Best Apostrophe Podcast Network Podcasts (2024)

1
The Beatlology Interviews: Astrid Kirchherr 26:06

1h ago26:06

26:06

Astrid Kirchherr holds a special place in the history of the Beatles. She took the famous Hamburg-era photos of the Beatles in their formative years, she inspired their “moptop” hairstyle, and she happened to fall in love with Stuart Sutcliffe, the fifth member of the Beatles. Her story is compelling, and her love of the Beatles, as friends, comes …

1
Bonus Episode: Bloopers II 21:54

1h ago21:54

21:54

By popular request, for our first bonus episode of season 3, this is part II of Stuart and I in studio, back in 2011, talking - and laughing - about some of his most hilarious bloopers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
The Beatlology Interviews 1:16

24m ago1:16

1:16

Join Terry O’Reilly for a brand new Beatles series, where he interviews celebrities and collectors on their love of the Fab Four. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
Rejecting Canva 36:22

2d ago36:22

36:22

Online graphic design platform Canva is worth $26 billion. 85% of Fortune 500 companies utilize Canva, and its users span 190 countries. But when Australian entrepreneur Melanie Perkins pitched Canva to investors, she got the following feedback: “Your headquarters are too far from Silicon Valley.” “You didn’t go to Harvard, Stanford or MIT.” “Your …

1
Short Stories: Rejecting Melissa McCarthy & Jennifer Aniston 42:28

17d ago42:28

42:28

Over the past five years – and 85 episodes – we’ve come across so many rejection stories that aren’t long enough to fill an entire episode. But that doesn’t mean they're any less filled with insight. Join us this week for a special “Short Stories” podcast – the inspiring pint-sized rejection stories of Melissa McCarthy and Jennifer Aniston. Before …

1
Ask Terry (2024) 30:22

21d ago30:22

30:22

This week, we answer listener questions. We’ll talk about how bands create theme songs for TV shows and how much they get paid. We’ll go back in time and talk about that flirtatious couple from that famous Nescafe TV campaign. And we’ll explore why condom makers now market different sizes, when it used to be one-size-fits-all. What’s goin’ on there…

1
Summertime - Mexican Climbing Mint & Summer of Stars 48:40

22d ago48:40

48:40

“There is nothing like a neighbour throwing money about their garden to make you feel bad about yours.” It's summer all the way on this week’s episode. In our first story, Mary Turlington unwittingly trips off a chain of events that get heated under the summer sun. And in the second, Sam and Murphy have the summer of a lifetime in Big Narrows, Cape…

1
Brand Envy 2024 28:53

28d ago28:53

28:53

This week, it’s our annual Brand Envy episode. Every year, I list four brands I’ve admired from a distance. We’ll talk about a classic board game created by a Canadian couple. An ice cream chain founded by another Canadian. An iconic lighter that was named after a zipper. And a woman who is dominating television these days. Hosted on Acast. See aca…

1
Sam - Boy Wanted 41:54

29d ago41:54

41:54

“It was Sam’s first year in high school. And it was not going well.” Sam’s turn this week: We have a story about Sam’s first job and about finding his passion. Plus, an essay from Stuart McLean about his first jobs. Including his life-changing experience at summer camp. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
Rejecting Bessie Coleman (The First Black Woman Pilot) 38:01

1M ago38:01

38:01

Hi – Sidney here. You may not recognize the name Bessie Coleman, so you may be wondering whether or not to tune into this episode. But, I highly encourage you to give it a listen. It’s a story our team – from our director Callie to our engineer Geoff – all declared one of their favourites of the entire series. Because it’s a story about the ripple …

1
Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz: How Companies Double Their Profits 27:52

1M ago27:52

27:52

Every company dreams of doubling its profit. It’s almost impossible to do. Yet, some companies do it by tweaking one tiny thing. We’ll talk about an industry that put three words on their packaging that doubled their profit. A company that created a catchy jingle that doubled their revenue overnight. And a business that changed one single word in a…

1
Stephanie - Steph’s Statistics Exam & In the Weeds 56:06

1M ago56:06

56:06

“How bad could it be? Statistics. That’s how bad it could be.” This week, two stories about Dave and Morley’s daughter, Stephanie – Stephanie at school and at work. Jess talks about Stuart’s goals in writing those stories and what they show us about success … and failure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
Houston, We Have Pizza: Advertising in Outer Space 27:01

1M ago27:01

27:01

This week, we shoot for the moon. Now that commercialized space travel has arrived, the world of marketing is setting its sights on the stars. We’ll talk about ads on rocket ships, ads on spacesuits, and television commercials filmed on the International Space Station. There are companies who want to employ hundreds of tiny satellites to create log…

1
Road Trip! - Cat in the Car 43:29

1M ago43:29

43:29

“Whenever the cat is around, things seem to go wrong.” This week, Dave discovers a stowaway on the family road trip, with hilarious consequences. And Jess shares two more of Stuart McLean’s Postcards from Canada: from St John’s, NFLD in the east and Powell River, B.C. in the west. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
Rejecting The Sopranos 45:15

1M ago45:15

45:15

The Sopranos is widely considered the greatest television show of all time. Just ask TV Guide, The Writer’s Guild of America and Rolling Stone. But before revolutionizing the one-hour drama and ushering in what’s become known as the second Golden Age of Television, the idea for The Sopranos was rejected. By every major network. At nearly 50 years o…

1
Die Another Day: Reviving Old Commercials 28:46

2M ago28:46

28:46

Occasionally, an old advertising campaign is brought back from the dead. Even if it has been off the air for decades. This week, we’ll discuss a recurring Coke commercial that has been called the most popular ad of all time. A much-loved beer campaign that has been revived after 34 years. And a controversial commercial that was yanked off the air i…

1
Kindness - Wally 50:28

2M ago50:28

50:28

“Not everyone in the world is cut out to be a school janitor.” We’re full of the milk of human kindness on this week’s podcast. We play Stuart’s heartwarming interview with one of our favourite Arthur Award winners and Jess awards an Arthur of her own – to a Vinyl Cafe character! Plus, a Dave and Morley story that you may not have heard before. Hos…

1
Bookmarks 2024 28:02

2M ago28:02

28:02

This week it’s our annual Bookmarks episode. We read a lot of books to research Under The Influence. But there’s never enough room to include all the great stories we find. So this episode is dedicated to those great stories that didn’t fit into our regular episodes. This year, our theme is bravery. We’ll tell an amusing story about how Danny DeVit…

1
The Promise of Summer - The Man Who Punched Trees & Rosemary Honey 54:08

2M ago54:08

54:08

“A hive of bees is like a harvest kitchen. They gather up the summer: the heat of the sun, the warmth of the rain…” This week on the podcast, two Stuart McLean stories to whet your appetite for summer. In the first, Dave remembers an incredible woodland encounter from his youth in Cape Breton; in the second, Eugene puts Sam and Murphy on the trail …

1
Record the Under the Influence Fun Fact 0:30

2M ago0:30

0:30

Under the Influence fans know that at the very end of each episode there’s a Fun Fact – an interesting little tidbit related to the show. Well, this year we’re asking you, our listeners, to record that Fun Fact. All you need is a phone or computer. Just visit our Fun Fact Page, follow the prompts and have fun with it. We choose two listeners every …

1
Rejecting Dr. Seuss 33:27

2M ago33:27

33:27

Since the year 1937, over 60 Dr. Seuss books have been published. Over 650 million copies have been sold. Leading to film adaptations grossing over $1.7 billion at the box office. But before the late author was Dr. Seuss, he was Theodor Geisel. And his first children’s book “A Story That No One Could Beat” was a story that no one would want. After …

1
Bucking Bronco (aka Mother’s Day) - Sam’s Underwear & Harrison Ford’s Toes 59:51

2M ago59:51

59:51

“It started like a sprint. One moment you were standing still, and the next you were running as fast as you could.” Hold on tight! On today’s show, in time for Mother’s Day, two Vinyl Cafe stories about motherhood. And Jess shares a backstory about her own experiences – cue the bucking bronco! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa…

1
The Gong Show: Ads That Could Never (Ever) Run Today 26:59

2M ago26:59

26:59

This week, we go back in advertising history and take a look at the ads and commercials that could never, ever, EVER run today. They are either so politically incorrect, so sexist, or so inappropriate, you won’t believe your ears. From doctors recommending cigarettes, to 7-Up advertising to babies, to everyone singing about the joys of DDT, it’s am…

1
Food Glorious Food - No Tax on Truffles 43:09

3M ago43:09

43:09

“It says it’s one of the most wonderful tastes in the world.” It’s a gastronomical episode of the podcast today. Stuart loved writing about his favourite foods – both in fiction and non-fiction – and Jess has gathered some great examples of both for today’s show. Plus a hilariously endearing story about Sam’s first passion. Hosted on Acast. See aca…

1
Rejecting Manon Rhéaume, Part 2 38:38

2M ago38:38

38:38

In Part 2 of our Rejecting Manon Rhéaume episode, for the first time, Rhéaume plays with women. It’s Canada vs. the USA at the World Championships. Then, the goalie gets a strange letter in the mail – from the brand-new Tampa Bay Lightning. Hope you'll join us. Tell us YOUR rejection story: Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejection Write to …

1
Cars Are The Stars: Automobile Brands in Hollywood 28:53

3M ago28:53

28:53

Almost every movie and television show needs cars, and auto companies are happy to supply them – because it helps sell a lot of cars. We’ll look back at James Bond and Starsky & Hutch, and explore auto partnerships with movie franchises like Transformers and Marvel. We’ll also tell a crazy story of how the most sought-after car from a Steve McQueen…

1
The Cricket - The Cricket & I Need to Pee 29:35

3M ago29:35

29:35

“He’s not well, Stuart.” We’re going way back today with two pieces from pre-Vinyl Cafe days! One is a favourite you’ve been requesting, back from Stuart McLean’s regular appearances on Peter Gzowski’s Morningside. (Spoiler alert: You’ll see what happens when two presenters get the giggles on live radio.) Excerpt from Morningside reproduced by perm…

1
Ham on Wry: Sandwich Board Advertising 27:03

3M ago27:03

27:03

Take a walk down any busy main street, and you’ll probably see one of the oldest forms of advertising: The sandwich board. They have been around for over 200 years. Cities try and ban them. Storekeepers love them. They can make you smile. They can make you angry. They can attract a lot of attention. They are the pop-up ads of the physical world. Ho…

1
The Alchemy of Audience - Dad is Dying & Odd Jobs 57:23

3M ago57:23

57:23

“There are only so many holes a man can cut in his own house before he is told to stop.” Today on the show, two classic Stuart McLean stories, including Odd Jobs. That’s the one where Dave tries his hand at some home renovations, with hilarious consequences. And Jess has a backstory about the magic of Vinyl Cafe audiences. Hosted on Acast. See acas…

1
Rejecting Manon Rhéaume (The First Woman to Play in the NHL) 30:43

3M ago30:43

30:43

Manon Rhéaume was told hockey was for boys. Manon Rhéaume was cut from teams for being a girl. Manon Rhéaume was heckled by parents in the stands. Manon Rhéaume was told she was taking a spot away from boys with NHL dreams. Manon Rhéaume was told she’d never play pro. Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to ever play in an NHL game. If you enjoyed …

1
Pants on Fire: When Customers Lie to Marketers 27:08

3M ago27:08

27:08

Customers often lie to companies in surveys, polls and focus groups. Yet advertisers rely on that flawed and false feedback to market brands and create advertising campaigns. So what are advertisers to do? One solution is Google. What we type into the Google search window is like a truth serum. We all pour our most intimate, honest questions into t…

1
Spring – The Fish Head 46:16

3M ago46:16

46:16

“I guess I figured having a fish head could come in handy.” On this week’s episode Stuart celebrates the joys of birding and the Spring bird migration. And we have two springy stories, including a favourite from the Vinyl Cafe story exchange. To submit your short, true story to the Story Exchange, send it to vinylcafe@vinylcafe.com. Hosted on Acast…

1
Cheeky Advertising 27:48

3M ago27:48

27:48

80% of all advertising is ignored. That’s why some advertisers employ cheeky advertising. It’s usually bold – outrageous – and sometimes even rude – but always with a playful undertone. We’ll talk about a fruit company that printed an open letter to the Pope. An airline campaign that told you to “keep it in your pants.” And a product that claims yo…

1
Marriage - Dave and the Duck & Margaret Gets Married 55:34

3M ago55:34

55:34

“There is nothing like a wedding to addle people’s minds.” Today on the pod we have two hilarious stories about marriage and proposal. In the first, Dave loses his wedding ring and fears it may have been swallowed by a duck! In the second, Dave’s mom Margaret surprises everyone by agreeing to marry again. And Jess shares her own experience of weddi…

1
Rejecting Adam Driver 37:21

3M ago37:21

37:21

Adam Driver is a two-time Academy Award nominated actor known for his roles in films like Marriage Story, BlacKkKlansman and the Star Wars franchise as Kylo Ren. But before landing his breakout role on HBO’s Girls, Driver was rejected from Juilliard, turned his Lincoln Town Car around before he reached Los Angeles and was medically discharged from …

1
Billionaire Tourism 27:03

4M ago27:03

27:03

Most tourism marketing aims at the largest audience possible. This week, we look at a sub-category aimed at the smallest audience possible: Billionaire Tourism. The super wealthy get bored easily. That means luxury tour planners dream up extreme vacation ideas. From outer space, to the bottom of the ocean, to secretly getting the key to the Sistine…

1
Seeds of Hope - The Fig Tree & Morley’s Garden 40:41

4M ago40:41

40:41

“Eugene’s fig tree is the best-known tree in the neighbourhood.” We’re all about gardening on the podcast this week, with two Dave and Morley stories about the act of faith and hope that goes into creating a garden. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
Season Five. 🤚🏽 1:37

4M ago1:37

1:37

We Regret To Inform You returns to a podcast app near you in one week's time. We've got some inspiring stories to share with you this year – here's a sneak peek at what's to come. PS: Tell us YOUR rejection story: Record your voice: https://speak-to.us/rejection Write to us: hello@apostrophepodcasts.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor…

1
What’s in a Name? - Skunks 43:23

4M ago43:23

43:23

“It was 4:30 in the morning and Dave was having a nightmare about something that smelled bad.” On today’s episode we have a fragrant story from way back. And Jess chats in studio with Stuart’s old friends David and Elizabeth, who share how Morley got her name—and surprise Jess with some entertaining backstories of their own! Hosted on Acast. See ac…

1
When You're This Big, They Call you Mister 27:35

4M ago27:35

27:35

There are some time-honored honorifics in the world of marketing. “Honorifics” are titles like Mr., Mrs., Doctor, Captain or Colonel. Like Colonel Sanders, Dr. Scholl’s, Mr. Clean and Mrs. Butterworth’s. They’re usually leaders in their category. Is it because those products are the best? Or – is it because those brand names give the products a sen…

1
Sap’s Running! - Dave Makes Maple Syrup 35:43

4M ago35:43

35:43

“It is the best maple syrup I have ever had, said Sam.” We’re celebrating one of the wonders of spring on the pod this week: Stuart waxes lyrical about his favourite tipple, maple syrup, then tells a story about the time Dave tried to make his own. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
Terry Interviews Arkells Lead Singer Max Kerman 38:12

4M ago38:12

38:12

Arkells is a band that likes to have fun.They are also a very smart band that understands the critical mix of artistry and marketing in a competitive industry. Frontman Max Kerman tells Terry the inventive ways they market their music, the creative ideas Arkells use to launch new material, and what marketing from other bands they admire. Hosted on …

1
Buy-O-Pics: When Brands Become Movies 28:11

4M ago28:11

28:11

As Oscar night approaches, we head to theatres to figure out why movies about brands are so popular. “Barbie” is breaking box office records. “Air” tells the story of Nike signing Michael Jordan. “Blackberry” explains the spectacular rise and fall of the first smartphone – and is getting great reviews. And a movie about the origins of McDonald’s – …

1
The Wisdom of Children - Annie’s Turn & Dave and the Roller Coaster 55:38

4M ago55:38

55:38

“The kids were always up to something in the Narrows.” This week’s episode is all about kids and what we can learn from them. The first story relates an adventure from when Dave was a boy. In the second, Dave’s adventures continue, with a little help from his son Sam. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
Seeing is Believing: The Power of Demonstration Commercials - Part 2 26:45

4M ago26:45

26:45

Last week, we talked about the best historic demonstration commercials of all time. This week, we feature some of the most recent. Like an air freshener commercial that tricked blindfolded people into thinking a filthy toilet smelled like flowers. And a stunt where an ad agency put $3 million dollars between the glass of a bus shelter - unguarded, …

1
Literary Structures - Dave’s Inferno & Labour Pains 55:23

5M ago55:23

55:23

“By the end of the first trimester, Dave had put on 12lbs.” A surprising theme links our two stories this week. In the first, Dave has a hellish trip to the grocery store—and Jess has a backstory about what shopping with Stuart was really like. Our second story takes us back to the early days of Dave and Morley’s relationship, when Morley is pregna…

1
Seeing is Believing: The Power of Demonstration Commercials 26:55

5M ago26:55

26:55

This week, I ask a dozen of the top creative directors in the advertising business to tell me the best “demonstration commercials” they have ever seen. Because there is nothing more powerful than a dramatic product demonstration. We’ll talk about a famous Krazy Glue commercial. And a Volvo ad where the ad writer risked his life to demonstrate a poi…

1
Trapped - Rat-a-tat-tat & Dave Buys a Coffin 53:32

5M ago53:32

53:32

"He was about to climb in—just for a second, just to see…" Poor Dave gets himself into some tight situations in both this week’s stories. And Jess explores the snapshots of detail that enrich them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
The Glide - The Greatest Hockey Game Ever Played 55:03

5M ago55:03

55:03

“'They tried to stop us,' says the old man. 'But we kept playing.'” More about the joy of winter sports on this week’s pod. Including Stuart’s ode to skating from Jasper, Alberta. And a beautiful Big Narrows story about a memorable game of hockey from long ago. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
Putting the Awe in Audio 26:56

5M ago26:56

26:56

This week, we look at the most creative audio ideas from around the world. Including a podcast for runners that only works if you’re actually running, a police recruitment campaign that capitalized on the popularity of True Crime, and a very ambitious alternative audio track created to be played over Disney’s Pocahontas movie – that tells the truth…

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