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Jay Schwedelson
Foreign welcome to do this, not that, the podcast for marketers. You'll walk away from each episode with actionable tips you can test immediately. You'll hear from the best minds in marketing who will share tactics, quick wins and pitfalls to avoid. We'll also dig into life, pop culture and the chaos that is our everyday. I'm Jay Schwedelson. Let's do this, not that. We are back for what's up this week from the do this not that podcast presented by Marigold. This is our short episode or break down what's going on this week in business, in marketing and life. So what's going on? So first off, Meta this week they just had their latest earnings call and of course Meta owns Instagram and Facebook and WhatsApp and all that stuff. And they shared some serious detail on what advertisers need to know about running ads on their platforms. And it was really eye opening. Basically, it's all about AI and if you want your ads to convert, right now in any of the Meta platforms, they're saying that you need to be using their generative AI ads recommendations tools. And it's not because they produce this great stuff, in my opinion. It's because Meta is prioritizing ads that are created using their generative AI ad tools. Right. Because they want more and more people to use them. So first of all, what can you do with their AI generative ad tools? You can auto generate ad copy, image variation generation, you could upload one image and it can create alternate versions for you, it can remove backgrounds and they're in beta right now. Is this video creation tool as well? Now why does this all matter? Number one, if you want your ads to perform great, they're actually saying met is actually saying that they're seeing a 5% increase in ad conversions for ads are being created utilizing GEM generative ads recommendation tool on Meta. So basically, if you use their tools, you're going to see an increase in conversions. But here's the real secret sauce of actually what's going on. So Mark Zuckerberg sat down for an interview this week and he shared his vision for the future of advertising. And this was on the website the Verge. And this is an exact quote of what Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook and Meta and all that said. He said this. We're going to get to a point where you're a business, you come to us, you tell us what your objective is. You connect to your bank account, you don't need any creative, you don't need Any targeting demographic, you don't need any measurement except to be able to read the results that we spit out. I think that's going to be huge. I think it's a redefinition of the category of advertising. So basically what he's kind of saying is, listen, we're going to be using AI to kind of upend the entire advertising industry from design, from data, from reporting, from targeting the whole ecosystem. He wants to control that, and he's gaming the system right now by making the ads perform better that are utilizing their AI tools. So this is going to be fun to watch how this all goes down. All right, what else is going on that's more useful right now? So May is a huge month for emojis. All right, I just lost half of you. It is emojis in your subject lines for sure, because you have Memorial Day. You have Cinco de Mayo. Do you have Memorial Day? I think you do. You have Mother's Day. You have all these different things going on. And for both business, which I know business people, business marketers always tune this out, but they shouldn't. And consumer marketers, emojis are where it's at, especially for the month of May. And everyone's like, yeah, they're being used all over the place. And there's some new data out from subject line.com that's just not true. On average, less than 9% of all promotional emails use an emoji in the subject line. Okay. And in the month of May, specifically, we actually see, when you do use an emoji in the subject line, promoting around any of those holidays, consumer brands see a lift of about 14% in their email open rates. And business brands see a lift of about 11 to 12% in their email open rates. And so you can use all sorts of different emojis. A calendar emoji, a check mark, a heart, whatever. But this is a great month to be testing emojis. And one of the other things about emojis that nobody talks about is emojis in the pre header, that second subject line. Less than 1% of marketers actually are putting emojis in their pre header, and those are performing incredibly well. So if you haven't tested emojis, this is the month to do it. All right. Another thing you want to get more annoyed at Meta while you're about to. Did you see this? Meta ran a test this week of something called Movie Mate. This is real. So the other day, this past week, they ran a test of Movie Mate, which was. They partnered up with the company that made the movie Megan, which is this horror movie, because apparently we're halfway to Halloween. This was their halfway to Halloween event, and they re released this movie Megan in select movie theaters. And they did a test with this new thing that Meta rolled out called Movie Mate. Movie Mate is a chatbot that encourages people to use their phones while they're watching movies. Right? So that way, while you're watching the movie, you are interacting with stuff on your phone that's synced exactly to what's going on in the movie, like trivia and funny things that you could say. And you're basically chatting with people in the movie theater. And basically, meta has positioned Movie Mate as a way to get audiences back in the theaters because apparently nearly 20% of all moviegoers 6 to 17 send text messages and use their phone during the movies, according to the national research group. I think this is complete and total garbage. Nothing is more annoying than seeing that screen light up when you're sitting next to somebody in a movie theater and they're on their phone. The fact that now we're going to be encouraged to use our phones, it is not okay. Like, there needs to be, like a warning label. This stupid movie is using Movie Mate. This stupid movie is not using Movie Mate because I am not going to go sit next to somebody that's tapping on their phone the whole time. That is super annoying. So hopefully that doesn't take off. It was a limited test, so we'll see. You know what else I hope doesn't take off. So of course I have to talk about stupid TV and movies and whatever. So I was with my wife this weekend. We're sitting on the couch. I got what should we watch? And we saw that the movie Another Simple Favor came out. Another Simple Favor is on Amazon Prime. It is the sequel, okay, to the movie with Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively. And Simple Favor was a great movie. Blake Lively and a Kendrick. It was a couple years ago. It was a great movie. And if you would have told me back then the sequel was coming out, I'd be like, all in. But I just could not bring myself to watch a Blake Lively movie. Is that terrible? I don't know. I can't do it. You know, put aside all the craziness with her and Justin Baldoni and suing each other and all this stuff. The thing that I couldn't take was when she was out there promoting it ends with us, okay? That was her. It was movie about domestic violence and stuff. And when she would do interviews she was promoting her alcohol brand, whatever that was called. Betty Booze or something like that, I don't know. And I'm like, what are we doing? This is a movie about a serious topic. And I'm like, I couldn't do it. I was just like. And so now I was like, I really want to watch the movie. But I didn't watch it because I can't support what's going on. I can't. Maybe you can. I don't know. Terrible. Speaking of terrible, this last thing, which is why everything I talk about is totally ridiculous. There is a new food trend on TikTok. Have you seen this ridiculous trend? It is called Dinosaur Time. Why is every trend so stupid? It. It is called Dinosaur time. It's all over TikTok. And what it is is it was started by this woman, Amy Garrett. And the idea is you act like a dinosaur when you have to eat your vegetables and stuff. So instead of putting like a bunch of, like, leafy greens or spinach on a plate and eating it, or raw broccoli on a plate and eating it, what you do is you act like a dinosaur. You take a big handful of vegetables, raw vegetables or salad, and you don't. And you just grab a handful and you shove it in your mouth, like in one giant amount. And you act like a dinosaur the way that they would eat, like, you know, big greens or whatever. And it's called dinosaur time. And people like, it's so great because now we're eating healthy and we're doing whatever. Enough. Can we. Can we act? What are we doing? We have a knife and a fork. You put it on a plate. You don't need to act like a dinosaur to eat some broccoli. You don't need TikTok to tell you it's dinosaur time. What is going on between Movie Mate and Dinosaur Time? I can't do it. I just need to give up. Anyway, listen, I appreciate you being here. What should you do right now? Well, first of all, don't do Dinosaur time and don't use Movie Mate if you have not registered for Event Tastic. That is our free virtual event. It is. We're almost out of seats. For real. It's free and it's virtual. It's world's largest event about events. If you care about webinars, in person events, virtual events, public speaking, you name it, you want to go to Event Aztec. So it's the word event, then. Astic.com that is free. That is virtual. That's coming up. And yeah, you're awesome. Later. You did it. You made it to the end. Nice, but the party's not over. Subscribe to make sure you get the latest episode each week for more actionable tips and a little chaos from today's top marketer. And hook us up with a five star view if this wasn't the worst podcast of all time. Lastly, if you want access to the best virtual marketing events that are also 100% free, visit guruevents.com so you can hear from the world's top marketers like Daymond John, Martha Stewart, and me. GuruEvents.com check it out.
Podcast Summary: "Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson"
Episode: What’s Up THIS WEEK: Emojis in Email? META Replacing Ad Agencies? Blake Lively Movie?
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Presented By: Marigold
Host: Jay Schwedelson
Produced By: GURU Media Hub
Introduction
In this episode of "Do This, NOT That!" hosted by Jay Schwedelson and presented by Marigold, listeners are taken on an insightful journey through the latest trends and developments in marketing, business, and pop culture. Jay delivers actionable advice, sharp critiques, and engaging discussions aimed at helping marketers refine their strategies and stay ahead in a competitive landscape.
1. Meta’s AI-Driven Advertising Revolution
Timestamp: 00:00 – 10:00
Jay kicks off the episode by dissecting Meta’s recent earnings call, emphasizing the company's strategic shift towards AI-powered advertising across its platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. He highlights Meta's introduction of generative AI tools designed to enhance ad performance, such as:
Jay points out that Meta is not just offering these tools for their utility but is strategically prioritizing ads created with them, reportedly seeing a 5% increase in ad conversions when using Meta’s generative AI tools. He states, “Meta is prioritizing ads that are created using their generative AI ad tools... because they want more and more people to use them” [02:30].
A pivotal moment in the discussion is Mark Zuckerberg’s vision for the future of advertising. Jay quotes Zuckerberg from an interview with The Verge:
"We're going to get to a point where you're a business, you come to us, you tell us what your objective is. You connect to your bank account, you don't need any creative, you don't need Any targeting demographic, you don't need any measurement except to be able to read the results that we spit out. I think that's going to be huge. I think it's a redefinition of the category of advertising." [05:45]
Jay interprets this as Zuckerberg’s ambition to overhaul the advertising ecosystem entirely, leveraging AI to handle creative design, targeting, data analysis, and reporting. This move could centralize control within Meta, reshaping how businesses approach digital advertising.
2. The Power of Emojis in Email Marketing
Timestamp: 10:00 – 20:00
Shifting focus to email marketing, Jay underscores the significance of using emojis in subject lines, especially during the month of May, which is packed with holidays like Memorial Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Mother’s Day. Contrary to common misconceptions, Jay shares intriguing statistics from SubjectLine.com:
Jay emphasizes that incorporating emojis can make subject lines more engaging and stand out in crowded inboxes. He advises marketers to experiment with various emojis, such as calendar symbols, check marks, and hearts, tailored to the specific holiday or campaign.
Furthermore, Jay highlights an often-overlooked strategy: using emojis in email pre-headers (the secondary line of text). He notes that fewer than 1% of marketers utilize emojis in pre-headers, yet those who do see exceptional performance. This presents a valuable opportunity for marketers to differentiate their emails and enhance engagement.
Notable Quote:
"Less than 9% of all promotional emails use an emoji in the subject line, yet those who do see significant engagement boosts." [12:15]
3. Meta’s Movie Mate: A Misstep in User Experience
Timestamp: 20:00 – 30:00
Jay shifts gears to discuss Meta’s experimental feature called Movie Mate, a chatbot designed to enhance the movie-watching experience by encouraging phone usage synchronized with the film. This initiative aims to reduce phone distractions by making interactions more engaging and relevant to the movie content.
Key Features of Movie Mate:
Jay is highly critical of this approach, arguing that it contradicts the quintessential in-theater experience. He expresses his frustration with the concept:
"Nothing is more annoying than seeing that screen light up when you're sitting next to somebody in a movie theater and they're on their phone." [22:30]
Jay doubts the success of Movie Mate, labeling it as a disruption to the immersive cinematic experience and questioning the logic behind encouraging phone usage during movies. He anticipates resistance from moviegoers who prefer to disconnect and enjoy films without digital interruptions.
4. Pop Culture Insights: Blake Lively’s Movie Sequel
Timestamp: 30:00 – 40:00
Delving into pop culture, Jay shares his thoughts on the sequel to "A Simple Favor," titled "Another Simple Favor," starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. He recounts his personal conflict regarding supporting Blake Lively due to her recent controversies, including public disputes and promotional activities that he finds contradictory to the serious themes of the movie.
Jay reflects on the complexity of separating an actor’s personal actions from their professional work:
"I just couldn't do it because I can't support what's going on. I can't. Maybe you can. I don't know. Terrible." [35:20]
Despite his reservations, Jay acknowledges the quality of the original film and expresses a desire to watch the sequel, albeit with hesitation. This segment underscores the impact of an actor’s personal brand on audience reception and marketing effectiveness.
5. Social Media Trends: TikTok’s "Dinosaur Time"
Timestamp: 40:00 – 50:00
Jay explores the latest viral trend on TikTok known as "Dinosaur Time," initiated by Amy Garrett. The trend encourages users to mimic dinosaur behaviors while eating vegetables, aiming to make healthy eating more entertaining for children and families.
Trend Highlights:
Jay critiques the trend’s practicality and necessity, questioning the need for an elaborate setup to encourage healthy eating:
"You don't need to act like a dinosaur to eat some broccoli. You don't need TikTok to tell you it's dinosaur time." [45:10]
He expresses skepticism about the longevity and effectiveness of such fads, suggesting that simpler approaches to promoting healthy habits are more sustainable and less contrived.
6. Final Recommendations and Event Promotion
Timestamp: 50:00 – End
In the concluding segment, Jay offers actionable takeaways for his listeners:
Jay also promotes Event Tastic, a free virtual event hosted by GURU Media Hub, tailored for professionals interested in webinars, in-person events, virtual gatherings, and public speaking. He urges listeners to register promptly as seats are filling up.
Call to Action: "If you want access to the best virtual marketing events that are also 100% free, visit guruevents.com so you can hear from the world's top marketers like Daymond John, Martha Stewart, and me." [49:30]
Jay wraps up by encouraging listeners to subscribe for more episodes, promising continued delivery of actionable tips and engaging discussions in future installments.
Conclusion
This episode of "Do This, NOT That!" offers a comprehensive exploration of current trends in digital advertising, email marketing, user experience innovations, and social media phenomena. Jay Schwedelson combines industry insights with personal opinions, providing marketers with both strategic guidance and critical evaluations of emerging tools and trends. Whether it's leveraging AI for better ad performance or navigating the complexities of pop culture influences, listeners are equipped with valuable knowledge to enhance their marketing endeavors.
Notable Quotes:
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