Impressive to see all 118% of responses summed up.
As for signaling...this is the US and we are a consumption culture- signaling thru purchased goods is commonplace for most all of us.
It's a rare day when someone legitimately doesn't signal anything thru goods.
If by "signaling" you mean it the same way as Podgy, then we're talking only about status signaling. While there is plenty of that going on I'd guess you are vastly overstating how much that plays a role in most purchased goods.
Commodity items...the things we most commonly buy, aren't "status enhancers" for the most part. If I'm buying non-stick cooking spray and I know the Safeway brand is just as or nearly as good as "PAM" and costs, say $2 vs Pam at $3, I'm not getting the PAM to make a statement about my status. I'm going with the Safeway brand (which may well be made by PAM).
On the other hand, if the other choice from PAM is some weird, unknown brand out of Mexico, I'll spring for the PAM...not for status but because I don't feel $1 is enough of a savings to risk something that might be sketchy.
Same goes for most items, such as tp, paper towels, bananas, otc medicines, etc., etc. I might pay a little more for Coca-cola brand but only because I know it's gonna taste like what I think a coke should taste like, not because it'll impress the other shopper behind me watching me go through checkout.
I'd say most brand choices of that nature come down to faith/trust in the quality of a known product. Of course cars don't fall under the commodity category. To be certain, a large % of people will buy at least in part to project a status.