Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

Episode: Allure of Bad-Ass Advertising: Anti Heroes

Date: September 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores the rise of the antihero archetype in advertising, drawing parallels to modern pop culture's fascination with morally complex characters like Tony Soprano, Walter White, and others. Host Terry O'Reilly examines how brands have shifted from upholding heroic qualities to embracing the edgy, flawed, and unapologetic traits of antiheroes, changing the nature of how products are marketed in the 21st century.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Cultural Shift to Antiheroes

(03:39 – 08:25)

• Terry opens with the impact of The Sopranos, specifically the pivotal episode "College," on television and culture:
  • Tony Soprano, led by James Gandolfini, is described as "big, tough, profane, and suffered from anxiety attacks" (03:55).
  • The "College" episode marks Tony's first on-screen murder and solidifies him as an antihero.
  • HBO feared audiences would reject a lead character capable of brutality, but viewers embraced Tony, launching the era of the antihero in pop culture.
• Advertising as Culture’s Mirror:
  • "Advertising is the great mirror... Commercials reflect the current music, the current fashions, the current hairstyles, and the zeitgeist at large." (07:24)
  • The shift from championing heroes in advertising (e.g., Budweiser's "King of Beers," BMW's "Ultimate Driving Machine") to celebrating antiheroes mirrors broader societal changes.

2. Defining the Antihero

(08:43 – 11:40)

• Featuring insights from Trevor Thomas' article "Kill the Competition: A Guide to Becoming an Antihero Brand."
• Traditional heroes do the right thing for the right reasons, while antiheroes are driven by self-interest and often break the rules.
• Memorable quote: "In a world filled with war, recession, and cynicism, straight up heroes feel fake as a three dollar bill. So the confused guy who does bad things for the right reasons just might be the best reflection of where we are today." (Eric Deggans, cited at 11:18)

3. Antihero Brand Archetypes & Examples

A. The Damaged Archetype: Hans Brinker Budget Hotel
(12:40 – 19:40)

• The Hans Brinker Budget Hotel in Amsterdam embraces its flaws, marketing itself as "the worst hotel in the world."
• Campaigns feature brutal honesty, e.g., "now more rooms without a window," "now even less service," and highlighting its abundance of bacteria to capitalize on immune system news.
• Notable moment:
  • "Being bad is relatively easy. Being the worst requires skill and determination." (14:12)
  • Occupancy rates soared from 45% to over 80% after embracing this unapologetic identity.

B. The Cynic: Ryanair
(21:11 – 23:31)

• Low-cost airline Ryanair is infamous for its sarcastic, combative social media and unapologetic service:
  • Examples include telling a customer unhappy with seat selection, "You don't understand random seat allocation," and to a tall customer: "Bend your knees."
• Quote:
  • "If you want to complain, buckle up, buttercup." (22:34)
• Ryanair doesn't pretend to be luxurious but promises lower fares—embracing cynical, antiheroic honesty.

C. The Pragmatic: Paddy Power
(23:31 – 25:20)

• UK betting brand Paddy Power uses controversy and cheekiness:
  • Features Rodri Giggs (whose brother, soccer star Ryan Giggs, had an affair with Rodri's wife) advertising that "loyalty gets you nowhere" for the Rewards Club.
  • Meta context makes the tagline bitingly personal.
  • Quote: "Not many brands would use the fact a brother slept with his brother's wife as the creative leverage in a commercial, but antihero Paddy Power would." (24:54)

D. The Ruthless: Liquid Death
(25:20 – 28:00)

• Mountain water brand with an edgy, heavy-metal aesthetic, mission to kill plastic bottles.
• Marketing highlights include:
  • A "blind tase test" with YouTube haters, where losers got Tasered (27:53).
  • Collaborations with Martha Stewart (dismembered hand candles) and adult star Shree Deville.
  • Creating a Spotify album of hate mail ("Greatest Hates").
• Quote:
  • "Liquid Death officially not the worst water two guys from the Internet have ever tasted." (28:00)
• The brand's mission and ruthlessness resonate with those who enjoy unapologetic boldness.

4. Why Are We Drawn to Antihero Brands?

(28:00 – 30:12)

• Antiheroes "give our resentments a voice," bypass red tape, and "get stuff done, even though their methods are highly questionable."
• Flaws resonate; we forgive antiheroes because "we recognize ourselves when we watch them."
• Even mainstream advertisers aren't scared off—shows starring antiheroes attract big brand product placements (e.g., Cadillac, Heineken, Hilton).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On pop culture’s influence:
  • "Madison Avenue... positioned products as heroes, reflecting the 20th-century fondness for heroes on TV and in movies. But... audiences... have gone from applauding the hero to cheering the anti hero." (07:48)
• On antihero brands:
  • "One of the defining characteristics of the antihero is a non-apologetic authenticity. They are who they are and they do as they want. No filters." (14:29)
• Commercial Snark, Ryanair:
  • "Bend your knees." (22:09)
• Dark marketing twist, Liquid Death:
  • "When two Internet haters said Liquid Death was the worst water they had ever tasted... If they could pick out Liquid Death water from a series of hidden water brands, they would win $1,000. If they couldn't, they would get Tasered. Liquid Death called it a blind tase test." (27:54)
• On audience attraction:
  • "Maybe in the end we forgive antiheroes because we recognize ourselves when we watch them. We are the good, the bad and the ugly. We are all flawed." (29:06)
• Final insight:
  • "These are early days in the arc of antihero brands. Companies like Liquid Death are just dipping their toes, but the water’s warm when you’re under the influence." (30:17)

Important Timestamps for Segments

• 03:39 — Introduction to The Sopranos as the antihero archetype.
• 08:43 — Shift from hero to antihero in brand advertising.
• 12:40 — Deep dive into Hans Brinker Budget Hotel's "damaged antihero" brand.
• 21:11 — Ryanair as the "cynic" antihero brand, with social media highlights.
• 23:31 — Paddy Power represents the "pragmatic" antihero, using real scandal.
• 25:20 — Liquid Death as "ruthless" antihero, with wild marketing stunts and collaborations.
• 28:00 — Analysis: Why consumers cheer for antihero brands.
• 29:06 — Reflection on flaws, relatability, and why advertisers embrace antiheroes.

Conclusion

Terry O’Reilly takes listeners on an insightful and witty journey through the emergence of antihero brands, exploring how cultural shifts influence advertising creativity and consumer appeal. The episode masterfully illustrates that in an age where authenticity, edge, and unapologetic honesty rule pop culture, brands willing to flaunt their flaws—or even weaponize them—can find unprecedented success.

Fun Fact:
"Tony Soprano's wife shared the same name as Vito Corleone's wife in The Godfather. Both are named Carmela." (31:27)

For more:
Check out related episodes like "To Bleep or Not to Vulgar Trademarks" (Season 8, Episode 20).
Follow Terry O’Reilly on social at @terryoinfluence.