In this edition of Weekly Curiosities…
…we’re exploring how brands are choosing clarity over noise. One story looks at Amazon’s upcoming physical store in Illinois, a format designed around familiarity, speed, and everyday usefulness, where technology supports the experience quietly rather than stealing focus. Another highlights how LEGO is inviting children into the conversation around AI, using play to make a complex topic approachable and human instead of intimidating.
Thanks for reading, and stay curious.
Handing the Future of AI to the Next Generation
BRAND STRATEGY: As concerns around artificial intelligence grow among adults, LEGO is taking a different approach, handing the conversation over to children. Instead of framing AI as a threat or a technical challenge, the brand explores it through curiosity, creativity, and play, allowing kids to shape how the technology is understood and discussed.
Through workshops, content, and playful prompts, LEGO invites children to imagine what AI could be, how it might behave, and what values it should reflect. The focus isn’t on mastery or efficiency, but on imagination and ethics, positioning AI as something to be shaped thoughtfully rather than feared.
By centering younger voices, LEGO reframes a complex topic into something approachable and human. The initiative reinforces the brand’s long-standing belief that play isn’t just entertainment, but a way to explore big ideas safely. In a moment where technology often feels overwhelming, LEGO’s move shows how brands can create space for optimism, dialogue, and agency, starting with the next generation.
How Rewards Became Part of the Brand Experience
BRAND STRATEGY: Rewards catalogs are no longer treated as background mechanics in loyalty programs. Instead of acting as simple point-redemption tools, they’re being shaped as curated selections that feel closer to lifestyle edits than incentives. Brands like Sephora have shown how rewards can be designed with the same care as the core assortment, desirable, considered, and aligned with how customers already engage with the brand.
The power now lies in curation rather than conversion. Instead of pushing discounts or cash equivalents, catalogs are used to communicate taste, values, and relevance. Rewards become part of the brand narrative, offering access to discovery, limited products, or experiences that feel intentional rather than interchangeable. In this way, the catalog itself becomes a surface for exploration, not just a functional endpoint.
As traditional points systems start to feel flat, catalogs that are thoughtful and well-edited create a different kind of loyalty. They reward attention, participation, and alignment, reinforcing the emotional connection that made customers choose the brand in the first place, long before points ever entered the equation.
