the pages of another new book by one of the most outspoken and notorious Mad Men of all time - George Lois - whose no-holds barred book of advice will certainly ruffle some feathers. Simon Sinek's book, titled, "Start With Why" argues that most companies don't know WHY their in business, and will not succeed as a result. Lastly, we discuss a book by Steven Johnson that looks at where good ideas come from. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the lifetime of a company, mistakes happen. When those mistakes cause damage, it's appropriate for a brand to apologize. Yet, it rarely happens. This week, we look at the companies that chose to apologize. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is my annual celebration of the brands I envy. They aren't necessarily the most hip or most current, or even the number one brand in their category. As a matter of fact, a "brand" by my definition doesn't even have to be a product or service, it could be a location, a person or an animal. But they must be unique, they must be revolutionary or counter-intuitive, and they must have survived. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the world of marketing, the use of colour is a studied science. As a result, colours play a bigger role in your purchasing decisions than you may think. A colour can make you feel a certain way about a company, or it can trigger you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Hypertargeting" is the next frontier in 21st century marketing. Marketers are gleaning and buying more and more personal information about consumers online. People are also being tracked online, as marketers watch their buying habits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The advertising industry has a long history of using sex to sell products. Woodbury's used sex to sell soap as far back the 1920's - and the campaign was written by a woman. But the use of sex has always been a polarizing technique. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Back in 2007, a cute video of two kids was uploaded by their father. In it, one kid bites the finger of the other. That video, called "Charlie Bit My Finger" went on to attract 420 million views. To say it over-performed would be an understatement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.