SPECIAL SERIES ==> đźš˝ Your Subject Lines Need a Remodel Too <== | BATHROOM Break #128 COLLAB: The Marketing Millennials + Do This, Not That
October 5, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readThe hosts of Do This, NOT That and The Marketing Millennials have remodeled their show format, but the core of this episode is a rapid-fire exchange of specific, actionable marketing tactics. Jay Schwedelson and Daniel Murray open by roasting pumpkin spice everything—detergent, cologne, pouches for kids—before diving into subject line strategies, LinkedIn’s collaborative posts, and Instagram’s new AI-powered Edits app. The throughline is clear: test platform-native features early, but be wary of the sameness they can create.
Subject Lines That Are Actually Working Right Now
Daniel Murray starts with his two non-negotiables: a number at the front of every subject line, and an emoji to stand out in the inbox. But he’s not using generic numbers like “10” or “5”—he prefers specific, non-round numbers that feel less templated. He also experiments with capitalization, like writing the entire subject line in lowercase except for one all-caps word, which breaks the visual pattern and draws the eye.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:04) **Show Intro & Remodel Announcement** - Jay and Daniel kick off a new format for the Bathroom Break podcast, explaining they’ve “remodeled the bathroom” with a fresh structure.
- 2 (01:04) **Pumpkin Spice Rant** - Jay expresses disgust over pumpkin spice-flavored detergent and cologne, sparking a quick debate on seasonal marketing gimmicks.
- 3 (02:08) **Subject Line Tactic #1: Numbers & Emojis** - Daniel shares his go-to subject line strategies for boosting open rates, focusing on numbers and emojis.
- 4 (03:21) **Subject Line Tactic #2: Capitalization & Brackets** - Jay counters with two specific tactics that are currently crushing it for B2B and B2C campaigns.
- 5 (03:55) **Emoji Placement & Pre-Header Strategy** - Jay explains a shift to using emojis mid- or end-of-subject line, plus a new tactic for pre-headers.
- 6 (04:10) **LinkedIn Collaborative Posts Explained** - Daniel breaks down LinkedIn’s collaborative post feature, which allows up to five co-authors on a single post.
- 7 (05:41) **Why to Lean Into New Platform Features** - Jay emphasizes the advantage of testing new features early, using collaborative posts as an example.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
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Check out Jay Schwedelson's new book: Stupider People Have Done It
All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, let's kick cancer's butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206
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Follow Daniel on LinkedIn and check out The Marketing Millennials podcast for sharp, no-fluff marketing insights. Subscribe to Ari Murray’s newsletter at gotomillions.co for sharp, actionable marketing insights.
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The Bathroom Break just got a remodel, and the new format borrows from Pardon the Interruption to rapid-fire through what's actually working in marketing right now. Jay Schwedelson and Daniel Murray swap the subject line tactics they'd die on a hill for, disagree about where emojis belong, and ask whether Instagram's new AI coach is a gift or a shortcut
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