Brandy

Why did a $148 SKIMS advent calendar leave customers disappointed? The backlash raises a bigger question for founders and marketers: how much can a brand charge before the experience no longer feels worth the price?In this episode of Brandy, Reilly Newman explores the SKIMS advent calendar controversy through the lens of brand strategy, customer expectations and perceived value. What can businesses learn about premium pricing, product experience and the gap between what customers expect and what they receive?Whether you sell products or services, this episode will help you think about how your brand earns trust and delivers on its promise.Explore more brand strategy insights at https://motifbrands.com.

What happens to brand loyalty when an AI agent helps your customer decide what to buy?In this episode of Brandy, Reilly Newman explores how AI shopping agents may change product discovery, customer trust and the buying process. From comparing products to finding a professional service, he examines what brands need to communicate when AI helps narrow the choices.Learn how customer preferences influence the questions people ask, why proof and clear product information matter, and where brand strategy fits when an AI assistant enters the buying journey. Reilly's Positioning Flywheel™ solves this problem for brands and he helps walk you through out to apply it for this new agentic AI era.For founders and marketers, the question is no longer just “Why would a customer choose us?” It’s also “What evidence would help their AI assistant recognize that we’re a good fit?”Explore the Positioning Flywheel at https://motifbrands.com/brand-positioning-flywheel

A customer’s experience can build trust or leave them feeling tricked. In this short Halloween episode, Reilly Newman explores how customer expectations, surprise fees and everyday interactions shape brand perception and loyalty.You’ll also discover two gaps that can hurt a business: failing to deliver on its promise, and growing beyond the reputation customers still associate with it. A quick listen for founders and marketers who want to see their brand through the customer’s eyes.Explore Motif’s free Brand Scorecard: https://motifbrands.com/brand-deficit-scorecard

AI can create a logo, write website copy or design a poster in seconds. But if your marketing looks and sounds like everyone else’s, is it helping your brand stand out?In this episode of Brandy, Reilly Newman explores what he calls the new age of “blanding” and why AI-generated marketing can make businesses feel interchangeable. From a pumpkin patch with AI-generated signs to the thoughtful details of a Disney experience, he looks at how design, craftsmanship and association shape what customers notice and value.You’ll hear about:• How generic AI content can weaken brand distinction.• Why being efficient doesn’t always mean being effective.• How Reilly’s Positioning Flywheel connects brand signals to customer perception.• A simple test to see whether your marketing could belong to a competitor.• How to use AI to build on a clear brand strategy and make your business more distinctive.AI is a powerful tool. The opportunity is to use it with a clear understanding of what makes your brand worth choosing.Explore the Positioning Flywheel and Motif’s Brand Diagnostic at https://motifbrands.com/brand-strategy-consulting

You invested in a new logo, website or packaging. So why aren’t sales increasing?In this episode of Brandy, brand strategist Reilly Newman explores why rebrands can fall short of business expectations, what a brand diagnostic should uncover before design begins, and how stronger positioning can support pricing power and long-term customer relationships.For founders, business owners and marketers, the question goes beyond looking better: what problem should your rebrand actually solve?We explore:• Why visual changes need a clear business strategy.• How asking better questions can uncover the real problem.• What to consider when evaluating rebranding ROI.• Why more revenue and greater profitability are different goals.• How perceived value influences what customers will pay.With examples involving Rory Sutherland’s train analogy, Disney and Costco, Reilly examines how customer perception can change the way you approach business growth.Considering a rebrand? Explore Brand Diagnostics and Brand Transformation programs at https://motifbrands.com.