Under the influence | Radio distribution

Terry O’Reilly was pulled from Romper Room to be in a TV commercial in 1963. He delivered a line, making the director laugh. The line remained in the ad and Terry’s fate was sealed.

After college, he sent 60 resumes to 60 advertising agencies looking for a writing job. He received 61 rejection letters. Finally, an advertising agency took a chance and discovered that he had a knack for writing ads that made people laugh while convincing them to buy products.

In 1990, Terry co-founded Pirate Radio & Television, a production company with eight recording studios in Toronto and New York.

He won several hundred awards and directed such notable actors as Alec Baldwin, Ellen DeGeneres, Bob Newhart and Martin Short… and the advertising industry that tried to reject him 61 times gave Terry three lifetime awards. He also has three honorary doctorates.

His CBC radio show, UNDER THE INFLUENCE, attracts over a million listeners a week. The New York Radio Festival named it the best radio program two years in a row, a Globe & Mail study named it the most listened to Canadian podcast, and iTunes also named it one of its best podcasts.

Each week, with his trademark humor, Terry takes listeners on a unique journey, revealing the hidden insights behind persuasion and marketing.

He has written two books – his most recent, This I Know: Marketing Lessons From Under The Influence, is a national bestseller.

He has a wonderful wife and three wonderful daughters who enjoy some of his work.