Lies We Bought
Emily Rask
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About This Podcast
Hosted by Emily Rask, a marketer who knows the tricks because she used to build them, the show blends consumer psychology, vintage charm, and a wink of 1950s humor. It reached the Top 10 on Apple’s Marketing charts within two weeks of launching its teaser.
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Recent Episodes
The Seatbelt Rule Wasn't About Saving You. It Was About Saving Money.
In 1993, North Carolina wrote four words on a sign and accidentally handed the federal government one of its most effective behavioral control tools in history. "Click It or Ticket" didn't try to…
Small Ranchers Sued the Government Over a Beef Slogan and Lost
You've had that slogan in your head for thirty years. "Beef. It's What's For Dinner." Someone built it. Someone paid for it. And the story of who, and why, is way stranger than the commercials ever…
Why Vitamins and Supplements Don’t Need FDA Approval
People take supplements for energy, immunity, or because someone on TikTok said magnesium changed their life. The U.S. supplement industry is worth billions, yet many products reach store shelves…
Lululemon, Firefighters & the Chemical Nobody Told You About
PFAS, or "forever chemicals," have been hiding in plain sight for 80 years: in nonstick pans, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant furniture, and the turnout gear worn by first responders. Now they're…
Wheaties and the Psychology of Greatness
For nearly a century, Wheaties convinced America that greatness could start with a bowl of cereal. This week on Lies We Bought, I open the cereal box on how “The Breakfast of Champions” became one of…
Controversy Sells | One-Minute What
P.T. Barnum knew people would pay to see something questionable before they would ignore it completely. This One Minute What breaks down how controversy, curiosity, and the sunk cost fallacy work…
The Dark Origin of Nike's Just Do It Slogan
In 1977, a man faced a firing squad in a Utah state prison and said three words. A decade later, an ad man changed one of them and handed them to the entire world. In this episode I trace the full…
THe Ogilvy Halo Effect | One-Minute What
David Ogilvy famously said, “The consumer is not a moron, she is your wife,” and that belief shaped how modern advertising earns trust and attention. This One Minute What breaks down the halo effect…
The Great Low-Fat Conspiracy of 1994
Somewhere along the way, we decided fat was the problem, and built an entire way of eating around that idea. This episode breaks down how that belief took hold, from early nutrition research to…
Listerine, Halitosis, & The Fake Health Crisis | One-Minute What
Your "morning routine" isn't a health choice - it's a series of manufactured solutions. In this episode of One-Minute What, we’re exposing Albert Lasker, the "Father of Modern Advertising" who…
The Supersize Strategy: The Secret History of the Large Fry
You didn't want the Large fries. In this episode of Lies We Bought, we unpack the "Bigger is Better" business model. We explore the psychological traps that make "more" feel like the only rational…
Rockefeller’s Dimes & The Death of Truth | One-Minute What
"Good" companies don't exist - only very good storytellers do. In this episode of One-Minute What, we’re peeling back the curtain on the man who invented the modern "corporate soul" - Ivy…
Got Milk? The Deprivation Strategy & The Great Cheese Caves
It’s 1993. You’re one trivia question away from $10,000, but your mouth is full of peanut butter and the milk carton is empty. Welcome to Lies We Bought. Today, Emily unpacks the "Got Milk?"…
McDonald’s CEO vs. Burger King CEO | One-Minute What
Can a single bite of a burger start a corporate war? In this episode of One-Minute What, we’re breaking down the PR disaster currently taking over social media. It all started when McDonald’s CEO…
Why We’re Afraid of Getting Older : The Business of Anti-Aging
Why does aging feel loaded now when it didn’t used to? In this episode of Lies We Bought, we trace how the beauty industry transformed getting older into something women were taught to manage,…
Cultural Brainworms | One-Minute What
Some ideas don’t spread because they’re true. They spread because they’re repeated. This One-Minute What looks at cultural brainworms and why they’re not accidental. How simple ideas, repeated often…
The Astrology Business: How Brands Market Your Zodiac Sign
Ever notice how “Mercury in Retrograde” is the only astronomical event that makes everyone panic? Before you decide you’re just “off” today, this episode looks at how astrology became one of the most…
Work-Life Balance | One-Minute What
Work-life balance isn’t a personal failure. It’s a system problem. In this One-Minute What, we’re unpacking why burnout isn’t caused by bad boundaries, poor time management, or not trying hard…
The Forever Diamond Lie: How Marketing Made a Gem a Requirement
Diamonds feel ancient. Inevitable. Like they’ve always been part of love. They haven’t. In this episode of Lies We Bought, we dig into the marketing history behind diamonds and how one of the most…
Rethinking “Treat Yourself” | One-Minute What
Does “treat yourself” actually work? I love a good treat. Truly. But some fascinating research made me pause. Studies show that while buying yourself something feels good in the moment, acts of…
Frequently Asked Questions
Lies We Bought has published 28 episodes since October 2025, covering topics in Business, Documentary.
Lies We Bought is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 20m.
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