Podcast Summary: “The Marketing Tactics Everyone Uses (But Won’t Admit)”

The Marketing Millennials — Bathroom Break #100
Hosts: Daniel Murray & Jay Schwetelson
Date: March 23, 2026

Main Theme

In this milestone 100th “Bathroom Break” episode, Daniel Murray (The Marketing Millennials) and Jay Schwetelson (Do This, Not That Podcast/Subjectline.com) veer away from their usual rapid-fire marketing tips and get candid about the guilty secrets and embarrassing moments every marketer has but few will admit to. Through authentic storytelling, a “Never Have I Ever” game, and insightful banter, they shed light on the not-so-glamorous—and all-too-relatable—side of the marketing industry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Embarrassing Moments in Marketing Careers

• Jay shares a hilariously humiliating story about getting locked out of his hotel room in just his boxers during a conference, forced to walk through the lobby full of peers and approach the front desk for help.
  • Quote [02:19]:
    “I get to the front desk. I'll never forget. The guy at the front desk goes, how can I help you? I'm like, dude, I'm naked. I need to get into my room. He goes, do you have id? I go, no, I don't have id Clown.” – Jay
• Daniel admits he can’t top that, but shares his own vulnerable moment of on-stage anxiety: right before moderating a major industry panel (with his wife and Jay present!), he had a panic attack, forgot a speaker’s name, and nearly bailed at the last minute—ultimately relying on his wife to take over.
  • Quote [09:03]:
    “I'm not going on stage. I'm going to walk out right now… And she's like, okay, fine, I'll moderate. Ari had to take the whole thing and moderate.” – Daniel
  • They emphasize that even seasoned speakers get stage fright, and that “it’s called being a human.”
    “Anyone who says you don't get a little bit of anxiety… is very normal… It's called being a human.” – Jay [10:09]

2. Never Have I Ever: Marketing Edition

A cheeky game where both hosts fess up to commonly used (and often dubious) marketing tactics:

• False Scarcity ("Last Chance" Promos):

  • Both admit to adding “Last Chance” labels to campaigns that were not genuinely the last chance.
    • “I've definitely put Last Chance on promotion. Who hasn't done that?” – Daniel [04:12]
  • Jay jokes about stores repeatedly touting store closings to create urgency.
    • “Once a month, it has a giant thing that says store closing, but they're, like, only closing for that day.” – Jay [04:45]

• Deleting Flopped Posts:

  • Daniel regularly deletes underperforming social posts, seeing no shame in it.
    • “Once a week. I think people shouldn't be afraid of doing that.” – Daniel [05:15]
  • He cautions that reposting nearly identical content immediately might backfire algorithmically.
    • “I've seen negative net results of reposting the same post on the same day.” – Daniel [05:40]

• Deceptive “Re:” Subject Lines:

  • Both have (regretfully) used “Re:” in subject lines to make emails seem like replies, admitting it’s a “garbage” tactic.
    • “That's a horrible tactic, by the way. I feel like a terrible of a marketer to do that.” – Daniel [06:03]
    • “I don't care if it works. I just think it's total, absolute garbage.” – Jay [06:18]

• Faking Laughter & Avoidance:

  • Both laugh at jokes they don’t get for “comical relief” [06:29], and avoid people at events out of social fatigue.
    • “Like a week ago. I've done that. Do that daily. I... ducked.” – Daniel [06:57]
    • Jay teases Daniel’s height, “You're like six, five. You ducking doesn't really…” [07:13]

3. Humor & Humanity: Shared Relatability

• Porta Potty Universality:

  • The pair riff about the horrors of porta potties, especially at festivals, reveling in just how disgusting—but unavoidable—they are.
    • “Is there anything more disgusting on earth than a Porta Potty? Like, but how did that get approved?” – Jay [07:44]
    • “At festivals when it's 100 plus degrees outside and you're hot in the porta potty and it's 100 degrees and you're sweating...” – Daniel [07:54]

• Connection with Audience:

  • They encourage listeners to admit their own industry faux pas and join the conversation, reinforcing that everyone has embarrassing or imperfect marketing moments.
    • “I want to know your embarrassing story. You already heard mine.” – Jay [08:24]
  • Acknowledgement of imperfection as the only honest approach in marketing.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “I did the dumbest thing a human being has ever done is I knocked on the door, which I still don't understand exactly why I was doing that, because I was the only one in the room.” – Jay [02:19]
• “I've definitely put Last Chance on promotion. Who hasn't done that?” – Daniel [04:12]
• “Once a week. I think people shouldn't be afraid of doing that… it's not a bad thing to delete posts.” – Daniel [05:15]
• “If you delete a post and repost something pretty similar…I’ve seen negative net results.” – Daniel [05:40]
• “That's a horrible tactic, by the way. I feel like a terrible of a marketer to do that.” – Daniel [06:03]
• “Anyone who says you don't get a little bit of anxiety…It's very normal…It's called being a human.” – Jay [10:09]
• “At festivals when it's 100 plus degrees outside and you're hot in the porta potty…and it's smelling and you... All you want to do is get out, but you need to go so badly.” – Daniel [07:54]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:17] Jay’s Embarrassing Hotel Story
• [03:43] Announcement of Special "Never Have I Ever" Segment
• [04:12] Confession: Fake “Last Chance” Promos
• [05:15] Confession: Deleting Flopped Posts
• [06:03] Confession: “Re:” Subject Line Deception
• [06:29] Confession: Laughing at Unfunny Jokes
• [06:57] Confession: Avoiding Conversations at Events
• [07:44] Porta Potty Disgust
• [08:29] Daniel’s On-Stage Panic Attack Story
• [10:09] Reassurance: Public Speaking Anxiety is Human
• [11:03] Reflecting on the Future of the Series

Overall Tone & Takeaways

• Authentic, self-deprecating, and irreverent: The tone is relaxed and honest, packed with humor and anecdotes that demystify the glossy image of marketing professionals.
• Embrace Your Flaws: Both hosts model vulnerability and encourage marketers to own their imperfections—whether it’s tactical “white lies” or stage mishaps.
• Community Invitation: Listeners are urged to join in, share their stories, and recognize that behind every marketing “win” are plenty of facepalms and cringe moments.

Closing

“Everyone, follow the show. Follow the Marketing Millennials, follow Do This, Not That, and find your local porta potty and think of Daniel while you’re in there.” — Jay [11:49]
“Just give us a shout on LinkedIn and tell us what you want to hear.” — Daniel [12:28]

A truly unfiltered milestone episode—proving that even the sharpest marketers make mistakes, laugh at themselves, and keep going.