Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly - Brand, James Brand

Episode Date: April 19, 2025

It was big news recently that Amazon is taking over creative control of the James Bond franchise. So this week, we look at how James Bond has been employed to pitch products over the years. From high-end watches, to beer, liquor and breakfast cereals, 007 has been busy. And even the Bond villains have been hawking products. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi there, Sydney O'Reilly here. We regret to inform you that the Rejection podcast is back for its sixth season, and Terry and I have some fun episodes to share with you this year. We'll be telling the stories of Yellowstone, Josh Allen, Bill Hader, Monty Python, Billie Holliday, and Canada's own Alanis Morissette. It's jagged little rejections this year on We Regret to Inform You. Hope you'll join us. You knew there were witnesses, but lips were sealed. You swept the city, driving closer to the truth, while curled up on the couch with your

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We're going to show you our big news to the Baker Start the car! Mamma Mia, that's a spicy meatball! What love doesn't conquer, Alka-Seltzer will. What a relief! You're under the influence of Terry O'Reilly. The James Bond franchise is changing hands for the first time in its storied history. Amazon MGM Studios is taking the creative reins. While Eon Productions remain co-owners, it has sold creative control to Amazon. Price tag?

$1 billion. Big changes are afoot. The last Bond picture, No Time to Die, talked a lot about DNA. So it made me think about the incredible Canadian DNA in the Bond franchise. To begin with, it is widely believed that author Ian Fleming based his James Bond character on a Canadian spy named William Stevenson. Codenamed Intrepid, Stevenson was born in Winnipeg

and was head of Allied Intelligence during World War II. He also established a secret commando training camp near Whitby, Ontario. Fleming trained there. Stevenson was suave, charming, and ruthless when required. He and Fleming became lifelong friends. The Bond film franchise was brought to life by two producers, Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman. Saltzman was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, raised in St. John, New Brunswick.

In the very first 1962 Bond movie, Dr. No, the actor who portrayed the diabolical Dr. No was Joseph Wiseman, who was born in Montreal. Bond's boss at British Secret Service headquarters was codenamed M. His assistant was Miss Moneypenny. She was originally portrayed by Lois Maxwell, a Kitchener Ontario native. She appeared in 14 Bond films. The movie from Russia with Love begins with a chess match between a Canadian and a Czechoslovakian. In Goldfinger, my favorite Bond movie, the film opens with

villain Oric Goldfinger cheating at cards with a man named Simmons. Simmons was played by Halifax-born Austin Willis, who would later host a show called This Is the Law on Canadian TV in the 70s. The role of American agent Felix Leiter in Goldfinger was played by Canadian Cease Glinder, who I would often see in our recording studios in the 90s. who I would often see in our recording studios in the 90s. In a scene with Pussy Galore and Bond on a small private plane, Bond asks her where they are. She says, 35,000 feet, flying southwest over Newfoundland.

The novel, on the other hand, ends with them crash landing in Newfoundland and canoodling under a parachute. and canoodling under a parachute. In the 1965 movie Thunderball, M assigns Bond to Canada. However, Bond politely asks to be reassigned to Nassau. And villain Ernst Blofeld travels around the world on a Canadian seaman's passport. In Fleming's novel, For Your Eyes Only,

Bond is sent to track down some bad guys working near the Quebec-Vermont border. 007 goes to Ottawa's RCMP headquarters to pick up a gun and aerial photos. In the film version, Toronto-born actress Toby Robbins played the ill-fated mother of Bond's love interest, Melina Havlok. The novel The Spy Who Loved Me is told in the first person by a French-Canadian heroine named Vivienne Michel. In the book, Bond tells her he has investigated specter activities in Toronto.

In the filmed version of that novel, the movie begins with Roger Moore skiing off a mountain peak and employing a Union Jack parachute. That sequence was filmed in Nunavut. In Moonraker, Bond is briefed about the disappearance of a space shuttle that was being transported atop a Boeing 747 and crashed in the Yukon. A Toronto-born actor named Shane Rimmer had small roles in four Bond films. He played an unnamed American launch controller in You Only Live Twice, the chief of security in Diamonds Are Forever, the captain of the nuclear submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me, and he dubbed the voice of an SIS agent who gets assassinated in Live and Let Die.

Canadian Paul Haggis was a co-screenwriter of the 2006 film Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace in 08. In that same movie, Bond discovers character Corrine Veneau is a secret Canuck. You're Canadian? You work in Canadian intelligence? Ottawa-born Roger Spottiswood directed Tomorrow Never Dies and our very own Katie Lang sings the end credit song in that movie. So when you add it all up, it's from Canada with love.

The world of marketing has had a long and lucrative relationship with James Bond. Not only is there massive product placement in each Bond film, but 007 himself has starred in many commercials pushing products. And it's not just Commander Bond, but Moneypenny, Q, and even Bond villains have all starred in commercials for everything from credit cards to breakfast cereal. When it comes to marketing, it's brand. James Brand. The Bond franchise is one of the most successful in movie history. The 25 official Bond films to date have moon raked in over $7 billion worldwide, with Skyfall

taking in the biggest haul. The franchise has been going strong since Dr. No in 1962. Only one other film franchise has lasted longer and that is Godzilla, which began in 1954. The Japanese have made 30 Godzilla movies and counting, but nobody does it better than Bond. Six different actors have portrayed the secret agent on the big screen. Seven, if you count David Niven in that kooky mid-60s casino royale comedy. And each of them has brought a different attitude to 007.

The appeal of James Bond seems to be universal. Suave, well-dressed, witty and lethal. Women want to be with Bond. Men want to be Bond. That appeal wasn't lost on advertisers. The first Bond was Sean Connery. He's the best Bond. You can fight me on that later.

Connery's portrayal was the blueprint for all 007s. While Connery didn't make a lot of commercials during his Bond years, he did do an interesting one for a car company in 2006. The commercial begins with a Citroen driving along a windy road in Europe. The music is vaguely Bond-like, and lo and behold, it is a 76-year-old Sean Connery at the wheel. He's smiling as he enjoys the car's handling on the curves. As the car takes the next turn, the Connery we see is suddenly 20 years younger.

As the car navigates a winding ocean side road, Connery has become even younger. Now he looks like a Diamonds Are Forever 40ish Connery. When the car finally pulls in front of a luxury hotel, Connery is suddenly goldfinger-era Bond early 30s. The doorman says, Translation, Mr. Sean Connery, you've changed. To which Connery replies, It's the car. The announcer says,

Rediscover your feelings. You wouldn't believe what Citroen can do for you. It was an interesting play on James Bond without having to reference Bond directly. Connery just Benjamin buttoned back to his Bond glory days. ["Glory Days"] Even though Connery didn't do any James Bond endorsements back in the 60s, it didn't mean Bond wasn't used to sell merchandise. Here's an ad from 1965 selling James Bond raincoats.

This is the raincoat they styled for Bond. Styled for Bond by Burton. Our Bond is being pursued by gun-toting villains. Exclusive raincoat, styled for Bond by Burton. Then a gorgeous woman drives up to save our man in the nick of time. The James Bond 007 raincoat, only at Burton. Here's a commercial from the same company that just makes me laugh. It's for James Bond

action slacks action slacks dialed for bond by Burton again James is running his slacks off while dodging machine gunfire Thankfully a gorgeous woman drives up in an Aston Martin just in time to save Bond, and he and his slacks live to fight another day. Not only could you buy James Bond slacks, there was James Bond cologne. If you don't give your man 007, I will. Again Bond is escaping gunfire and, you guessed it, a gorgeous woman drives up in a Jag to save him. If your man lives for excitement, give him 007.

There's a 007 gift set for every assignment. This one packs the full line, including 007 aftershave, hairdressing, and cologne. That's 007 for the license to kill women. When you use 007, be kind. That is one weird tagline. There was also Avon fragrances for Bond women. Impossible to resist. Introducing the Bond Girl 007 fragrance, exclusively for Avon.

When Connery decided to leave the Bond role in 1969 because producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman wouldn't meet his salary demands, a new Bond was hired, an Australian named George Lazenby. He starred in just one film titled On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Lazenby was an ex-car salesman and male model. He had done one commercial for a chocolate bar called Turkish Delight and had no dialogue in it. Big fry.

Here comes big fry with exotic big fry Turkish Delight. Albert Broccoli saw that commercial and invited Lazenby to come to his office. Lazenby told Broccoli he had acted in Australian movies. That got him a screen test with the director along with producers Broccoli and Saltzman. Right after the screen test, Lazenby confessed to the director that he had actually never acted in a film before.

The director said, well, you just strolled in here and managed to fool two of the most ruthless bastards in the business. You are an actor. After he had filmed the movie, Lazenby starred in a commercial as James Bond for Sony. Here he arrives at headquarters to be shown new gadgets by Q. Sir, it's about time you're here. Another late night, I presume? Well, let's get started. The first thing we have for your assignment

is this micro-cassette tape recorder. Genius. Did you design this, sir? Well, no, actually. It's a Sony. Next is this radio with 32 worldwide bands can tune in just about any place. Go with me.

Who gets the credit for this one. This is a Sony too. You'll also need this ultra compact portable video camera and we're going to mount this five inch color TV in your car along with this Beta Max deck for playback. Remarkable. Yes, they're Sony also. Excuse me sir, but did you just walk into a store and buy these? Well, yeah.

Well, keep up the good work, sir, but did you just walk into a store and buy these? Well, uh... Yeah. Well, keep up the good work, sir. Tagline? If it's a little extraordinary, it's a Sony. That's a funny idea. Connery walked away again after Diamonds Are Forever in 1971. Enter Roger Moore in 73. He brought broader comedy to the role.

He was less dangerous, shall we say. That could explain the James Bond commercial he did for milk. The commercial begins with milk being poured into a glass in slow motion, while the classic Bond theme music plays. Next, words on the screen say, Roger Moore as James Bond 007 in Ian Fleming's Moonraker. Suddenly we see James Bond fighting a villain in an airplane, and Bond knocks the bad guy out an open door. Then for some reason we see behind the scenes.

The director is drinking milk, the cameraman is drinking milk and Roger Moore, aka James Bond, is throwing back a big glass of milk. Milk is supreme. Supremely Bond. When we come back, Pierce Brosnan takes the wheel. New Brunswick would like to borrow your five senses for a moment.

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when you sign up for a free 30-day trial at audible.ca. I used to say I just feel stuck, but then I discovered lifelong learning. It gave me the skills to move up, gain an edge, and prepare for what's next, the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. Lifelong learning to stay forever unstuck. Timothy Dalton played Bond in two films and did commercials for Lark cigarettes. When Pierce Brosnan took over in 1995, he wasn't the only big change.

This Bond ditched his famous Aston Martin DB5. Heresy. Brosnan appeared as Bond in a commercial for his new wheels. As the ad begins, various people are reading a classified ad for a certain car that is for sale. This is it. Sport coupe with bulletproof glass. Ejector seat. Rocket launcher.

Champagne cooler. Radar screen. Side winder missiles. One-homer. Wonder what... Champagne cooler. Radar screen. So I've warned the missiles. One owner. Wonder what... I don't blow it. We'll be selling a car like that. The name's Bond. James Bond.

I wonder what he's getting instead. C007's new BMW in GoldenEye. See, your dealer about a BMW of your own. With a few exceptions like Lazenby and Dalton, most bonds do four or five films before they age out. Can't have a bond limping around with a bad hip and a bald spot. In 2006, the baton was handed to a new Bond. He was controversial because Daniel Craig was the first blonde Bond. Heresy. I once met director Martin Campbell. He has the distinction of directing Pierce Brosnan's first Bond film and Daniel Craig's first Bond film. That means he had to cast a new Bond twice.

I asked him what a Bond screen test was like. Interestingly, he said they always use the same scene from the film from Russia with love to test bonds. This one scene, said Campbell, contained all the essential Bond ingredients. In this particular sequence, Bond enters his dark hotel room, immediately suspects he is not alone, he takes out his revolver, silently climbs out the window, walks along the ledge, and climbs back through another window into the bathroom, check, where he pulls back a curtain to discover a girl in his bathtub, check.

Then Bond does what he always does, check. If you can pull that scene off with lethal style, you too can be James Bond. Daniel Craig did more commercials than any other James Bond. But that makes sense as we are in an era of Uber marketing. Craig did ads for high end watches, cars, alcohol, and British tourism. And who could forget when he jumped out of a helicopter with Her Majesty the Queen

during the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Craig's Bond also brought another huge change. Instead of a martini shaken not stirred, Craig's Bond liked to enjoy a cold Heineken. Heresy. Heineken has been a major sponsor of Bond films for 20 years, over eight films. Daniel Craig's last turn as James Bond, No Time to Die, was postponed three times because of the pandemic.

So, Heineken created a commercial poking fun at those delays. Craig, aka Bond, sits alone at a bar and slowly pours a Heineken into a glass. He takes a long sip and says, What was the waiter? Words on the screen say, No time to die in cinemas September 30th. It was Craig's ninth ad for Heineken. He even did a commercial for Heineken's alcohol-free beer.

A dry spy. Heresy. When we return, the Bond Villains pitch products. but lips were sealed. You swept the city, driving closer to the truth, while curled up on the couch with your cat. There's more to imagine when you listen. Discover heart-pounding thrillers on Audible. 007 wasn't the only Bond character to make commercials. Moneypenny made an ad for Visa, and Q has promoted Heineken, Schweppes, and PlayStation. Even Bond villains have made commercials. Richard Keele, who played the

steel-toothed villain Jaws in two Bond films, did a commercial for shredded wheat. In the ad, the seven-foot tall Keele sits down at a restaurant and shocks a nearby family by eating a fork, a plate, and two pieces of shredded wheat. But he can't eat three because they're just too big. No, two's quite enough for me, thank you. With 100% whole wheat nourishment packed into shredded wheat, who can eat more than two? Charles Gray played a British operative assisting bond in the film You Only Live Twice.

Four years later, he played for the other team, portraying arch-villain Ernst Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever. Gray actually voiced a commercial for a cosmetic called Double O Colors in 1963. Little did he know it was an audition for a role he would land eight years later. Are you brave enough to wear angel face 00 colors?

The sheer murder, shameless, passionate colors that stay soft, smooth all day. Tomorrow, wear 007, the most ruthless pink. 00 colors by Angel Faze. In the movie, The Spy Who Loved Me, the fiendish villain is played by actor Curd Juergens. He stayed in character later and tried to blow up the Energizer Bunny. Oh, Mr. Energizer Bunny, out for a stroll. Heh, heh, heh.

I'm matter desalificator. We'll put an end to your precious little source of power. Your hippity-hoppity days are over. Then he presses a big red button to aim a lethal laser at the bunny, but his entire system suddenly malfunctions. at the bunny, but his entire system suddenly malfunctions. He pulls open a compartment and discovers his system is powered by inferior no-name batteries. Still going, nothing outlasts the Energizer battery. It keeps going.

In 1973, Paul McCartney was asked to write the theme song to the latest Bond film. He reunited with George Martin to produce Live and Let Die. In the film, Bond is chasing Smirsch operative Dr. Big, whose henchman is Voodoo master Baron Samady, played by actor Jeffrey Holder. While Holder didn't stay in character for subsequent commercials, he did become famous for doing a long series of 7-Up Uncola ads. You have made 7-Up number one. The people have spoken and the choice is clear. cola ads. Here's something I bet you didn't know.

There was one Bond villain, or should I say Bond nemesis, that was inspired by a Dodge commercial. It's true. Dodge created a TV ad in 1970 to advertise its new muscle car, the Challenger. In the commercial, a small town Southern sheriff pulls over a driver for operating a race car on city streets.

The driver protests, saying it isn't a race car. But the sheriff points out features of the Challenger that prove otherwise. Hey, boy, out the car. What's wrong, officer? You're in a lot of trouble, boy. Violation city orders, 11 dash 14. I bring the racing tires vehicle.

They tried to say limits. Oh, officer, this is the new Dodge Challenger RT. It's not a racer. Hey, now. Look at the tires, young boy. Optional polyglass GTs. Racing tires. What's your name, boy?

Racing stripes. I suppose that's a reconverted lawn mower motor. Optional 440 Magnum V8. Now look, boy, I know a race car when I see one. If you can handle the way people react to your 1970 Dodge Challenger, you could be Dodge material. That character became so popular, Dodge did an entire series of commercials with the sheriff.

He even did a traffic safety P.S.A. with then Governor Ronald Reagan. PSA with then Governor Ronald Reagan. That sheriff eventually inspired Sheriff J.W. Pepper in Live and Let Die. You got a set of wheels, you just won't quit, boy. If there's yours, that is, huh? Spin around, boy. Ten fingers on the fender. Sheriff Pepper somehow managed to show up again, this time in Thailand in The Man with the Golden Gun. Proving you do live twice.

As mentioned at the top of the show, Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, children of Albert Broccoli, have sold Control of the Bond franchise to Amazon. It's the first time in the history of the series that Control hasn't been in the hands of a family member. When he passed the torch to his daughter Barbara, Albert Broccoli gave her some sage advice. He said, don't let temporary people make permanent decisions. Amazon is a corporation, so executives will come and go. And Amazon will be making its first major decision, picking the next Bond. It should be interesting.

There has always been a lot of marketing swirling around Bond. It should be interesting. There has always been a lot of marketing swirling around Bond. Not only the massive product placement, but the use of Bond as a vehicle for promoting products outside the confines of the movies. Amazon is all about commerce, and it didn't purchase the Bond library because it relishes the box office potential. and it didn't purchase the Bond library because it relishes the box office potential, it eyes a much bigger prize. World domination. Same old dream. Correction, Mr. Bond. Marketing domination.

If you take the world's most successful film franchise and plug it directly into the world's largest shopping site, well, it's going to be a skyfall windfall. James Bond may have a license to kill, but it's Amazon that has a license to print money when you're under the influence. I'm Terry O'Reilly, Q. Jeff Devine, under the influence theme by the Casey Pick, Jeremiah Pick, and James Aitin Orchestra. Tunage provided by APM Music. Tale Me at Terry O Influence.

This podcast is powered by Acast. Did you know you can now listen to our podcasts on YouTube? Just search Apostrophe Podcast Network. See you next week. Fun fact. Hi, this is John from Chicago. James Bond actually got married in the film on Her Majesty's Secret Service,

but his wife was killed on their honeymoon by his archenemy Blofeld. You sailed beyond the horizon in search of an island scrubbed from every map. You battled Krakens and navigated through storms. Your spade struck the lid of a long-lost treasure chest. While you cooked a lasagna. There's more to imagine when you listen. Discover best-selling adventure stories on Audible. I used to say, I just feel stuck.

Stuck where I don't want to be. Stuck trying to get to where I really need to be. But then I discovered lifelong learning. Learning that gave me the skills to move up, move beyond, gain that edge, drive my curiosity, prepare me for what is inevitably next. The University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, lifelong learning to stay forever unstuck. ACAS powers the world's best podcasts. Here's a show that we recommend.

Have you ever finished a book and just needed to talk about it immediately or wanted to know the wildest research an author has done for a book or even what Booktalk books are actually worth your time? Hi, I'm Morgan Book. Yes, that is actually my last name. And this is Off the Shelf, my new podcast that covers everything related to books. Each Thursday I chat with other bookworms and authors or sometimes it's just me rambling about my latest book obsession. From book to screen updates to hot takes on new releases and of course our monthly book

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