Podcast Summary: Ep. 251 - "What's Up THIS WEEK: 🚫Meaningless Marketing STATS!, Awkward Family Photos, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Reboot? 🏠👎"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson l Presented By Marigold
• Host: Jay Schwedelson, GURU Media Hub
• Release Date: January 7, 2025

1. Welcome and Episode Overview

Jay Schwedelson kicks off the episode by introducing the format of the show, emphasizing that this is a "super short episode" where he breaks down current happenings in marketing, business, and personal life. He mentions upcoming segments such as "Ask Us Anything" and a "Big Tips" episode later in the week.

2. JCPenney's Awkward Family Photos Trend

One of the standout topics of the week is the viral trend surrounding JCPenney’s awkward family photo sessions. Jay expresses excitement over the trend, highlighting its widespread popularity on TikTok.

• Viral Trend Details:

  • Description: Customers visit JCPenney studios to take intentionally awkward and embarrassing family photos, reminiscent of the old, often disliked family portraits from department stores like Sears.
  • TikTok Impact: The hashtag #JCPenney has amassed thousands of posts, with some videos exceeding 10 million views.

• Jay’s Enthusiasm:

  • “If you look up for the hashtag JCPenney, there's like thousands and thousands of posts and some of the posts getting over 10 million views. So I need to take my family JCPenney and do a super awkward family photo shoot.” (02:15)

• Behind the Scenes:

  • The photo sessions are managed by Life Touch, a company recently acquired by Shutterfly, which operates over 350 studios nationwide.

3. Critique of Meaningless Marketing Statistics

Jay takes a strong stance against the proliferation of generic marketing statistics that flood the industry, particularly at the start of the new year.

• Key Points:

  • Irrelevance of Broad Averages: Jay criticizes the use of overarching industry averages, arguing they don't account for the nuances of different sub-industries, brands, or specific marketing efforts.
  • Personal Benchmarking: He advocates for marketers to focus on their own historical metrics and aim for incremental improvements rather than comparing themselves to broad, often misleading averages.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “The only thing that matters is what your metrics are and what you want to do is you want to beat yourself. Benchmark yourself.” (10:45)
  • “Do not look at industry averages across all industries or even the industry average within your industry, because it's irrelevant.” (12:10)

• Example Highlighted:

  • Jay references a statistic from Mail Munch about the average email open rate being 21.33%, labeling it as "complete garbage." He emphasizes that marketers should set goals based on their past performance rather than these generalized stats.

4. CES and the Rise of Connected TV Marketing

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is another major topic, with Jay discussing its significance for marketers, especially concerning Connected TV (CTV) marketing.

• CES Insights:

  • Technological Innovations: Jay underscores the importance of staying updated with CES announcements, recommending resources like TheVerge.com for comprehensive coverage.
  • Personal Anecdote: He shares a memorable experience meeting Scott Cook, founder of Intuit, illustrating the networking potential of CES.

• Connected TV Marketing:

  • Market Growth: According to Cager, the global market size for CTV is projected to surge from $9 billion last year to over $17 billion in the next three years.
  • Integration with AI: New TVs from brands like LG and Samsung are incorporating AI features, enhancing the potential for interactive and personalized marketing strategies.
  • Recommendation: Jay advises marketers to delve into CTV marketing, highlighting its burgeoning relevance in the age of streaming services and smart TV functionalities.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “What is the one category of marketing that I would try to learn about starting out this year... it would be CTV Connected TV.” (18:30)
  • “With all the streaming services and now connected TVs with AI and your ability to instantly buy from your remote... this is where it's at.” (20:05)

5. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Reboot Review

Jay reviews the newly released reboot of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" on Hulu, sharing his disappointment with the new format.

• Original Show vs. Reboot:

  • Original Format: Focused on renovating existing homes within a week, often resulting in heartfelt transformations.
  • Reboot Format: Instead of renovating, the new version builds entirely new homes in five days, which Jay finds uninteresting.

• Critique:

  • Jay expresses that the reboot lacks the emotional depth and transformative essence that made the original show beloved.
  • “The first episode was terrible. Absolutely unwatchable.” (25:50)
  • “They're just building somebody a brand new home in five days, which is not that interesting.” (26:15)

6. Anticipation for Kitchen Nightmares Season Two

Shifting gears, Jay discusses his excitement for the premiere of Season Two of "Kitchen Nightmares."

• Show Overview:

  • Hosted by Gordon Ramsay, the show involves Ramsay visiting struggling restaurants, critiquing their operations, and implementing changes to turn them around.

• Personal Endorsement:

  • Jay extols the effectiveness and entertainment value of the show, noting it's one of his all-time favorites.
  • “Kitchen Nightmares is awesome. If you're the person that owns the restaurant, they go into these restaurants, they shred the restaurants... They change it all around and it's fantastic.” (28:40)

7. Thoughts on Award Shows

Jay shares his candid opinions on recent award shows, particularly focusing on the Golden Globes.

• Critique Points:

  • Judgment of Nominees: He reveals his tendency to judge nominees based on their performances and the shows they represent.
  • Acceptance Speeches: Jay advises winners to keep their speeches concise and engaging, avoiding long-winded thanks or irrelevant content.
    • “If you win an award like this, do not go up there and ever read anything that's very boring. Just say, listen, this is cool. I'm having fun.” (32:10)

• General Sentiment:

  • Jay expresses a somewhat cynical view of award shows, likening the attendees to "losers" and questioning the merit of certain nominations.

8. Upcoming Events and Final Remarks

In the concluding segment, Jay promotes upcoming events and provides final encouragement to listeners.

• Event Promotions:

  • Eventastic Registration: Announces the opening of registration for Eventastic, a large virtual event covering various aspects of events in business and consumer sectors.
    • “Registration opens right now. Check it out.” (35:00)
  • Virtual Marketing Events: Encourages listeners to visit guruEvents.com for access to free virtual marketing events featuring top marketers like Daymond John and Martha Stewart.

• Final Encouragement:

  • Jay thanks the audience for tuning in, urging them to subscribe for more actionable marketing tips and to leave positive reviews.
    • “Subscribe to make sure you get the latest episode each week for more actionable tips and a little chaos from today's top marketers. And hook us up with a five star review if this wasn't the worst podcast of all time.” (36:30)

Conclusion

In this episode, Jay Schwedelson provides a multifaceted look at current trends and topics relevant to marketers and general audiences alike. From the viral JCPenney photo trend and the pitfalls of generic marketing statistics to the promising rise of Connected TV marketing and candid takes on popular media, Jay delivers insights with a blend of expertise and personal anecdotes. His critiques and recommendations aim to empower listeners to make informed decisions and focus on strategies that align with their unique brand metrics rather than industry-wide averages.

Note: All timestamps are approximations based on the provided transcript.