We look at the worlds of advertising-marketing, political speechwriting-spin doctoring, and advocacy.

From Socrates to Adolf Hitler, humans have wielded words to delight, teach, seduce and manipulate their audience. Nelson Mandela’s “I am prepared to die” still moves us; The Gettysburg Address still rings true. But so does Orwell’s dictum that political speech is often simply a smokescreen to “justify the unjustifiable”. As for advertising, while previous generations had their fingers burnt by the Marlboro Man or were motivated to “Just Do It”, millennials have apparently become largely immune to the $774 billion spent on ads last year.

We look at the worlds of advertising-marketing, political speechwriting-spin doctoring, and advocacy. Are these three so different … or is it in the eye of the beholder? Is using words toinfluence others always suspect? At the heart of it, does successful persuasion show a deep understanding of human nature, a willingness to seduce, or both?

Our guests – Ben Welsh, Martin McKenzie Murray and Associate Professor Darryl O’Donnell – talk about their experiences inside the world of ads, AIDS and politics – what they love, what drives them to despair and where they see it all going.