Episode 2: High School Drama

Host and mother Judith Mackin goes into the drama-filled world of high school where teens are typecast by gossip, rumours and superficial impressions. But for all its social perils, Judith values a high school education and wants to spare her son from the lifelong struggles that come with failing to get a diploma. In this episode, Canadian teens talk about motivation lost and motivation found.

Episode 2: In Defence of Food

Author Michael Pollan serves up a buffet of food wrongs as he walks us down the supermarket aisles. For him, knowing what to eat comes down to some fundamental rules. Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much. And he explains why that’s not as easy as it sounds.

Breaking the Contract

First aired: 19 October 2006

Early in our first season, Terry posed a question: when Advertisers take our time and attention, shouldn’t they give something back? In “Breaking the Contract” Terry examines the unwritten agreement forged between Advertisers and audiences more than 80 years ago. He’ll tell the story of “contact” pioneer Albert Lasker, and explain why today’s advertisers break that contract at their peril.

A Sense of Persuasion

Broadcast Date: June 28, 2008 ( Originally Aired February 8th, 2007)

Episode 1: Work

Host Darrell Dennis goes to work on “work”. From high unemployment to low expectations, he looks at the harsh realities and persistent misconceptions that greet aboriginal people in the workforce. Always on the job, Darrell learns about the pre-contact work ethic and the difficulties facing aboriginal entrepreneurs. He meets a tough-talking Chief with no patience for slackers, and a modern day Rosie the Riveter. And he works up a smile, with a new reality show, a culture-clashing history lesson, and a First Nations take on a Dolly Parton classic.

Episode 1

Sixteen-year-old Robyn Mackin runs away from home, pushing his mother to the brink of a meltdown. His decision to bolt from the house tops a long list of defiant acts that began around puberty. That’s according to Robyn’s mother, Judith Mackin, host of Alien Nation. Instead of giving up, Judith sets out to better understand her son and his generation. And so the journey begins into the hearts and minds of Canadian adolescents. What does it mean to come of age in 2008? And what can a parent do in the fleeting moments that remain before children move out and move on?

Episode 1: Few Staples

From food sold for fuel, to food prices fueling a food crisis. Be it corn or wheat or rice, too few staples cause too much concern over who gets to eat, what gets eaten, and how much it should cost. How cash crops have us going for broke, today, on Diet for a Hungry Planet.

Six Remarkable Brands (Season Finale)

All the things that capture your eye- and you imagination- in the world around you have one thing in common: they’re all brands. In the Age of Persuasion season finale, Terry O’Reilly examines six remarkable brands- and not just ‘brands’ in the consumer sense. Among them: a media icon, an athlete, a rock & roll band, a toy, a city, and a 500-kilogram land mammal. He’ll explain the brand strength behind each, and explore what makes them remarkable. By studying them, Terry explains how this can deepen our understanding of how, and why, people prioritize some things over others.

Persuasion in the Niches

Times ‘wuz that the goal of any marketer was to sell “big” brands to the widest possible audience. This week, Terry O’Reilly explains how the days of “one size fits all” brands are vanishing; replaced by specifically targeted “niche” brands. He’ll trace this trend to the growth of “specialty” media; Gay/Lesbian/Bi radio stations, for instance, provide a platform for a new generation of “niche” marketers. He’ll also show how many of the mighty mainstream brands- such as the Model T- even the iPod- began as “niche” products.

Advertising as the New Sugar Daddy

When money runs short- more and more people are turning to advertising to pay the bills. Charities, artists, athletes, even governments and school boards are turning to “corporate partners” – offering advertising exposure in exchange for much-needed money. This week Terry O’Reilly explains how Advertisers became the “sugar daddies” of the 21st Century- and traces “sponsorship” back through the centuries.