I think he was joking (although given the way Marriott can screw up normal points his strategy follows what happens).

Properties will have a book this rate, get x bonus points. I've seen that at dif properties & have booked some of those rates (when the rate itself made sense to do so). Those are not elite dependent, but are usually more local promotion rate/property specific. And they're not ongoing but usually for a certain period of time.

Cheers.