The Age of Persuasion explained

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[1] 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.[2] 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".[3]

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 TitleBroadcast Date
1x01Clutter2006-09-07
1x02The Language of Persuasion2006-09-14
1x03Rinse and Repeat2006-09-21
1x04Yoots - Youth Marketing2006-09-28
1x05The Lesson of Clark Gable's Undershirt2006-10-05
1x06The Long and Short of It2006-10-12
1x07Breaking the Contract2006-10-19
1x08The Rise and Fall and Rise of Branded Entertainment2006-10-26
1x09The Human Face of Persuasion2006-11-02
1x10All the World's a Marketing Opportunity2006-11-09
1x11Walk 1.6 Kilometres in My Shoes2006-11-16
1x12Strange But True Tales of Market Research2006-11-23
1x13Love, Marriage and Sexual Tension2006-11-30
1x14Branding a Nation2006-12-07
1x15The Persuasive Power of Storytelling2007-01-15
1x16Protecting the Celebrity Brand2007-01-25
1x17Goin' to the Show: Super Bowl Ads2007-02-01
1x18A Sense of Persuasion2007-02-08
1x19Leaving Your Mark2007-02-15
1x20The YouTube RevolutionThe 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
1x21By Any Other Name2007-03-08
1x22Guerrillas in Our Midst2007-03-29
1x23Frontiers and Boundaries2007-04-05
1x24Reviving the Brand2007-04-12
1x25It's the Insight, Stupid!2007-04-19
1x26Award in Edgewise2007-04-26
1x27The Wall of Cynicism2007-05-31
1x28The Future of Persuasion2007-06-14
1x29Do This or Die2007-06-21

Season 2

Ep #Broadcast #Episode TitleBroadcast Date
2x01201There's Never a Marques of Queensbury Around When You Need One2008-01-12
2x02202The Sport of Persuasion2008-01-19
2x03203Old Media, New Media, Borrowed Media, Blue Media2008-01-26
2x04204Branding the News2008-02-02
1x22205Guerillas in our Midst2008-02-09
2x05206Everything I Need to Know About Life I Learned from Agency Pitches2008-02-16
1x19207Leaving Your Mark2008-02-23
2x0620823 things I'd Like to Change About Advertising2008-03-01
1x24209Reviving the Brand2008-03-08
2x07210The Trouble with Big2008-03-15
2x08211Royal Jelly2008-03-22
2x09212Advertisers as Censors2008-03-29
1x26213Award in Edgewise2008-04-05
2x10214Crowd Control2008-04-12
2x11215The Strategy of PersuasionThe importance of a strategy in advertising.2008-04-19
2x12216In Defence of AdvertisingTerry O'Reilly defends advertising, arguing that an advertisement-free world would not be as nice as some people might think.2008-04-26
1x25217It's the Insight, Stupid!The importance of an insight in modern persuasion.2008-05-03
2x13218EmotionWhy the best advertisers win customers through the heart, not with facts.2008-05-10
2x14219The Myth of Mass MarketingAn examination of the myth of "mass marketing" and the effectiveness of one-on-one selling.2008-05-17
2x15220Selling WarHow advertising has been used (and is still being used) to recruit soldiers and create support for wars.2008-05-24
1x23221Frontiers and BoundariesAn 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
2x16222Advertising as the New Sugar DaddyA short history of sponsorship in advertising.2008-06-07
2x17223Persuasion in the NichesHow (and why) the one-size-fits-all mass marketing is being replaced with marketing targeted at smaller market niches.2008-06-14
2x18224Six Remarkable BrandsExamples 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[4]

Ep #Broadcast #Episode TitleBroadcast Date
3x01301A Taste for Blood: Direct Marketing2009-01-05
3x02302Recession Marketing2009-01-12
3x03303Nasty is the New Nice2009-01-19
3x04304Rethink the Shark2009-01-26
3x05305According to Hoyle2009-02-02
1x09306The Human Face of Persuasion2009-02-07
1x07307Breaking the Contract2009-02-14
3x06308Commandeering Holidays2009-02-19
3x07309Great Canadian Campaigns2009-03-07
3x08310Repetition Repetition Repetition2009-03-09
3x09311Sun Tzu and the Art of... Persuasion2009-03-16
3x01312A Taste for Blood: Direct Marketing2009-03-23
3x10313Selling God2009-03-30
3x11314Brand Loyalty2009-04-06
3x12315Big and Small2009-04-13
3x02316Recession Marketing2009-04-20
3x13317The Real Deal: Authenticity2009-04-27
3x14318The Myths of Persuasion2009-05-04
3x15319Marketing the Invisible2009-05-11
3x07320Great Canadian Campaigns2009-05-18
3x16321Entertainment or Nothing2009-05-25
3x17322The Museum of Persuasion2009-06-01
3x18323Urban Legends2009-06-08
3x19324Embracing New Media2009-06-15
3x20325Ask Terry (2009)2009-06-22

Season 4

Ep #Broadcast #Episode TitleBroadcast Date
4x01401Marketing the Unpleasant2010-01-02
4x02402Buzz2010-01-09
4x03403Pitchmen2010-01-16
4x04404Heroes & Villains2010-01-23
4x05405Persuasion Fail2010-01-30
4x06406Slogans2010-02-06
4x07407Categories2010-02-13
4x08408Are People Idiots?2010-02-20
4x09409Being There: Selling Experiences2010-02-27
4x01410Marketing the Unpleasant2010-03-06
4x10411All Things Being Equal: Parity Products2010-03-13
4x11412Context2010-03-20
4x02413Buzz2010-03-27
4x12414Oddballs: Singular Campaigns2010-04-03
4x13415Privacy2010-04-10
4x03416Pitchmen2010-04-17
4x14417Where Power Resides2010-04-24
4x15418Profiles in (Marketing) Courage2010-05-01
4x16419Negative Advertising2010-05-08
4x17420Opportunism2010-05-15
4x18421A Few More Remarkable Brands2010-05-22
4x19422Ask Terry Some More2010-05-29
4x20423Looking For the Admen in Madmen[5] 2010-06-05

Season 5

Ep #Broadcast #Episode TitleBroadcast Date
5x01501It's Not Easy Being Green: Green Marketing2011-01-08
5x02502Luxury Advertising2011-01-15
5x03503Candid Commercials: Real People in Advertising2011-01-22
5x04504Caution: Speed Bumps. The Magical Ingredient in Marketing2011-01-29
5x05505Marketing Pioneers2011-02-05
5x06506Even More Remarkable Brands2011-02-12
4x01507Marketing the Unpleasant2011-02-19
5x07508AOP Goes to the Movies2011-02-26
5x08509The Commercials You Grew Up With2011-02-02
5x09510Burn The Boats: Brands That Risked and Won2011-03-12
4x03511Pitchmen2011-03-19
5x10512Mad Women: The Great Women of Advertising2011-03-26
5x11513Dynamic Duos: The Famous Partnerships in Advertising2011-04-02
5x12514Three Foot Marketing: The Battleground In-Store2011-04-09
4x10515All Things Being Equal: The Fascinating World of Parity Products2011-04-15
5x13516The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented the Housewife (Part One)2011-04-22
5x14517The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented the Housewife (Part Two)2011-04-30
5x15518Genericide: When a Brand Becomes Generic2011-05-06
4x17519Opportunism2011-05-13
5x16520The Sound of Persuasion2011-05-21
5x17521Ageism in Advertising2011-05-28
4x06522Slogans2011-06-05
5x18523Terry's Book Club2011-06-11
5x19524Diversity in Advertising2011-06-18
5x20525Ask Terry Again2011-06-25

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 5

Running gags

End Credits

(Seasons 1–4)

(Season 5)

Awards

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

AOP Goes to the Movies

Speed Bumps

Grand Award: AOP Goes to the Movies

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

The Happy Homemaker: How Advertising Invented the Housewife

Luxury Advertising

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

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.cbc.ca/ageofpersuasion/blog/2010/12/24/the-age-of-persuasion-has-a-huge-announcement/ Age of Persuasion blog 24 Dec 2010 The Age of Persuasion has some BIG news
  2. Web site: Tweet from Terry O'Reilly: "Back Jan. 7th RT @DetectedTachyon: @AgeOfPersuasion Hey Terry, when do you get back on the air with AoP?". Twitter. Terry. O'Reilly. 2011-11-21. 2011-12-12.
  3. Web site: Welcome to a Brand New Radio Show. Terry. O'Reilly. 2011-12-12.
  4. http://www.cbc.ca/ageofpersuasion/ The Age of Persuasion at CBC Radio
  5. Names for episodes taken from Mike Tennant's Age of Persuasion FAQ, updated 30 March 2010

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