Sell Status, Not Products

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👋 Turns out, the world's most expensive painting was actually the world's greatest sales pitch. When Loïc Gouzer transformed criticism into currency by selling "Salvator Mundi" for $450M, he demonstrated the real art form: understanding that people don't buy products—they buy better versions of themselves.

In this edition:

• Jordan’s top bookmarks

• The $450M art sale

• Bundle intangible items

Read time: 4 minutes | 897 words

JORDAN’S BOOKMARKS

• What is the Yankee’s Torpedo Bat anyway?

• The brutal truth about lions versus gladiators

• Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power in 1 Image

• Cheaper to order by the glass or by the bottle?

• Watch ants solve a geometric problem in real time

• 11 ways to use your Mac beyond "Beginner Mode"

• How to Build a $1,000/Day Newsletter in 117 Minutes

TOGETHER WITH ANVARA

Brands are closing deals with Trucks, Pickleball, and Drones

After launching, AntiMetal sent real pizzas to CFOs across NYC - with QR codes to their landing page.

It was weird. It was brilliant. It worked.

They landed Brex, Mercury, and Ramp.

This is how the best brands win the top of the funnel:

Anvara is the marketplace where you can discover, activate, and measure high-impact IRL placements. Think:

• Branded Pizza Boxes

• Music festivals

• Truck Wraps

• Pickleball Sponsorships

We make it easy to be everywhere that matters, without lifting a finger.

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STORY 

💰 The Man Who Sold a $450M Painting in 17 Minutes

In the high-stakes world of luxury art auctions, one masterful strategist turned controversy into cash by understanding that he wasn't selling paint on canvas — he was selling something far more valuable: human psychology.

When Loïc Gouzer orchestrated the sale of Leonardo da Vinci's "Salvator Mundi," he wasn't just placing another painting on the auction block. He was crafting one of the most brilliant psychological campaigns in auction history, transforming a controversial artwork into the most expensive painting ever sold.

The strategy unfolded with precision:

• Created deliberate controversy to generate buzz and attention

• Released emotional ads showing people crying in front of the painting

• Secured Leonardo DiCaprio for a strategic photoshoot with the artwork

• Branded it "The Male Mona Lisa" despite art world criticism

• Positioned art world hatred as a feature, not a bug — perfectly attracting his true target audience

But the auction itself revealed Gouzer's true genius. By starting bids at an astronomical $90 million, he instantly filtered out non-serious players. The result? No crowded room, no distractions — just two billionaires locked in silent psychological combat.

What happened next demonstrates the power of exclusivity economics. Each billionaire assumed the other would eventually back down, creating the perfect FOMO spiral where money became secondary to winning.

In a mere 19 minutes, the price exploded to $450 million. The victor? Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (read more). But what truly matters isn't who bought it — it's what they thought they were buying.

Gouzer didn't sell a painting that day. He sold status. Exclusivity. Bragging rights. This reveals a powerful truth about selling anything:

• Whether it's a $3,000 coaching program

• A $30,000 done-for-you service

• Or a $450 million painting

The psychological principles remain identical across all price points: people don't purchase products — they buy transformations, access, and the thrill of exclusivity.

But, is this really even Leonardo DaVinci’s painting (see the video)? 

TOGETHER WITH MORNING BREW

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INSIGHT

📣 How to Sell Status, Not Art

Based on this story about the "Salvator Mundi" auction, there are several powerful insights we can learn:

1. Value is perception, not intrinsic: The astronomical price wasn't about the painting itself but about what owning it represented. This teaches us that people often pay for perceived value rather than objective worth.

2. Exclusivity drives desire: By creating an environment where only serious players could participate, Gouzer transformed the auction into a competition for something rare and exclusive, dramatically increasing its perceived value.

3. Strategic friction can increase value: Counter-intuitively, the controversy and art world criticism didn't hurt the sale—it enhanced it by creating a narrative that appealed to the target audience who enjoyed defying conventional wisdom.

4. Understanding buyer psychology trumps product features: The sale succeeded because Gouzer deeply understood what truly motivated his potential buyers—not appreciation of art techniques, but status, exclusivity, and competitive conquest.

When you can position your offering as the gateway to that desired identity or experience, price becomes secondary to possession.

ACTION

👑 Bundle Intangibles to Create Premium Value

When customers purchase something, they're rarely buying just the physical item—they're buying what it represents and how it makes them feel.

1. Identify your intangible assets: What knowledge, connections, or access do you possess that costs you little but customers would value highly?

   • Example: A kitchen knife retailer realizes their head chef has deep expertise in knife techniques. They create monthly video masterclasses on professional cutting techniques—something that costs only time to produce but significantly enhances the value of their knives.

   • Example: A real estate agent recognizes their exclusive relationships with contractors and offers "priority scheduling" with in-demand home improvement professionals to clients who purchase through them.

2. Create artificial boundaries: Clearly define who gets access and who doesn't to enhance the exclusivity factor

   • Example: A wine shop creates a "Reserve Club" that's only available to customers who purchase six bottles quarterly, giving them first access to limited releases.

   • Example: A graphic designer offers "VIP Client Status" only to customers who book full branding packages, which includes quarterly design refreshes that regular clients don't receive.

3. Make the intangible tangible: Create visible symbols of membership or access (digital badges, special communications, recognition)

   • Example: A luxury car dealership provides premium customers with distinctive key fobs that identify them as "Founders Circle" members at any service location.

   • Example: A software company gives platinum-tier subscribers special profile badges visible to other community members and access to a different-colored support chat interface.

4. Price the bundle, not the components: Never break down what each element "costs" — sell the complete experience

   • Example: A photographer offers a $3,500 "Legacy Portrait Experience" instead of itemizing $2,000 for the session, $800 for prints, and $700 for digital files and editing.

   • Example: A business coach sells a $10,000 "Executive Transformation Program" rather than charging separately for weekly coaching, assessment tools, and retreat access.

5. Emphasize status and identity: In all communications, highlight how these intangibles make the customer part of a select group

   • Example: A gym sends communications addressing premium members as "Elite Performance Athletes" rather than "premium members."

   • Example: A skincare brand refers to subscription customers as "Skin Insiders" and emphasizes how they're "part of the 2% who understand professional-grade skincare."

The most powerful intangibles often cost you very little to provide but dramatically increase what customers will pay and how emotionally connected they become to your brand.

MEME