Why Meaning Matters
Why Meaning Matters is a weekly podcast series that explores how meaning shapes our experience and sets our expectations. When meanings shift, our economic, political and cultural landscape shifts along with it. Cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and Motivbase President, Jason Partridge will tell you perception and meaning are the primary pressure points that shape and create the world we live in.
Episodes
April 1, 2022 • 14 mins
We’re wrapping up season two with a conversation about the changing meaning of menstrual health and hygiene that demonstrates just how connected we all are. In today’s episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin, Jason and Ujwal talk about what hair ‘down there’ and free bleeding mean to today’s consumers including toppling the patriarchy and environmental impact. Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by ...
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March 24, 2022 • 14 mins
Consumers are tethered to their smartphones everyday but what are the culture dynamics at play? In today’s episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin, Jason and Ujwal put down their smartphones to talk about the myths and changing meaning of cell phones. Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. ...
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March 24, 2022 • 14 mins
In today’s episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin, Jason and Ujwal continue the conversation on the myths and meaning of cannabis use in today’s Western culture including the newly prominent work from home lifestyle, perception and consumer buying power. Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partrid...
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March 10, 2022 • 13 mins
In today’s episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin, Jason and Ujwal bridge the connections between sleep and pain to cannabis. They explore the use of cannabis for managing inflammation, how it interacts with other supplements, and how it’s being used on a daily basis for general health and wellbeing. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s dig in… Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with...
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March 2, 2022 • 14 mins
In today’s episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin, Jason and Ujwal discuss the shifting meaning of sleep. From consumer concern for tolerance to sleep aids and drugs to holistic sleep support and how living with chronic pain impacts sleep.
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. It seems ...
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. It seems ...
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February 24, 2022 • 14 mins
In today’s episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin, Jason and Ujwal discuss the meaning of premium oral health. There are three areas that consumers and companies in the oral care industry are concerned with: sustainability, formulation or ingredients, and ease of use. Consumers are overwhelmed by the options in the toothpaste aisle. Major companies have struggled to improve their margins. It goes to show that there is a cultural ga...
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February 16, 2022 • 13 mins
Erin, Jason and Ujwal have tackled some heavy topics up to this point but in today’s episode of Why Meaning Matters, they discuss the topic to end all topics: Cow farts. Join giggling children everywhere as they dive into the meaning and value we place on methane and climate change. Consumers have been led to believe that grass-fed tastes better, is better for your health and is better for the environment, often paying a hefty pr...
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February 9, 2022 • 15 mins
In this episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin invites Jason and Ujwal to discuss the results of a report produced from a recent partnership with Nielsen IQ where MotivBase was tasked with decoding the implicit meaning of altruistic purpose when it comes to health and wellness. What is altruism in the context of wellness? Fundamentally, when it comes to our health and wellness, it’s a human being’s recognition that, for our own be...
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February 2, 2022 • 16 mins
In this episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin, Jason and Ujwal explore what it means to have healthy skin in today’s society. MotivBase and folks in the skincare industry have been tracking and waiting for the meaning and importance of skin health to become mainstream and now it has! Our hosts make the connection between wellness and skin health through deep healing, achieving balance and embracing imperfection and why that’s import...
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January 27, 2022 • 15 mins
In this episode of Why Meaning Matters, we shift our conversation from the exterior of home and fashion to the interior of the human body as Erin, Jason and Ujwal explore the changing meaning and consumer understanding of infectious disease. Infection and disease has been seen by North Americans as an ‘other’ problem. But, triggered by a global pandemic striking close to home, that cultural meaning is changing by leaps and bounds. ...
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January 19, 2022 • 15 mins
In this episode of Why Meaning Matters, Erin, Jason and Ujwal delve into the meaning of fashion by exploring size inclusivity, the second-hand market and sustainability. Our homes and the way we dress are huge indicators of our values and our personalities. And, just like in the conversation around home - there’s a discernible shift in the conversations and the meaning of Luxury apparel presenting an opportunity for those in the ...
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January 12, 2022 • 15 mins
We start off season two with a challenge! Join our hosts as we go deeper into the world of Meaning and apply it to, as one listener put it, just about anything. The first topic: Home decor and design. Throughout the pandemic the meaning of ‘Home’ and the space we live (and work) in has shifted. Erin, Jason and Ujwal explore the meaning of home design and decor via three themes - accessible living, calming retreat, and working & l...
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December 2, 2021 • 12 mins
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. Our hosts wrap up season one with the question, “Where to next?” With the world opening up to the deeply academic study of anthropology as a way for them to get outside of their own preconceived notions and ideas of how something should work or how ...
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November 25, 2021 • 14 mins
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. Our hosts explore how data collection facilitates measurement of Meaning and the trust and privacy issues that follow. Awareness that online activity is being tracked in some way has become part of the everyday consumer experience. We’re asked to ac...
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November 18, 2021 • 14 mins
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. In this episode, our hosts put the nuanced conversations of previous episodes into context, discussing how studying meaning works beginning with the core tenant of structural anthropology- giving meaning to the world through analyzing natural langua...
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November 11, 2021 • 15 mins
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. Our hosts jump right into what phrases like “natural”, “non-chemical”, or “made from natural source material” mean to the consumer and why it matters to businesses selling products with these labels. For Ujwal and Jason, working with companies on s...
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November 4, 2021 • 16 mins
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. Our hosts dive into the meaning of Sustainability and how it remains undefined. It has such little consensus amongst consumers that it hasn’t reached mainstream status. This creates challenges for brands and marketers to generate and display more ta...
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October 28, 2021 • 15 mins
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. Our hosts dive into culture and meaning for children framed by the myth of the Superhero. From the symbolism of the female superhero costume to the impact on consumer decision-making. How do we have conversations with our kids about the storylines a...
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October 21, 2021 • 15 mins
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. The pandemic has illuminated the notion of emotional energy and self-care, the rhythm of being human in the workforce, and its impact on marginalized populations. In episode six, we learn how the changing meanings of gender, masculinity, and feminini...
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October 14, 2021 • 14 mins
Welcome to Why Meaning Matters. A Story Studio Network podcast hosted by Erin Trafford with MotivBase cultural anthropologist, Ujwal Arkalgud and MotivBase president, Jason Partridge. In episode five, Erin continues with the mini episode arc around the topic of the changing meaning of gender and why it matters to organizations. Bringing feminity and masculinity into the conversation she asks how C-suite executives like CMOs can di...
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