Date: April 13th, 2026

Summary: Kevin King covers the latest Marketing Misfits newsletter with highlights on unconventional brand building, why LinkedIn is the most undervalued platform in marketing, how a joke Instagram handle turned into a cigar empire, the $100,000 water bottle, loss aversion in marketing, the Purple mattress case study, and an AI marketing tip on building a brand voice document.

Key Points Discussed

Why LinkedIn is the most undervalued marketing platform (Joshua B. Lee, "Dopamine Dealer of LinkedIn")
LinkedIn newsletter hack: 20–50% open rates and Google indexing in under an hour
Brandon Wells: How a joke Instagram handle became a cigar brokerage empire
The Chalkboard: Build the story before you build the brand
Marketing trends: Brand vs. ad spend across luxury and mass market
Loss aversion in marketing: practical applications and ethical use
A/B testing framework for email marketing
AI/Marketing tool highlight: AdCreative.ai
Case study: Purple mattress and the "raw egg test" viral video
From the Humidor: Yamazaki whisky's overnight global transformation
AI marketing tip: How to develop a unique brand voice document with AI
7 brands that built empires by breaking every rule
The "Red Ocean, Blue Offer" strategy for brand building

Links Mentioned

E-Com Mastery AI Replays
Marketing Misfits Episode: "Dopamine Dealer of LinkedIn" with Joshua B. Lee
Marketing Misfits Episode: How a Joke Turned Into a Cigar Empire (Brandon Wells)
$100,000 Water Bottle?! Insane Luxury Branding (Kevin & Norm)
Dragon Fish – Email Marketing Help
AdCreative.ai – AI-Powered Ad Creative Generation
Collective Minds Society Cigar & Whisky Trip (Feb 18–22, 2027)
Marketing Misfits Podcast
Link to written version of the newsletter: [Insert link here]

Trivia Answer

The Lancero and Corona sizes. The manufacturer told Brandon Wells these shapes "couldn't be sold." He took them on because he believed in the story behind the blend and the maker. They sold out because his audience trusted his recommendation completely.

Connect

BDSN x Marketing Misfits: 7 Brands That Built Empires Breaking Rules