Podcast Summary: Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson

Episode: What’s Up THIS WEEK: #1 December Content Format! (Spotify Wrapped Your Marketing!) AND 🪄Wicked for Good? 🪄 | Ep. 449
Host: GURU Media Hub
Date: November 18, 2025

Overview

This high-energy “What’s Up THIS WEEK” episode delivers quick, actionable marketing insights for the hectic end-of-year period. The main theme centers on leveraging the huge buzz around Spotify Wrapped—its viral, year-in-review content format—to create memorable and shareable content for any brand, whether B2B, B2C, or nonprofit. Jay Schwedelson also covers holiday-season unsubscribe trends, a memorable PR stunt from Angie focused on “Brown Friday,” and ends with a humorous reflection on absurdly large wedding parties and a pop culture dilemma involving the “Wicked” movie sequel.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Capitalize on "Spotify Wrapped" Style Content

Timestamp: 00:22 – 04:40

• What is Spotify Wrapped?
  Jay explains the viral annual campaign in which Spotify users receive personalized visual summaries of their listening habits for the year, which are heavily shared on social media.

• Why Marketers Should Care:
  “435 million shares of Wrapped content last year.” (A, 01:58)
  The content is so widely shared, it transcends the platform and can be adapted by any type of business.

• Key Stat:
  “B2B and consumer brands who created Wrapped-style content related to their own businesses…if they launched it within five days of Spotify dropping their Wrapped, they saw a 50% increase in overall engagement levels.” (A, 02:34)

• Practical Examples:

  • B2B Use:
    “Create a Wrapped based on how people personalize it… ‘Acme saved 127 hours this year.’” (A, 03:10) Use platform data meaningfully to show each client their unique value.
  • Generic Option:
    If you can’t personalize for each client, create an annual impact summary:
    “This year we helped companies save 1 million 427 minutes of time.” (A, 03:36)
  • For Nonprofits:
    Highlight individual or community impact:
    “‘2025 Wrapped: The hope you created’… sharing with people what their impact was.” (A, 04:15)
  • B2C/E-Commerce:
    Merchandise individual or aggregate customer milestones:
    “Your 2025 favorites… getting on board with whatever’s going on of the moment.” (A, 04:27)

• Takeaway:
  There’s no bigger “of-the-moment” content play for December—jump on the Wrapped bandwagon for maximum engagement.

2. PR Stunt Spotlight: "Brown Friday" by Angie

Timestamp: 04:41 – 06:07

• Fun Fact:
  The day after Thanksgiving is also called "Brown Friday"—not just Black Friday—because it's the busiest plumbing day in the U.S.
  “It is also named Brown Friday. Why? Because…it happens to be the number one, and this is real, busiest plumbing day of the year.” (A, 05:12)

• Brand Response:
  Angie (the home services marketplace) created a live “Ask Angie” hotline staffed by people (not AI) to give advice for post-Thanksgiving plumbing disasters.

• Takeaway:
  Capitalize on quirky trends and seasonal realities—don’t be afraid to make your brand part of “taboo” but memorable conversations.

3. End-of-Year Surge in Email Unsubscribes

Timestamp: 06:08 – 08:20

• Data Highlights:
  “From November 15th to about January 15th, that 60-day period, it is the highest unsubscribe rate for email databases over any other 60-day period throughout the year.” (A, 06:30)

  • B2B: Unsubscribe rates are 200% higher than any other period (06:54)
  • B2C: Over 190% higher (06:56)

• Why This Happens:
  “Everybody’s trying to get their act together for next year…they take themselves off a load of different lists.” (A, 07:27)

  • Consumers unsubscribe from lists they signed up for holiday deals.
  • Professionals make a New Year’s resolution to “clean up” their inboxes.

• Guidance for Marketers:
  “Don’t change your marketing plans because you see unsubscribe rates go higher this time of year…it’s not related to what you’re doing, it’s related to the psyche of what people are dealing with right now.” (A, 08:07)

4. Humorous and Relatable Segment: Jenna Bush Hager’s 19 Bridesmaids

Timestamp: 08:21 – 09:43

• Anecdote:
  Jay is amazed by Jenna Bush Hager’s wedding having 19 bridesmaids versus the average of 4.

  • “What if you were…her 20th friend? Sorry, there wasn’t room for you…You’ve included every person at this wedding except for me!” (A, 09:01)
  • “I don’t think I know 19 people, let alone 19 people…I don’t want to be [in touch with that many].” (A, 09:32)

• Takeaway:
  Infuse your brand with personality—even mundane stats or celebrity trivia are opportunities for humor and audience connection.

5. “Wicked Part 2” Pop Culture Conundrum

Timestamp: 09:44 – 10:32

• Jay’s Dilemma:
  Confesses he’s never seen the original “Wicked” but feels social pressure to catch up before the sequel.
  • “I’m an epic loser for many reasons, but I’ve not seen Wicked the first one. Do I have to commit a lot of my time and energy over the next week to Wicked stuff?” (A, 09:53)
  • Light self-deprecation and mainstream pop culture references keep the episode lively.

Notable Quotes

• On the power of Wrapped-style content:

  “There’s no content play that’s bigger to be of the moment than getting involved with the Spotify Wrapped for your brand.”
    — Jay Schwedelson, (04:32)

• On holiday unsubscribe rates:

  “Don’t change your marketing plans because you see unsubscribe rates go higher this time of year. It’s not related to what you’re doing. It’s related to the psyche of what people are dealing with right now.”
    — Jay Schwedelson, (08:07)

• On huge wedding parties:

  “I don’t think I know 19 people, let alone 19 that I’d include in my wedding party.”
    — Jay Schwedelson, (09:32)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Spotify Wrapped Content for All Brands: 00:22 – 04:40
• Angie’s “Brown Friday” Hotline: 04:41 – 06:07
• Email Unsubscribe Rate Insights: 06:08 – 08:20
• Jenna Bush Hager’s Bridesmaids Anecdote: 08:21 – 09:43
• Wicked Movie Sequel Talk: 09:44 – 10:32

Tone & Style

Jay’s delivery is energetic, direct, and packed with data-driven insight, but remains conversational and self-aware. The episode flows quickly, mixing actionable marketing tips with humor, pop culture, and surprising facts.

Summary Takeaways

• Use the viral “annual wrap-up” content style—like Spotify Wrapped—to drive engagement in December, regardless of your sector.
• Expect and tolerate high unsubscribe rates in your email lists at year-end; it’s normal and about subscriber psychology, not your tactics.
• Be opportunistic with seasonal trends—even “weird” hooks like Brown Friday can boost brand personality and engagement.
• Weave in personality and humor to strengthen audience connection.