An encore episode of Under The Influence.... one of our favourites.

This week, I ask a dozen of the top creative directors in the advertising business to tell me the best “demonstration commercials” they have ever seen.

Because there is nothing more powerful than a dramatic product demonstration.

We’ll talk about a famous Krazy Glue commercial.

And a Volvo ad where the ad writer risked his life to demonstrate a point.

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This week, we open the show up to our listeners, and answer your very interesting questions.

Ever wonder why gas station prices always include decimal points? Well, we’ll tell you why.

We’ll listen to some memorable commercials starring kids, and play “Where are they now.”

And we’ll talk about a famous luxury brand that is owned by a charity. And it will surprise you.

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This week, we look at the level of advertising creativity north of the border.

We’ll talk about a campaign that used real “sleep talking” to sell mattresses.

We’ll explore a remarkable idea that transformed the annual migration of penguins into a protest march.

And we’ll look at a campaign that convinced people to donate to a cause that started 45 years ago, but had faded from memory.

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This week, we look at a humble marketing tool.

The Flexi Disc.

These razor-thin, flexible vinyl records had poor sound quality, but they helped sell cars, hit songs, chewing gum, soap operas and even Beatle records.

And in one case, a family won a million dollars with a flexi, and it nearly destroyed them.

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This week, we pay tribute to one of the greatest commercial directors in the ad business.

You may not know the late Joe Sedelmaier by name, but you certainly know his work.

He directed the famous “Fast Talking Man” ad for FedEx and a landmark commercial for Wendy’s that contained the line “Where’s the beef?”

I did several commercials with Sedelmaier, and he kicked me off the set of my own commercial once. 

It’s a great story.

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This encore episode of Under The Influence is one of our favourites of 2026.

Lately, companies have been hijacking breaking news stories to create ads.

When thieves broke into the Louvre with a ladder, the ladder company quickly produced a tongue-in-cheek ad.

When the Oscars read the wrong Best Picture winner, an optometry chain made fun of the mix-up.

It’s called Newsjacking – and it’s becoming a powerful marketing tactic.

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This week, it’s our annual Bookmarks episode.

We read a lot of books to research this show. And this episode is dedicated to the great stories that didn’t fit into our regular season.

We’ll talk about the importance of numbers in marketing, and a hilarious tale about expense reports.

And we’ll tell a story about a doctor who was drummed out of the medical establishment all because he insisted doctors wash their hands.

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We're dropping an interview I recently did with Dr. Brian Goldman, host of White Coat, Black Art, an excellent CBC radio show and podcast into our feed. We're chatting about hospital advertising. And because they rely on fundraising, we discuss how effective hospital advertising is.

We thought you might find this topic interesting.

Enjoy.

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It’s part two of our episode that revisits the very first commercials ever produced for famous products.

From the very first commercial for something called the Big Mac, to the first TV ad for a new doll called Barbie, we take a trip back in time. 

Including the very first commercials starring a couple of struggling actors who would go on to win Academy Awards. 

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This week, we take a look at marketing firsts.

Specifically, the very first commercials ever produced for famous products and companies.

From the debut of the Jolly Green Giant, to the first AIDS PSAs, to the very first pharmaceutical ad, all the way to the first iPhone commercial, we say hello to these products and issues for the very first time.

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This week, we talk about spectacular landmarks built by visionary entrepreneurs.

These magnificent buildings stand in Toronto, New York and Chicago.

They are all very different in design, built in different eras, but they share one thing in common.

They are all named after famous brands.

And it’s easy to forget that.

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