Aaron Keller didn’t hold back. In this episode, Beyond the Billboard co-hosts Charlie Riley and Greg Wise sit down with the Capsule co-founder to dissect the human and economic layers of brand. Aaron lays out a philosophy grounded in the idea that “brands are living members of our community”—containers of trust and meaning that shape culture and behavior. The conversation touches everything from billboard placement in Maplewood, Minnesota to the strategic suspension of merino wool products by Patagonia. He explores what happens when brands try to be everything to everyone, and why too much focus on bottom-of-funnel tactics can trigger the marketing equivalent of a restraining order. This episode is loaded with stories, sharp metaphors, and marketing reality checks from one of the most thoughtful minds in branding.

👤 Guest Bio

Aaron Keller is the co-founder of Capsule, a special projects agency based in Minneapolis. Capsule works with brands like Patagonia, Hydro Flask, and QuickTrip, offering research-driven design and brand strategy. Aaron is also the author of The Physics of Brand, a columnist for Twin Cities Business, and describes himself as a “curious investor.”

🔗 Aaron Keller on LinkedIn

📌 What We Cover

• Why “a brand is a container of trust and meaning”
• The social role of trust—and what happens when brands lose it
• How Patagonia handled a global wool sourcing controversy
• Packaging as “a billboard you can pick up” and the high stakes of in-store design
• How Capsule used mobile research to inform Patagonia’s packaging revamp
• The tension between brand and demand gen, and how out-of-home fits into the mix
• Cultural fatigue from bottom-funnel bombardment and “marketing restraining orders”
• Launching a nightclub brand in suburban Minnesota using strategic billboards
• The hidden influence of Red Bull’s street teams and why caffeine is a creative performance enhancer

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• The Physics of Brand – Book by Capsule
• Capsule – Aaron’s agency
• Liquid Death – Referenced as a cultural case study
• Red Bull – Mentioned for experiential and brand execution
• Dinner Bell – A consumer-facing dairy brand from a supplier cooperative
• MPI (Associated Milk Producers Inc.) – Parent of Dinner Bell
• Tropicana, SunChips – Referenced in packaging redesign context