The Age of Persuasion from CBC Radio

The advertising industry has a long history of using real people in advertising. It may be a testimonial, a hidden camera, a man-on-the-street interview, a prank phone call or a blind taste test. The results are often hilarious and memorable. More importantly, they always deliver that one thing actors cannot genuine spontaneity. Well take a fun look at this time-honoured technique in advertising, and why it has been used by advertisers for over 100 years.

It's our our annual look at Five Remarkable Brands. They may not be category leaders or even things you can buy, but they are fascinating.

In the world of marketing, advertisers can create their image and messages with virtual freedom. But that's not the case when it comes to "green" products - because the scrutiny is too intense. This week, Terry O'Reilly looks at the ever-changing world of Green Marketing. He'll look back at how the green movement started, how it's evolved, how marketers navigate the shoals of green marketing today - and what it all means to everyday consumers. One thing for sure... it's not easy being green.

A look at the Marketing Pioneers who created products that created industries. We talk about the first company to link diamond rings to engagements, how alcohol inspired the very first travel agent, how a brainstorm while ice-fishing ignited a $97 billion dollar industry, how a traveling salesman and his date led to the first car rental, and how an embarrassing moment in a restaurant revolutionized the way we shop.

A surprising look at how smart marketers use perfectly-placed speed bumps to slow the selling process down and generate greater sales.

Luxury Marketing is a category that is completely different from tradition brand marketing – because it is in the business of selling fantasy. We'll look at the top 10 most powerful luxury brands in the world (six of which were created at almost the same time in the 19th century) and we'll analyze luxury marketing techniques. Most of all, we'll delve deep into our collective psyches to examine why we all desire expensive products in our lives -and what that really says about our inner selves.