N°103 - Tom Guarriello The Meaning of Branded Objects
Mon Dec 22 2025
Please support the podcast on Patreon!
Thank you to all of my paid subscribers!
My friend Tom Guarriello joins me to unpack a deceptively simple question—why do some things matter more than others?
How is it that “brands” are rarely just products.
Tom describes how they’re meaning-machines: coffee cups, clothes, grocery aisles, and the everyday objects we carry through life are the things that quietly scaffold identity, aspiration, and sense of belonging.
Choice arrives instantly; explanation comes later.
Tom’s “meaning stack” helps us understand the rise of culture brands those brands that don’t just sell products, but stage worlds: concerts, exhibitions, lifestyles, and point-of-view.
Tom's new book gets into all of this and more. Check out his "The Meaning of Branded Objects".
https://tomguarriello.com
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Please support the podcast on Patreon! Thank you to all of my paid subscribers! My friend Tom Guarriello joins me to unpack a deceptively simple question—why do some things matter more than others? How is it that “brands” are rarely just products. Tom describes how they’re meaning-machines: coffee cups, clothes, grocery aisles, and the everyday objects we carry through life are the things that quietly scaffold identity, aspiration, and sense of belonging. Choice arrives instantly; explanation comes later. Tom’s “meaning stack” helps us understand the rise of culture brands those brands that don’t just sell products, but stage worlds: concerts, exhibitions, lifestyles, and point-of-view. Tom's new book gets into all of this and more. Check out his "The Meaning of Branded Objects". https://tomguarriello.com