LEGO built one of the most powerful brands in history by standing for one simple idea: limitless creative play. So what happens when that same brand introduces a Smart Brick and leans into connected, tech-driven play at CES 2026?

⁠⁠⁠>> Get the Award-Winning Book (Brandy): BrandyBook.us

In this episode of Brandy, Reilly Newman and Scott Saunders explore whether LEGO has drifted from its core identity or whether this Smart Brick move represents a bold evolution of what play can be. Look at LEGO’s history, the psychology of brand trust, and how even the world’s most beloved brands can stumble when growth pulls them away from what made them iconic.

Most importantly, translate this moment into lessons for founders and small business owners who are trying to scale without losing what made their brand special in the first place.

If you’ve ever worried about growing too fast, following trends, or losing your brand’s soul, this episode is for you.

Have a brand marketing question?

Reilly & Scott will answer it on the next episode!

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Gift cards seem simple... but they reveal something profound about brand trust, psychology, and power.

⁠⁠⁠>> Get the Award-Winning Book (Brandy): BrandyBook.us

In this episode of Brandy, Reilly Newman and Scott Saunders unpack how Starbucks generates over $215 million annually from unredeemed gift card balances, why consumers forget to use gift cards in the first place, and what this tells us about trust, psychology, and brand power.

Explore how strong brands convince customers to prepay for future value and how that “stored trust” quietly becomes a competitive advantage.

Reilly and Scott translate these insights into practical lessons for founders and small business owners: how branding influences cash flow, why pre-commitment is a signal of brand strength, and what it really takes to build a brand people believe in before they buy.

If you’re building a brand and wondering how trust turns into revenue, this episode will change how you think about gift cards, loyalty, and long-term brand strategy.

Have a brand marketing question?

Reilly & Scott will answer it on the next episode!

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Most founders think they have a marketing problem. They don’t. They have a positioning problem and it’s quietly slowing every part of their business.

Brand News: Guess what brand paid $450 Million for Peanuts...

⁠⁠⁠>> Get the Award-Winning Book (Brandy): BrandyBook.us

In this episode of Brandy, Reilly Newman breaks down why positioning is the lifeblood of your business, not a marketing tactic. You’ll learn how perception shapes growth, why framing beats features, and how to identify the hidden gaps preventing customers from “getting it.”

Reilly also shares his Positioning Flywheel™, a proprietary framework that shows how brands build momentum through Association, Alignment, Fit, Perceived Affordance, and Kinship.

⁠> > See Positioning Flywheel diagram here⁠

If you’ve ever felt stuck, misunderstood, underpriced, or overlooked, this episode will show you the real reason why… and how to fix it.

Perfect for founders, marketers, and anyone responsible for guiding a brand’s direction.

Have a brand marketing question?

Reilly & Scott will answer it on the next episode!

⁠⁠⁠>> Ask Here: https://forms.gle/S237AyoG1vj9Wfzj6