Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly - S1E19 - Brand Envy 2012

Episode Date: May 12, 2012

This is my annual celebration of the brands I envy. They aren't necessarily the most hip or most current, or even the number one brand in their category. As a matter of fact, a "brand" by my definition doesn't even have to be a product or service, it could be a location, a person or an animal. But they must be unique, they must be revolutionary or counter-intuitive, and they must have survived. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hi, it's Terry O'Reilly. As you may know, we've been producing a lot of bonus episodes while under the influences on hiatus. They're called the Beatleology Interviews, where I talk to people who knew the Beatles, work with them, love them, and the authors who write about them. Well, the Beatleology Interviews have become a hit, so we are spinning it out to be a standalone podcast series. You've already heard conversations with people like actors Mark Hamill, Malcolm McDowell, and Beatles confidant Astrid Kershaw. But coming up, I talk to May Pang, who dated John Lennon in the mid-70s. I talk to double fantasy guitarist Earl Slick, Apple Records creative director John Kosh. I'll be talking to Jan Hayworth,

who designed the Sgt. Pepper album cover. Very cool. And I'll talk to singer Dion, who is one of only five people still alive who were on the Sgt. Pepper cover. And two of those people were Beatles. The stories they tell are amazing. So thank you for making this series such a success. And please do me a favor, follow the Beatleology interviews on your podcast app. You don't even have to be a huge Beatles fan. You just have to love storytelling. Subscribe now and don't miss a single beat. new year new me season is here and honestly we're already over it enter felix the health care company helping canadians take a different approach to weight loss this year weight loss is more than just diet and exercise it can be about tackling genetics hormones metabolism felix

gets it they connect you with licensed healthcare practitioners online who'll create a personalized treatment plan that pairs your healthy lifestyle with a little help and a little extra support. Start your visit today at felix.ca. That's F-E-L-I-X dot C-A. From the Under the Influence digital box set, this episode is from Season 1, 2012. Your teeth look whiter than no, no, no You're not you when you're hungry You're in good hands with us You're under the influence with Terry O'Reilly. I am Mr. Hollister, the manager. May I help you?

Edward Lewis. Ah, yes, sir. You see this young lady over there? Yes. Do you have anything in this shop as beautiful as she is? Oh, yes. Oh, no. No, no, no. I'm saying we have many things as beautiful as she would want them to be.

That's the point I was getting at. And I think we can all agree with that. That's why when you came in here... You know what we're going to need here? We're going to need a few more people helping us out. I'll tell you why. We're going to be spending an obscene amount of money in here. So we're going to need a lot more help sucking up to us because that's what we really like.

Sir, if I may say so, you're in the right store and the right city. The street is only three blocks long. It has been called the most outlandish street of retailers in America. But the mere mention of its name conjures up immediate images of expensive clothes, Rolls Royces, and celebrities. It is Rodeo Drive. It is anchored at one end by the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Built in 1928, when Rodeo Drive was little more than a bean field, the Beverly Wilshire has hosted the creme de la creme of the jet set.

Nancy Sinatra threw a 50th birthday party for her father there. Prince Charles and Lady Diana were guests. Warren Beatty, John Lennon and Elvis all lived there for months at a time. The shopping area of Rodeo Drive is primarily three blocks straight north from the hotel. One of the street's most famous clothing stores is Giorgio. People magazine once estimated that 10% of the gowns worn at the Academy Awards

come from Giorgio. The store is familiar by its trademark yellow and white awnings. Big spenders get free delivery in a vintage Rolls Royce. And every 20 seconds, an atomizer spritzes Giorgio's $150 an ounce perfume out onto the sidewalk. In the 1950s and 60s, Rodeo Drive was Beverly Hills' main shopping district, but it was unknown outside Hollywood. But in the 70s, exclusive brands like Gucci and Cartier opened up locations there, and other blockbuster labels followed.

There's a reason why it's called Rodeo Drive and not Rodeo Drive, by the way. The Tongva were the region's indigenous people, and they considered the area to be a holy site because it offered one precious commodity in the desert. Water. They called it the gathering of the waters. The Spanish Europeans who settled the area translated that to be El Rodeo de la Agua.

The street retains that Spanish pronunciation to this day. Rodeo Drive is more than just a street. It's a brand. The definition of a brand is an idea that has been attached to a product or place

that has acquired a secondary meaning. When you hear the words Rodeo Drive, you don't think of a thoroughfare. You immediately think of wealth, exclusive shops, and celebrities. That is the imagery that makes Rodeo Drive so famous. It is an amazing brand. This is my annual look at brands I admire. They could be on my list because of their power, or because they revolutionized our lives,

or maybe just because they've survived. They aren't necessarily hip, or current, or even number one in their category. A brand, by my definition, doesn't have to be a product you can hold in your hand. It could be a person, an animal, or even a city street

like Rodeo. I only have one real criterion. Whatever it is, it has to give me brand envy. You're under the influence. When America was being settled in the mid-1800s, one image dominated the landscape. The covered wagon.

Thousands of people loaded all their belongings into the wagons and crossed the country in search of a new life those covered wagons still exist except today they're called you halls discharged from the Navy in 1945 29 year old Samen tried to rent a utility trailer so he and his wife, Anna Mary, could move their possessions from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon. But they had no luck. No one rented trailers for moving. The closest they could find were small luggage-type trailers

that could be rented in Los Angeles, but you could only use them locally. As Sam later said, no one, at that time, seemed ready or willing to serve that need. The Shones figured there were a lot of families like them that needed a short-term trailer rental that could be rented here and left there.

So they drove north to Portland with only what they could fit into their 1937 Ford. During the drive they rolled the idea of a new business around in their heads. They came up with a name, U-Haul, and outlined the business model of what would become the U-Haul trailer rental system. Within two weeks of arriving in Portland the the U-Haul trailer rental system. Within two weeks of arriving in Portland, the first U-Haul trailer was parked on a gas station lot and offered for rent. By the end of that first year, in 1945, the Shones had 30 4-by-7-foot open trailers available for rent

in Portland, Vancouver, and Seattle, Washington. Sam and Anna Shone were also good marketers. Not only had they recognized a business opportunity, but they instinctively knew how to create an image for their company. First, the trailers were painted a bright orange. Second, they used the trailers as moving ads. Messages like one-way rentals and two dollars per day were splashed across the units for all to see as the trailers roamed the highways of the

nation. And third, the business model was unique as well. The trailers were all rented from gas stations and a commission system for dealers was set up. U-Haul wasn't an overnight success. The early trailers were built from the frames of scrapped automobiles and broke down repeatedly. But, like all great entrepreneurs, Sam and Anna Schoen were convinced their business was viable. Even though they went broke a few years after starting it. So, they moved in with Anna's parents to cut expenses and didn't give up. Soon, Sam was able to obtain war surplus steel from a Navy yard, and the trailers improved.

By the end of 1949, with perseverance and a belief in their vision, the Schoens had established a U-Haul network right across the United States and, by 1955, right across Canada. Four years later, the U-Haul fleet consisted of over 42,000 trailers. Today, U-Haul has close to 16,000 locations and has become the leader in the do-it-yourself moving industry. I admire the U-Haul brand for several reasons. First and foremost, because it has survived for nearly 70 years. It has a unique business model

and its basic product and service has been consistent. It's smart enough to advertise its services on all trucks and trailers as they crisscross every highway in North America. And it still offers an affordable price in a much-needed service. I've rented U-Hauls to move my family many times in our early years, and now I rent them to move my daughters as they go off to university. A few weeks ago I was driving with my wife on the highway, and we were in a long line of slow-moving traffic. Suddenly, we could see the holdup 20 vehicles ahead. It was a car pulling a trailer.

Oh, it's a U-Haul, my wife said, as the sun caught its orange paint. And that immediate familiarity is the sign of a great brand. Malcolm Gladwell once noted the one trait all great entrepreneurs share in common isn't an appetite for risk.

It's the ability to spot a sure thing. And what an opportunity Sam and Anna Schoen saw. One out of five people move every year. The average person moves 11 times in their life. Three quarters of all movers

are do-it-yourselfers. And if you added up the annual mileage of North American U-Haul trucks and trailers, it would be enough to travel around the Earth 194 times a day, every day of the year. And we'll be right back. If you're enjoying this episode, why not dip into our archives,

available wherever you download your pods. Go to terryoreilly.ca for a master episode list. I bet, over the years, a lot of those U-Haul trailers traveled to Nashville, Tennessee. Thousands have headed there in search of fame and fortune as Nashville is the Mecca for country music but I've often wondered why Nashville became the country music capital of the world why is it branded as Music City why Nashville well as it is with many things, it all started with marketing. It's grand old opry time! Allie, all your friends and neighbors,

come to the friends of the poor. You love to find friends and go, make out your fill and your ball. In the early 1900s, there was a business in Nashville called the National Life and Accident Insurance Company. National Life, as it was called, was doing well, and it needed to invest

some money from all the premiums it was collecting. The company looked at their options and decided to start a radio station, since radio was the hot new thing in the 1920s. More importantly, it would be a way to advertise its services. So in 1925, National Life started 650 AM, calling it WSM, which stood

for its motto, We Shield Millions. It played jazz, classical, and gospel music. About the only thing it didn't play was country. One day Uncle Jimmy Thompson, a 77 year old championship fiddler, made an impromptu debut on WSM, playing old-time fiddle tunes for over an hour. Hello folks, this is old Uncle Jimmy Thompson. I'm going to play you a fine quadrille on the fourth day of August in 1866. That's a long time. How old are you, Uncle Jimmy?

Eighty-two. The listener response was overwhelming and it prompted the station director, George D. Hay, to schedule a regular Saturday night show of down-home country music. He named the show The Barn Dance. Some of the regular bands in the early days

included the Possum Hunters, the Binkley Brothers' Dixie Clawhoppers and the Gully Jumpers. In 1927, the phrase Grand Ole Opry was uttered by Hay for the first time. That night, Barn Dance followed the NBC

Network's Music Appreciation Hour, which featured classical music selections from the Grand Opera. It prompted George Hay to say, For the past hour, we've been listening to music taken largely from the Grand Opera. From now on, we will present the Grand Ole Opry. Then he introduced harmonica wizard DeFord Bailey, who stepped up to the mic and played the Pan American Blues, inspired by the L&R Railroad Passenger Train.

The freight train that was the Grand Ole Opry was set in motion that night for all time. WSM built recording studios, and Eddie Arnold was the first star to record there. Not long after, the first million-selling song was recorded in Nashville. It was called Near You and was performed by band leader Francis Craig. That success lured the major labels to begin opening offices in Nashville.

As the live audiences for the grand old Opry kept growing, National Life's radio venue became too small to accommodate the hordes of fans. After moving to several different locations, the Opry settled in the revered Ryman Auditorium in 1943. The Ryman has been called the Mother Church of Country Music, and its remarkable acoustics are world famous. In 1974, the Opry moved to the Grand Ole Opry House at the Opryland USA theme park, nine miles east.

From the world-famous Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, 6.50 a.m. WSM is proud to present the Tuesday Night Opry. The Opry broadcast is still staged live every week. I attended one last summer and marveled as the audience listened to live radio commercials read by the MC, while each new singing act made quick equipment changes on stage. This portion of the Tuesday Night Opry is being brought to you by Humanum. Helping more than 11 million Americans make more informed health care decisions every day. Expect more from Humanum.

That format has been in place since the Opry's earliest days in the 1920s, and it is now the longest-running show in continuous production at 87 years old and counting. Together, the Grand Old Opry and Nashville have launched the careers of hundreds of country stars. And it all started with a marketing idea to promote insurance on a radio station. The absolute brilliance of Roger Federer on display again. He will defend his title tomorrow afternoon. 40 in a row at the U.S. Open. Match called Roger Federer. While it's easy to admire his astonishing tennis accomplishments, like his 285 weeks at number one,

his 73 singles titles, and 16 Grand Slam titles, I admire Federer because of what he overcame to achieve all this. It may be hard to believe, but Federer once had a lot in common with John McEnroe. He threw his rackets,

cried and had temper tantrums. He screamed and commentated at every shot. He threw his rackets, cried and had temper tantrums. He screamed and commentated at every shot. He was talented, but he was unable to win. Then, after losing another match one day in 2001, Federer came to the conclusion he had to change. As he said at the time, I just decided I cannot continue to act like an idiot on the court two years later the transformation was complete and Roger Federer began his amazing climb to the top when you watch him now it's hard to even imagine a temper tantrum he is so completely composed on the court that it's intimidating to his opponents his mother Lyn, was astonished to read one of her son's first interviews with a Swiss

newspaper when he was young and just starting to win. The paper asked him what he would buy with his first prize money paycheck. The answer, as the paper printed it, was a Mercedes. His mother knew him well enough to know that answer couldn't be correct. So she called the editors of the newspaper and asked to hear the taped conversation. The mother's intuition

was correct. He had really said, more CDs. I admire Federer because he created a brand based on class and performance. Not because he shouted, not because he dated supermodels, and not because he kept the paparazzi busy. He let his on-court performances speak for themselves.

I also find it interesting that his mother is listed as a major part of his management team on his official website. His wife, Mirka, was also part of the team until they had twins recently. His company is mostly a mom-and-pop organization in a world of slick sports agents because he has a conviction that family businesses are the best kind of enterprises. Federer treats juniors like colleagues

and he throws pizza parties for all the bald boys and girls after his matches. kind of enterprises. Federer treats juniors like colleagues, and he throws pizza parties for all the ball boys and girls after his matches. As a result of his class and style, he has attracted some of the world's biggest brands as sponsors, including Mercedes-Benz,

Gillette, Rolex, and Nike, which add over $40 million to his multi-million dollar salary. If a great brand is distinctive, if it runs counterintuitive to the pack, if it overcomes potentially damaging obstacles to reach number one, then Roger Federer is a brand I am. If you're looking for flexible workouts, Peloton's got you covered. Summer runs or playoff season meditations, whatever your vibe, Peloton has thousands of classes built to push you.

We know how life goes. New father, new routines, new locations. What matters is that you have something there to adapt with you, whether you need a challenge or rest. And Peloton has everything you need, whenever you need it. Find your push. Find your power. Peloton. Visit Peloton at onepeloton.ca. It was an empire built on leftovers.

Earl Silas Tupper was a failed New Hampshire tree surgeon, but he liked to experiment with plastics. Tupper worked at the DuPont Chemical Company and was particularly intrigued by polyethylene, a new material used primarily for insulation radar and radio equipment. Eager to work with the new material, but too poor to purchase any, he convinced his DuPont supervisor to give him leftover plastic. Tupper melted it down and molded it into lightweight non-breakable cups, bowls, and plates.

But his real breakthrough came when he invented a liquid-proof, airtight lid. With that, he founded the Tupperware Plastics Company in 1938, and in 1946, he introduced his product to hardware and department stores. But it didn't do well. People were unsure how to operate the lids, and sales sagged. So Earl Tupper hired a smart divorced mom named Brownie Wise to be head of sales. She suggested that women had to be taught how to use the product through home demonstrations. The idea was so successful that, by 1951, Tupper had pulled all his merchandise off store shelves

and distributed his products strictly through direct home sales. The concept grew to become a household phenomenon called the Tupperware Party. Selling Tupperware via parties was an appealing job for women who had few career opportunities after their men returned from the war. And it gave them a way to earn money and still spend time with their children. This is Tupperware. The airtight plastic containers that keep good foods fresher, longer.

Here's how. Put in the food, put on the patented Tupperware seal, then press down the center of the seal and lift a little at one side. Hear that whisper? That's Tupperware's airtight promise to keep food's flavor fresh. A Tupperware representative would co-host a party at someone's home, and the neighborhood women would be invited. The ladies would have fun getting together, Tupperware products were demonstrated, and

the host would get some Tupperware as a gift based on sales. I remember my mother hosting several Tupperware parties back in the day. It was a novel way to sell a revolutionary product. And it was revolutionary because, for the first time, it gave consumers a product that was lighter and less easy to break than traditional plates and crockery. As the baby boom exploded in the post-war years, Tupperware also gave busy mothers a way to organize a kitchen. And the airtight seals prevented food from drying out, wilting, or losing their freshness in new-angled refrigerators. Prior to Tupperware, women used moist towels, tinfoil, or shower caps on bowls to make food last. Over the years, Tupperware evolved to reflect modern

needs, designing products for microwaves, storage systems to keep staple products in bulk, kitchen tools, and today, Tupperware even gives classes in custom kitchen planning. For over 30 years Tupperware has revolutionized food storage. Now we've revolutionized food preparation. Tupperware, now you're cooking. Introducing Ultra 21 ovenware. Tupperware, now you're cooking. A unique new material lets you freeze, microwave, and even bake at high temperatures. Tupperware. Now you're cooking. Ultra 21. It's guaranteed for life.

Tupperware. Now you're cooking. Call us for a free demonstration. Today, worldwide sales are 2.6 billion. And I noticed that my wife still refers to the Tupperware drawer in our kitchen although the drawer is filled with many items not all of them Tupperware it's a brand that has survived and prospered and has a global sales force of 2.7 million in over 100 countries and even now there is a Tupperware party being held somewhere in the world every 1.7 seconds. When I envy a brand from my ad man's perch, I look at it with an insider's eye.

I know, first-hand, how incredibly difficult it is to establish a brand, how lonely it is to be counterintuitive, and how resilient a brand has to be to fight the forces of time and the heat of young upstart competitors. Like U-Haul, a company founded by someone who created a service he could not find. Over 70 years later, it is still the dominant company in the busy do-it-yourself moving category. Nashville is still the country music capital after more than 80 years,

sparked by an insurance company that wanted to advertise its wares on a small radio station. And who looked at leftovers and saw the future? Earl Tupper did. Tupperware built that empire on the most unlikely marketing idea, home demonstrations. So powerful was that idea, it is still used today, almost 75 years later. Then there's Roger Federer,

who became one of the greatest tennis players of all time by overcoming a raging obstacle, his own temper. That's why I envy products, places, and people who have managed to survive and thrive in a viciously competitive, disposable world. It's what separates Main Street from Rodeo Drive when you're under the influence. I'm Terry. Hey, Terry, Ron James here. Hey, buddy, I listened to your radio show today.

Really enjoyed it. You know, but I was just sitting here thinking how lucky I are to be on radio. Nobody knows you're not a great dresser. You don't have any hair to worry about, and it doesn't even matter that you're not good looking. I'm telling you, being on TV is tough. I mean, I'm totally rebuilt. I envy you.

Under the Influence was produced by Pirate Toronto and New York. Theme music by Ari Posner and Ian Lefevre. See you next week.