The Age of Persuasion

Terry O'Reilly and Mike Tennant talk about The Age of Persuasion on Bookbits radio.

The Age of Persuasion is a Canadian radio series which aired on CBC Radio One for 107 episodes over five seasons between 2006 and 2011, and also broadcast on Chicago public radio station WBEZ. A sequel to the earlier O'Reilly on Advertising, the series is hosted by Terry O'Reilly and explores the sociological and cultural impact of advertising on modern life.

Each episode uses humour and numerous excerpts from historical radio broadcasts and commercials to make its point.

Many episodes are available in streaming MP3 format from the program's CBC website. Some are available in podcast form at the unofficial site CBC Podcasts. On December 24, 2010 the Age of Persuasion blog announced that the CBC would be podcasting the show starting in January 2011.

The show's creators, Terry O'Reilly and Mike Tennant, have released a book: The Age of Persuasion: How Marketing Ate Our Culture, (Knopf Canada & Vintage Paperbacks). The book is published in the United States by Counterpoint Press.

As late as November 2011, O'Reilly had indicated that a sixth season of AoP would begin that January. However, in December 2011, O'Reilly revealed that AoP would in fact be replaced at that time by a new series, Under the Influence, reflecting the shift of marketing from a "one-way conversation" to a "delicate dialogue".

Episode list

Note: Starting in season 2, episodes in italics are repeat broadcasts. Links in the episode title take you to an online copy of the episode. Links in the date take you to a summary only.

Season 1

Ep #	Episode Title	Broadcast Date
1x01	Clutter	2006-09-07
1x02	The Language of Persuasion	2006-09-14
1x03	Rinse and Repeat	2006-09-21
1x04	Yoots - Youth Marketing	2006-09-28
1x05	The Lesson of Clark Gable's Undershirt	2006-10-05
1x06	The Long and Short of It	2006-10-12
1x07	Breaking the Contract	2006-10-19
1x08	The Rise and Fall and Rise of Branded Entertainment	2006-10-26
1x09	The Human Face of Persuasion	2006-11-02
1x10	All the World's a Marketing Opportunity	2006-11-09
1x11	Walk 1.6 Kilometres in My Shoes	2006-11-16
1x12	Strange But True Tales of Market Research	2006-11-23
1x13	Love, Marriage and Sexual Tension	2006-11-30
1x14	Branding a Nation	2006-12-07
1x15	The Persuasive Power of Storytelling	2007-01-15
1x16	Protecting the Celebrity Brand	2007-01-25
1x17	Goin' to the Show: Super Bowl Ads	2007-02-01
1x18	A Sense of Persuasion	2007-02-08
1x19	Leaving Your Mark	2007-02-15
1x20	The YouTube Revolution The trends in media usage by advertisers are examined, from the rise and fall of radio and television advertising, to viral videos and non-media "idea" advertising.	2007-03-03
1x21	By Any Other Name	2007-03-08
1x22	Guerrillas in Our Midst	2007-03-29
1x23	Frontiers and Boundaries	2007-04-05
1x24	Reviving the Brand	2007-04-12
1x25	It's the Insight, Stupid!	2007-04-19
1x26	Award in Edgewise	2007-04-26
1x27	The Wall of Cynicism	2007-05-31
1x28	The Future of Persuasion	2007-06-14
1x29	Do This or Die	2007-06-21

Season 2

Ep #	Broadcast #	Episode Title	Broadcast Date
2x01	201	There's Never a Marques of Queensbury Around When You Need One	2008-01-12
2x02	202	The Sport of Persuasion	2008-01-19
2x03	203	Old Media, New Media, Borrowed Media, Blue Media	2008-01-26
2x04	204	Branding the News	2008-02-02
1x22	205	Guerillas in our Midst	2008-02-09
2x05	206	Everything I Need to Know About Life I Learned from Agency Pitches	2008-02-16
1x19	207	Leaving Your Mark	2008-02-23
2x06	208	23 things I'd Like to Change About Advertising	2008-03-01
1x24	209	Reviving the Brand	2008-03-08
2x07	210	The Trouble with Big	2008-03-15
2x08	211	Royal Jelly	2008-03-22
2x09	212	Advertisers as Censors	2008-03-29
1x26	213	Award in Edgewise	2008-04-05
2x10	214	Crowd Control	2008-04-12
2x11	215	The Strategy of Persuasion The importance of a strategy in advertising.	2008-04-19
2x12	216	In Defence of Advertising Terry O'Reilly defends advertising, arguing that an advertisement-free world would not be as nice as some people might think.	2008-04-26
1x25	217	It's the Insight, Stupid! The importance of an insight in modern persuasion.	2008-05-03
2x13	218	Emotion Why the best advertisers win customers through the heart, not with facts.	2008-05-10
2x14	219	The Myth of Mass Marketing An examination of the myth of "mass marketing" and the effectiveness of one-on-one selling.	2008-05-17
2x15	220	Selling War How advertising has been used (and is still being used) to recruit soldiers and create support for wars.	2008-05-24
1x23	221	Frontiers and Boundaries An examination of how what is acceptable in an advertising has changed over time and how this reflects the change in a society's values.	2008-05-31
2x16	222	Advertising as the New Sugar Daddy A short history of sponsorship in advertising.	2008-06-07
2x17	223	Persuasion in the Niches How (and why) the one-size-fits-all mass marketing is being replaced with marketing targeted at smaller market niches.	2008-06-14
2x18	224	Six Remarkable Brands Examples of six remarkable brands - including a media icon (Oprah Winfrey), a rock and roll band (The Beatles), an athlete (Muhammad Ali), a toy (Lego), a city (Las Vegas), and a large animal (polar bear).	2008-06-21

Season 3

Ep #	Broadcast #	Episode Title	Broadcast Date
3x01	301	A Taste for Blood: Direct Marketing	2009-01-05
3x02	302	Recession Marketing	2009-01-12
3x03	303	Nasty is the New Nice	2009-01-19
3x04	304	Rethink the Shark	2009-01-26
3x05	305	According to Hoyle	2009-02-02
1x09	306	The Human Face of Persuasion	2009-02-07
1x07	307	Breaking the Contract	2009-02-14
3x06	308	Commandeering Holidays	2009-02-19
3x07	309	Great Canadian Campaigns	2009-03-07
3x08	310	Repetition Repetition Repetition	2009-03-09
3x09	311	Sun Tzu and the Art of... Persuasion	2009-03-16
3x01	312	A Taste for Blood: Direct Marketing	2009-03-23
3x10	313	Selling God	2009-03-30
3x11	314	Brand Loyalty	2009-04-06
3x12	315	Big and Small	2009-04-13
3x02	316	Recession Marketing	2009-04-20
3x13	317	The Real Deal: Authenticity	2009-04-27
3x14	318	The Myths of Persuasion	2009-05-04
3x15	319	Marketing the Invisible	2009-05-11
3x07	320	Great Canadian Campaigns	2009-05-18
3x16	321	Entertainment or Nothing	2009-05-25
3x17	322	The Museum of Persuasion	2009-06-01
3x18	323	Urban Legends	2009-06-08
3x19	324	Embracing New Media	2009-06-15
3x20	325	Ask Terry (2009)	2009-06-22

Season 4

Ep #	Broadcast #	Episode Title	Broadcast Date
4x01	401	Marketing the Unpleasant	2010-01-02
4x02	402	Buzz	2010-01-09
4x03	403	Pitchmen	2010-01-16
4x04	404	Heroes & Villains	2010-01-23
4x05	405	Persuasion Fail	2010-01-30
4x06	406	Slogans	2010-02-06
4x07	407	Categories	2010-02-13
4x08	408	Are People Idiots?	2010-02-20
4x09	409	Being There: Selling Experiences	2010-02-27
4x01	410	Marketing the Unpleasant	2010-03-06
4x10	411	All Things Being Equal: Parity Products	2010-03-13
4x11	412	Context	2010-03-20
4x02	413	Buzz	2010-03-27
4x12	414	Oddballs: Singular Campaigns	2010-04-03
4x13	415	Privacy	2010-04-10
4x03	416	Pitchmen	2010-04-17
4x14	417	Where Power Resides	2010-04-24
4x15	418	Profiles in (Marketing) Courage	2010-05-01
4x16	419	Negative Advertising	2010-05-08
4x17	420	Opportunism	2010-05-15
4x18	421	A Few More Remarkable Brands	2010-05-22
4x19	422	Ask Terry Some More	2010-05-29
4x20	423	Looking For the Admen in Madmen	2010-06-05

Season 5

Ep #	Broadcast #	Episode Title	Broadcast Date
5x01	501	It's Not Easy Being Green: Green Marketing	2011-01-08
5x02	502	Luxury Advertising	2011-01-15
5x03	503	Candid Commercials: Real People in Advertising	2011-01-22
5x04	504	Caution: Speed Bumps. The Magical Ingredient in Marketing	2011-01-29
5x05	505	Marketing Pioneers	2011-02-05
5x06	506	Even More Remarkable Brands	2011-02-12
4x01	507	Marketing the Unpleasant	2011-02-19
5x07	508	AOP Goes to the Movies	2011-02-26
5x08	509	The Commercials You Grew Up With	2011-02-02
5x09	510	Burn The Boats: Brands That Risked and Won	2011-03-12
4x03	511	Pitchmen	2011-03-19
5x10	512	Mad Women: The Great Women of Advertising	2011-03-26
5x11	513	Dynamic Duos: The Famous Partnerships in Advertising	2011-04-02
5x12	514	Three Foot Marketing: The Battleground In-Store	2011-04-09
4x10	515	All Things Being Equal: The Fascinating World of Parity Products	2011-04-15
5x13	516	The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented the Housewife (Part One)	2011-04-22
5x14	517	The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented the Housewife (Part Two)	2011-04-30
5x15	518	Genericide: When a Brand Becomes Generic	2011-05-06
4x17	519	Opportunism	2011-05-13
5x16	520	The Sound of Persuasion	2011-05-21
5x17	521	Ageism in Advertising	2011-05-28
4x06	522	Slogans	2011-06-05
5x18	523	Terry's Book Club	2011-06-11
5x19	524	Diversity in Advertising	2011-06-18
5x20	525	Ask Terry Again	2011-06-25

Opening theme

The title theme, composed by Ari Posner and Ian LeFeuvre, consists of a series of ten sound clips from ads and speeches, played over the theme music. Static is heard between each clip, giving the impression of changing between stations on a radio. The title is announced in the middle of the clips. In each episode, one clip is different, similar to the couch gag in the opening to The Simpsons.

Theme lyrics

Season 1

Read. My. Lips. / This is the CBS News / I've fallen and I can't get up! / Don't be a square / The only thing we have to fear is... / (clip) / And now, Terry O'Reilly and The Age of Persuasion / Oh, the humanity! / Chops, dices, minces / Yeeeargh! / It's that simple.

Season 2

I want chicken, I want liver / "I wanna bottle of Coca-Cola!" "Sonny..." / That's a spicy meat-a-ball! / Hey, great, a toothpaste should fight cavities / I can't believe I ate that whole... / (clip) / And now, Terry O'Reilly and The Age of Persuasion / Ho, ho, ho / Hoo-hoo! / Mamma mia! / There you go again.

Season 3

I'm Barack Obama, and I approve this message / "Another cup of Maxwell House coffee, George?" "Sure, pour me a cup, Gracie!" / Hoo-wah! / "Hello, I'm a Mac," "And I'm a PC!" "Whooooo!" "Whoo!" / The only thing we have to fear is... / (clip) / And now, Terry O'Reilly and The Age of Persuasion / Bromo-Seltzer, Bromo-Seltzer, Bromo-Seltzer... / Got milk? / Don't leave home without it / Isn't that amazing?

Season 4

I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV / It's the fishing invention of the century / This is only a test / It's Patrick, he took out life insurance / I'm not only the Hair Club president, I'm also a client / The only thing we have to fear is... / (clip) / And now, Terry O'Reilly and The Age of Persuasion / Takes a licking and keeps on ticking / He likes it! Hey, Mikey! / Yes! We! Can!

Season 5

Hello, ladies / Tacos... fettuccine, linguine, martini, bikini / Wow, what's that aftershave you're wearing? / Cough suppressant as effective as codeine, but not narcotic / It'll keep your kids quiet for hours / Tonight's episode brought to you by / (clip) / And now, Terry O'Reilly and The Age of Persuasion / We are not afraid to get mavericky in there / Ha-ha-ha-haaa / Thank you for your support.

Running gags

• In the opening theme, one sound clip is changed in each episode which, when following the previous clip, makes up a nonsense sentence. Depending on the season, the preceding clip is either Franklin D. Roosevelt's "The only thing we have to fear is..." (from his famous inauguration speech)(seasons 1, 3 & 4), a man saying, "I can't believe I ate that whole..." (from a commercial for Alka-Seltzer)(season 2), or an announcer saying "Tonight's episode brought to you by..." (season 5).
• When Terry sets up the premise for an episode in the form of a letter from a listener, there is usually a postscript confusing Terry with retired ice hockey player Joseph James Terrence "Terry" O'Reilly, who played as a right-winger for the Boston Bruins.
• Terry directly interacts with "Keith" (Ohman, the engineer), usually to get him to play a recording clip. On more than one occasion, Keith has been asked for a hammer, which is then used to destroy a piece of electronic equipment playing something especially irksome.
• When it is necessary to define a phrase or concept, the definition is usually delivered by Steve Gardner, over a clip of upbeat 1950s-style educational film music.
• After Terry makes a pun, he "puts a dollar in the Age of Persuasion pun jar", accompanied by the sound of change being dropped into a glass jar. Examples include Home Depot having "nailed down" its emotional hook and Beethoven being able to reject "overtures" from nobles.
• When Terry mentions an object with potentially injurious consequences, such as a Taser or a pneumatic nail gun, a sound effect of the device in action is played, followed by a man with a low-pitched voice quietly saying, "Ow."
• Throughout season 4, co-creator Mike Tennant appears on location in various settings, such as in the audience of a medicine show or as a shill in an auction.
• During the end credits, the announcer makes commentary on the people mentioned, the comments invariably being linked to the episode's theme. The announcer is the same woman for all seasons except Season 3, when she was replaced by a man (Mike Tennant) who began the credits by saying, "Say, folks..."

End Credits

(Seasons 1–4)

• Created and written by Terry O'Reilly and Mike Tennant
• Engineer, Keith Ohman
• Title music by Ari Posner and Ian Lefeuvre
• The Age of Persuasion is produced for CBC Radio by Pirate Radio & Television, Toronto

(Season 5)

• Written by Terry O'Reilly
• Engineer, Keith Ohman
• Title music by Ari Posner and Ian Lefeuvre
• Created by Terry O'Reilly and Mike Tennant
• The Age of Persuasion is produced by Pirate Toronto & New York

Awards

New York Festivals, World's Best Radio Programs & Promotions

AOP Goes to the Movies

• Business/Consumer Issues: Gold
• Best Writing: Silver

Speed Bumps

• Best Writing: Silver
• Business/Consumer Issues: Bronze

Grand Award: AOP Goes to the Movies

New York Festivals, World's Best Radio Programs & Promotions

The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented the Housewife

• Business/Consumer Issues: Gold

Luxury Advertising

• Best Writing: Silver

Grand Award: The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented the Housewife

External links

• Official Age of Persuasion podcast at the CBC, starting January 2011.
• Official CBC website for the show As of 28 July 2008 this contained streaming content of all the episodes in the series 3, as well as some earlier episodes.
• iTunes Podcast link
• Unofficial Age of Persuasion podcast at feedburner.com
• Unofficial Age of Persuasion podcast at castroller.com
• Terry O'Reilly's Webpage
• Mike Tennant's Webpage