Cover image of Brought to you by...

Brought to you by...

Surprising stories about how the biggest, household name brands affect our lives and culture — for better or worse. Host Charlie Herman finds tales of tragedy, love, strange histories, unintended cons... Read more

Ranked #1

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37: Battle of the Brands: Leo Fender vs Les Paul

37: Battle of the Brands: Leo Fender vs Les Paul

When Leo Fender and Les Paul met, they didn’t have much in common — one was an introverted tinkerer, the other a rising ... Read more

30 Oct 2019

33mins

Ranked #2

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41: The Red (M&M) Scare

41: The Red (M&M) Scare

From the mid 1970s to the mid ‘80s, red M&M’s disappeared. American consumers had become worried about the safety of... Read more

26 Feb 2020

38mins

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Ranked #3

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29: LaCroix, Canada Goose, and Carhartt are cool. Why?

29: LaCroix, Canada Goose, and Carhartt are cool. Why?

Some brands aren’t cool no matter how hard they try. Others start out cool, but lose their cachet over time. Then there ... Read more

17 Apr 2019

37mins

Ranked #4

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4: Trader Joe's No-Buck Chuck

4: Trader Joe's No-Buck Chuck

Trader Joe’s "Two-Buck Chuck" is the wine that got many of us through college. But when we found out that “Chuck” – or C... Read more

15 Aug 2018

34mins

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Ranked #5

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36: A town called DISH

36: A town called DISH

When a small town in Texas changed its name to DISH, the satellite TV company gave its residents free TV for a decade. W... Read more

12 Jun 2019

46mins

Ranked #6

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28: Victoria's Secret is Out

28: Victoria's Secret is Out

For decades, two men at Victoria's Secret have had immense power. One built the chain into a powerhouse. The other ran t... Read more

10 Apr 2019

36mins

Ranked #7

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6: Basically Starbucks

6: Basically Starbucks

A Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks is the perfect accessory for the "basic bitch." But why? We dive into the PSL's ori... Read more

29 Aug 2018

37mins

Ranked #8

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3: The Last Blockbuster

3: The Last Blockbuster

How has Blockbuster Video survived against the odds so long in Alaska, and what will its decline mean? Before the world’... Read more

8 Aug 2018

35mins

Ranked #9

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35: You've got Enron mail!

35: You've got Enron mail!

Enron collapsed nearly 20 years ago, but chances are something you use today was affected by emails sent by 150 of the c... Read more

5 Jun 2019

41mins

Ranked #10

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40: The Marlboro Woman

40: The Marlboro Woman

Marlboro cigarettes are synonymous with the rugged figure who sells them: the Marlboro Man. But the cigarette he smokes ... Read more

19 Feb 2020

37mins

Ranked #11

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33: Muzak listening, and Alexa eavesdropping

33: Muzak listening, and Alexa eavesdropping

We have two stories this week: first, the surprising history "elevator music." Turns out, Muzak was a real company. And ... Read more

22 May 2019

37mins

Ranked #12

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20: Does Panera Care?

20: Does Panera Care?

What happens when a restaurant chain tries a bold experiment that tests human nature? If you ask customers to pay what t... Read more

16 Jan 2019

35mins

Ranked #13

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19: Kentucky Fried Christmas

19: Kentucky Fried Christmas

How did Colonel Sanders and Kentucky Fried Chicken take over Christmas in Japan? PLUS: Household Name Uncut covers some ... Read more

19 Dec 2018

43mins

Ranked #14

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24: An International Amazon Mystery

24: An International Amazon Mystery

Danielle wanted a copy of "Pride and Prejudice," so she clicked the top result on Amazon. The book that came in the mail... Read more

13 Feb 2019

36mins

Ranked #15

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13: Gangs? At Disneyland?

13: Gangs? At Disneyland?

Once upon a time, gangs roamed Disneyland in biker vests. They swarmed rides. They got in fights. Or so we thought… The ... Read more

24 Oct 2018

34mins

Ranked #16

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9: The Mattress Firm Conspiracy Theory

9: The Mattress Firm Conspiracy Theory

We go on a mission to find out why there are so many Mattress Firm stores. How do they end up next door and across the s... Read more

19 Sep 2018

37mins

Ranked #17

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11: The Amway Dream

11: The Amway Dream

Amway is a multi-level marketing company: the structure is triangular, but don't call it a pyramid scheme. The Federal T... Read more

3 Oct 2018

35mins

Ranked #18

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21: Crocs: From Punchline to Fashion Line

21: Crocs: From Punchline to Fashion Line

For years, Crocs were ridiculed as America’s ugliest shoes. The’ve been called “pock-faced,” “plastic hoofs,” and the “g... Read more

23 Jan 2019

34mins

Ranked #19

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25: The VW Beetle's Dark Past

25: The VW Beetle's Dark Past

The Volkswagen Beetle is a symbol of peace, love, and harmony. It’s also a product of Nazi Germany. The story of how the... Read more

20 Feb 2019

37mins

Ranked #20

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43: A Tale of Two Spams

43: A Tale of Two Spams

In Hawaii, Spam is served at grandma’s house and in high-end restaurants. It’s beloved. But in the continental U.S., the... Read more

11 Mar 2020

33mins

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