Why'd I Buy That? An Advertising Podcast
Why’d I Buy That? Is a bi-weekly advertising-themed podcast created and hosted by Ryan Croker. In each episode, we explore and examine the impulses and influences behind the things we buy-the principles and pitfalls, the economics and execution, the history, stories and psychology that make ads and advertising so powerful. If you’ve ever been curious about anything from packaging design to radio jingles, Why’d I Buy That? provides an entertaining and insightful look at an industry that permeates every element of modern life.
- Triangle Power: Join Abe and Ryan as they journey back to 350 B.C. to apply the idea of Aristotle to modern advertising. Learn about the three points of the rhetorical triangle—Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, and how these appeals to credibility, emotions, and logic make all the difference in persuasion. Discover how a cheeseburger could be marketed based on each technique.
- Buzz Buzz: What are the most commonly-used words in advertising? Ryan and Abe examine a custom top-ten list and break down just how these words have an impact on why we buy what we buy. Pork rinds are frequently mentioned. Notable quotes: “I want my shirt to result in comfort.” “You and that chainsaw are going to have some great times.”
- Tag! You’re It!: Learn the true meaning of the word, “tagline” with Abe and Ryan who discuss what makes a good tagline and evaluate some of the best taglines in history. Then, they attempt to distinguish a slogan from a tagline using dictionaries and Scottish accents. Finally, the pair examines what is considered the greatest slogan of all time. Notable quotes: “This, then, is the automobile for Robert Frost.” “Well, I like my German words.” “It could be an issue of Cat Fancy he has tucked under his arm.”
- Making All the Difference: Inhale the deep, rich aroma of brand differentiation as Ryan and Abe discuss how cigarettes helped play a role in advertising history. Then, determine if you can determine the difference between Coke and Pepsi by sound. (Ryan fails miserably). If you get that far, you’ll encounter the longest-running TV commercial of all time and what makes it so memorable. Notable quotes: “Tennis players will buy anything. They have very little judgement.” “Devout Pepsi households that only drink it on Easter and Christmas.” “When scientists are not being scientists, they relax in their FMRI machine.”
- Holiday Win: Everybody loves holidays, but do you know how many of them have been influenced by advertising? Abe and Ryan answer that question, taking a look at Santa Claus, Cinco de Mayo, and everyone’s favorite holiday of all, Casual Friday. Abe reveals his deep-seated antipathy toward a certain movie sequel. Notable quotes: “The dangly, puffy, white ball, the D.P.W.B.” “They have a lot of high-level mages in the Hawaiian Fashion Guild.”
- STUNT-ed Growth: Advertising stunts: big, loud, attention-getting. Do they work? Who can say? Ryan and Abe can! They’ll examine some of the biggest advertising stunts in history, including one that is a literal train wreck. They’ll also watch a parade, explore the world of French bicycling, and spend time with an imaginary socialite. Notable quotes: “The P.R. Hall of Fame is coincidentally located in Abe’s basement.” “I’m giddy with balloon fever!”
- The Affliction We All Suffer From: Are you one of those rare people who gets tired and/or bored of advertisements? In this episode, Abe and Ryan tackle the obscure condition known as “ad fatigue.” They’ll discuss what scientists wore in the 70’s, share the ads they find boring at the moment, and experience the horrors of “banner blindness.” Notable quotes: “They look like a squashed jelly bean/potato.” “I’m selling a sandwich, and I am serious!”
- Dis-AD-sters: Every advertisement contains within it the ability to fail spectacularly. Sometimes this is obvious in retrospect, but sometimes, the disaster is something nobody could plan for. Thrill as Ryan and Abe discuss some of the biggest unforeseen advertising disasters in history. They’ll avoid the Noid, relive the night disco died, and trade in a few banana peels for some quality consumer electronics. Notable quotes: In Abe’s world, Data Crunch cereal has a picture of Lt. Commander Data on the box and has a minty flavor.” “If you are eating a popsicle horizontally, you are doing it wrong.”
- Battle Royale: Who doesn’t love a good rivalry? Just a like a great sports rivalry, brands love to get in on having an archenemy. In this episode, Abe and Ryan break down some of the biggest brand rivalries in history, looking at their ads and the benefits that have come from and healthy competition. They’ll take on Ford v. Chevy, Reebok v. Nike, and even look at a brand that lost the war and is no more. Notable quotes: “Nineteen-Oh-Ten, that’s a great year.” “All these people with chronometers that aren’t being kept level, and they’re like, finally, there’s a store for us!”
- Experience is the Best Advertiser: Gain a new appreciation of film festival marketing booths as Ryan and Abe explore the world of experiential marketing. Learn what experiential marketing is! Listen in awe as Ryan and Abe discuss their own encounters with experiences! (Including Abe’s virtual hot tub encounter and Ryan’s time as co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon). It’s an experience you won’t want to miss! (get it? Experience? Eh? Eh?) Notable Quotes: “Abe knows I LOVE shipping containers.” “Is there a designated sober person working at Guinness?”
- If You Listen to This, You Will Want to Buy a Power Steering Pump: Influencers. Those people your social media-savvy friends go on and on about. Well now it’s your turn to learn something about them and turn the tables and win those conversations. You’ll be so cool that your social media-savvy friends will be at a loss for selfies. In this episode, Abe and Ryan examine just why influencers have so much power and discuss just some of the most common types of influencers, from Oprah to that guy who blogs about deodorant. Notable quotes: “Everybody knows, if you need to change your power steering pump, in addition to murder mysteries, NBC anchor Lester Holt is good with a wrench.” “Oprah often recommends kitten whiskers as a beauty treatment.”
- Taking a (Mental) Shortcut: Cognitive Biases are the predictable errors in judgement that our brains make all the time. These are one way in which we cope with everyday life, but they can be and are often exploited by advertisers. In this episode, Ryan and Abe examine a few of these biases and what they mean for advertising. They’ll dive deep into the world of discount orange juice, get the heart of “The Linda Problem,” and enjoy LeBron James shilling for sugary liquids. Notable quotes: “A miser is someone who hoards a lot of gold in a vault and then lets their house fall apart and then dies and leaves their money to a plucky youth.”
- Falling into Place(ment): Have you ever wondered why your favorite product appears in your favorite movie? If so, you need a lesson in product placement courtesy of Abe and Ryan. In this episode, they dig into the story of E.T., wear some sunglasses with Tom Cruise, and spend some time lost on a deserted island. Notable quotes: “Aliens are incredibly gullible” “That’s a very nerdy tangent, that I’m glad we went on.” “In the 50’s there was a surplus of Raymonds.” “If you’re a brand, just throw a bunch of stuff in the ocean.”
- Cognitive Bias Returns!: Just when you thought you were out, Ryan and Abe pull you back in. This time, they dive deeper into the world of cognitive bias, specifically in-group bias and the bandwagon effect. They’ll campaign for Eisenhower, shave numerous body parts, and wade into the PC vs. Mac vs. Samsung debate. Notable quotes: “Penguins favor each other.” “He’s got the prescription for some happiness.” “You’re the stodgy parent in this situation.” “He finds himself wearing a codpiece and tights.”
- Athlete Meets Product: Sports Endorsements have a long and storied history, one that Abe and Ryan are happy to discuss in excruciating—and hilarious—detail. They’ll tell the tale of baseball legend Honus Wagner, throw in a few cautionary tales regarding athletes who lost their endorsements, and wrap up by grilling some diagonal meats. Notable quotes: “Baseball coaches in the 1890’s LOVED latin-based puns.” “Rough Hair Removal stood with him.” “Man, the horizontal grill. What’s up with that?”
- Super Bowling You Over: Whether you’re in the middle of football season, or you live in a land where football has nothing to do with large men knocking each other over, you can appreciate the power of the Super Bowl when it comes to advertising. Ryan and Abe tackle (get it?) some of the numbers behind the event and discuss some of the biggest super bowl ads of all time. Notable Quotes: “Scott Joplin wheeled his piano into a muddy field. And his shirt came off and everyone was really scandalized.” “That was their logo on the helmet. A pacifier and some drugs.”
- The Prussian Potato Problem: Have you ever seen an ad and thought to yourself, “I would buy this product if only everything about the advertising were totally different?” Then you, Sir or Madam, are the target audience for a rebrand. In this episode, Abe and Ryan discuss rebranding, including both super successes and failtastic failures. They’ll chug a new soda flavor, smell like a towel-clad man, and visit Germany multiple times. Notable quotes: “They’ve got a whole lot of sag.” “They would artificially add an en-blackening agent to the exhaust.” “Let’s cool it with the celebrity burnings.” “Most of today’s marketing ills could be solved with armed guards.”
- Mascot Mayhem: Have you been face to face with a cereal box lately? If so, you probably saw a brand mascot staring right back at you. In this episode, Ryan and Abe take an in-depth look at brand mascots, including their history, effectiveness, and the many, many controversies that surround some of them. They’ll take a brutal mascot quiz, enjoy living high on the oat lifestyle, and fall under the deadly gaze of Count Chocula. Notable quotes: “If you’re going to read one encyclopedia article, you’re going to read Q.” “The hardest part was finding a cow with good enough penmanship.” “Every Quaker Oats employee walks around with a pocket filled with oats.”