Share

Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly
S5E09 - Achilles Heel Advertising: Repositioning The Competition
Season 5, Ep. 9
•
This week, we explore when a smaller advertiser attacks the weak spot in a bigger advertiser’s marketing. It’s a strategy of brinksmanship, because it means a smaller company not only chooses to attack a larger company, but it attacks the weakness in a bigger company’s strength. It takes surgical precision, but when done well, the smaller advertiser gains market share, while diminishing the bigger company’s reputation at the same time.
We’ll talk about how Avis aimed an arrow at Hertz, how Tylenol overtook the much larger Bayer Aspirin, how Scope used a slingshot to battle the Goliath in the mouthwash category, and the amusing story of how a potato chip company battled a competitor by finding the soft spot in its ingredient list.
More episodes
View all episodes
6. Hug the Cactus: Advertising to Haters
26:04||Season 14, Ep. 6This week, we look at how some companies advertise to haters.Every advertiser gets negative comments on social media. Some brands shrink away – and some take those negative comments and spin them into marketing gold.Supercuts took negative comments about cheap haircuts and created a hilarious advertising campaign.Spirit Airlines gave haters a place to vent – then offered them 8,000 free air miles.And drink maker Oatly, actually dedicated a website to their haters.5. Strange Smells: The Marketing of Unusual Fragrances
27:17||Season 14, Ep. 5This week, we take a whiff of some of the strangest fragrances being marketed today. Choosing a perfume or cologne is a form of personal expression. What you smell like says something about you. But does that include bacon perfume? Or mayonnaise cologne? There’s a fragrance that makes you smell like a bakery, and a soap for men that smells like gasoline. Uncommon Scents.4. Purple Comb-Overs: The Power of Personal Style
26:48||Season 14, Ep. 4This week, we talk about some of the most interesting people throughout history – and the fact they all had a consistent personal style. Consistency is the key to branding, and these famous people all understood that. We’ll take a look at Julius Caesar, who shocked fellow Romans with the way he dressed and acted. We’ll examine the incredible popularity of Charlie Chaplin’s “Little Tramp” character that never changed throughout 25 films. And we’ll talk about celebrities who adopted a singular colour as their personal branding – like Prince and Johnny Cash.3. The Iceman Cometh: How Ice Transformed Our Lives
27:28||Season 14, Ep. 3This week, we look at the marketing of ICE.It may sound like a strange topic, but our obsession with ice - as a product - is only 200 years old.The history of ice marketing starts with an amazing story about a bold entrepreneur with a vision, the cutthroat clash between competing ice companies, and the long list of ice brands and products that has transformed our lives.It's a remarkable story.2. Last Chance Tourism
27:16||Season 14, Ep. 2This week, we take a look at Last Chance Tourism.Tourism companies around the world have started to advertise specific destinations to travelers, because those locations have a very unique offering.Namely, they are vanishing.From glaciers, to polar bears, to the Amazon Rainforest. Marketers are using a strategy called “Loss Aversion” – where the emotional impact of a loss is felt more intensely than a gain.So people are rushing to these locations, afraid they might miss their last chance to see them.1. From Bonanza to Batman: When Fictional Characters Endorse Real Products
27:19||Season 14, Ep. 1In our first episode of 2025, we explore a strange aspect of advertising.Specifically, when TV and movie characters endorse products. Not the actors themselves - but the characters they portray.It's a trend that started in the early '60s with the Andy Griffith Show and Bonanza.Today, it includes characters like Breaking Bad's Walter White and even Phil Dunphy from Modern Family.Sometimes it's funny - and sometimes it bends the time/space continuum.1016. Dave Cooks the Turkey
39:18||Season 13, Ep. 1016As you might know, the team behind Under The Influence has more podcasts executive produced by Terry. The story in this episode of Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe is the most requested Vinyl Cafe story of all time."Today is the day Dave cooks the turkey!" Jess tells us why it gives her such pleasure to say those words, and plays the beloved story that has become a Christmas tradition for so many. So roll out the cookies, grab the wrapping paper or trim the tree as you enjoy "Dave Cooks the Turkey." And check out Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe for more holiday favourites.1015. Rejecting Elf
42:53||Season 13, Ep. 1015Another one of our favourite episodes from our sister podcast We Regret To Inform You: The Rejection Podcast and just in time for the holiday, is the rejection story of the movie Elf. This beloved and timeless Christmas classic, starring Will Ferrell brought in over $200M at the box office. But, back in 2000 the script was rejected by production companies, studios, directors and actors.1014. Terry guests on Talk About Talk
46:21||Season 13, Ep. 1014Terry was recently interviewed on Dr. Andrea Wojnicki's podcast, Talk About Talk. Andrea is an executive communications coach. She helps executives improve their communication skills and elevate their confidence and credibility.It is an interesting chat about communication. Hope you enjoy it.