Unpacking the Brand

Trade shows are evolving and most brands are still doing them wrong.In Episode 10 of Unpacking the Brand, Rich Rodrigues, Director of Growth and Strategy at Pinnacle, breaks down how to turn trade show booths into immersive brand experiences that actually drive ROI.From booth design and staffing to sales alignment and long-term strategy, this episode challenges everything you think you know about events.If you’re investing in trade shows, this is a must-watch.Chapters:00:00 – Intro  02:31 – Meet Rich Rodrigues04:24 – How Trade Shows Have Changed  07:57 – What Makes a Great Booth  12:44 – How to Engage & Qualify Attendees  20:20 – Planning Your Trade Show Strategy  21:42 – What “Immersive” Really Means  27:43 – Low Budget Booth Ideas  30:01 – Sales vs Marketing Problems  40:24 – Measuring Trade Show ROI  46:37 – Creating Memorable Experiences  52:26 – What Good ROI Looks Like  57:12 – The Future of Trade Shows  01:01:23 – Lightning Round  01:11:15 – Outro  trade show marketing strategy, experiential marketing podcast, B2B brand strategy, event marketing insights, booth design and engagement, marketing leadership podcast, sales and marketing alignment, business podcast 2026

Community isn’t a buzzword—it’s a business strategy.In this episode of Unpacking the Brand, Ken Theriot and Randy Kessler sit down with Peter van Teeseling, Executive Director of dScoop, to explore how trust, collaboration, and shared purpose create real competitive advantage in the digital print and packaging industry.Peter shares real-world examples of competitors working together, practical uses of AI, and what it takes to build a community that actually drives growth.Chapters00:00 Introduction & Peter van Teeseling’s Background  02:15 What dScoop Is and How It Started  05:30 Competitors Working Together: The dScoop Model  09:40 Why Trust Is the Foundation of Community  14:20 Real Examples of Collaboration in Action  19:30 How AI Is Actually Being Used in Print  26:00 Scaling Intimacy in a Global Community  32:15 Attracting Young Talent to the Industry  38:10 Leadership, Culture, and Doing the Right Thing  47:30 Measuring the Business Impact of Community  54:10 Where to Learn More About dScoop  57:00 Rapid Fire Questions & Closing ThoughtsUnpacking the Brand, Peter van Teeseling, dScoop, business community, leadership, collaboration, competitive advantage, print industry, digital print, packaging industry, brand strategy

LabelExpo is now LOUPE — but why?In this episode, Jade Grace of Informa Markets explains the data, the strategy, and the industry shifts that led to one of the biggest rebrands in packaging history.We cover:• Why the label industry has outgrown traditional definitions• The 6-year process behind the rebrand• How younger industry professionals viewed the LabelExpo name• The emergence of flexible packaging, folding cartons, and convergence• How LOUPE becomes a more inclusive, future-focused platform• What converters, suppliers, and brand owners can expect moving forward00:00 – Intro: The Evolution of Label Technologies00:35 – Welcome & Introducing Jade Grace01:26 – Why LabelExpo Rebranded to LOUPE02:34 – How the 6-Year Rebrand Process Began04:01 – Why the Name “LOUPE”?07:12 – Research & Industry Data Behind the Decision11:21 – Industry Reaction to the Announcement14:29 – What Stakeholders Really Said16:06 – Future-Proofing the Platform21:16 – How LOUPE Expands Opportunities25:22 – LOUPE Americas: The Official Launch26:10 – What Success Looks Like in 5 Years30:55 – Rapid Fire Questions37:12 – Closing ThoughtsUnpacking the Brand is your inside look at the people, technologies, and strategies shaping the packaging and branding industries. Watch the show on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and all major platforms.#UnpackingTheBrand #LOUPERebrand #PackagingIndustry #LabelExpo #BrandStrategy

From woodenware to high-speed digital printing — few companies have balanced legacy and innovation like New Packaging & Display. In this episode, President Ben Urquhart joins hosts Ken Theriot and Randy Kessler to unpack nearly 200 years of evolution in corrugated packaging.Ben shares how his seventh-generation family business continues to thrive in a changing market from navigating tariffs and technology to building sustainable operations that stand the test of time.If you’re passionate about packaging, manufacturing, or how legacy brands stay modern, this episode is for you.⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Intro: From Woodenware to Packaging Innovation 01:15 – Meet Ben Urquhart, President of New Packaging & Display 02:00 – Rebranding a Legacy Company for a Modern Market 04:00 – Early Career & Path Back to the Family Business 06:00 – Nearly 200 Years of History in Corrugated Packaging 09:00 – The Impact of Tariffs on U.S. Manufacturing 12:00 – Shifting Demand, Offshoring, and Domestic Opportunity 14:10 – Inside the Facility: Scale, Operations & Materials 15:45 – Sustainability as a Core Value and Certification Standards 18:10 – Customer-Driven Innovation and Regional Market Differences 20:00 – How E-Commerce Changed Packaging Design 23:00 – Real-World Example: Fast Turnaround and Two-Sided Print 25:00 – On Marketing and Brand Stewardship vs. Ownership 28:00 – Lessons from COVID: Resilience and Gratitude 32:00 – Investing in People and Machinery 36:00 – How New Packaging Decides on New Equipment 39:00 – The Role of Trade Shows and Vendor Relationships 44:00 – Workforce Development and Internal Advancement 48:00 – The Challenge of Retaining Skilled Workers 50:00 – Industry Consolidation: Independents vs. Integrators 53:00 – Associations and the Power of Learning (AICC) 54:30 – Excitement About EFI’s Single-Pass Digital Printing 56:00 – Favorite Brands and Lessons from History 58:45 – Dramatic Reading of a 19th-Century Accounting Letter 1:02:00 – Closing Thoughts on Leadership and Legacy🎧 Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 📦 About Unpacking the BrandJoin hosts Ken Theriot (TheRiot Agency) and Randy Kessler (Labels & Labeling) as they dive into the intersection of business, branding, and innovation. Discover how leading brands adapt, evolve, and thrive in today’s fast-moving world of marketing, packaging, and design.Subscribe to stay ahead of what’s next in business storytelling, print technology, and sustainable branding.#UnpackingTheBrand #Packaging #Manufacturing #Leadership #Innovation #FamilyBusiness #DigitalPrinting #Sustainability

Join Ken Theriot and Randy Kessler as they sit down with Alain Paquette, President of Artcraft; a Canadian company delivering premium sustainable pressure-sensitive print solutions for packaged goods brands.Alain shares why loyalty and resilience are at the heart of his business, how he navigated losing a major client right before COVID, and why refreshing your brand every 10 years helps companies stay relevant and aligned.📌 Key takeaways:Why loyalty is the foundation of a strong brand.How to handle losing a major client without sinking.Why rebranding every 10 years matters.Lessons from Artcraft’s growth journey.Chapters00:00 – Welcome & Intro01:06 – Meet Alain Paquette, President of Artcraft02:19 – Career background & early experiences05:50 – Becoming owner of Artcraft in 201207:14 – Defining what makes a brand successful10:02 – Customer loyalty and creating value13:34 – Knowing your ideal customer profile17:34 – The role of an advisory group25:12 – Losing a major client before COVID29:42 – Lessons in resilience & rebuilding31:08 – Artcraft’s rebrand and 10-year refresh philosophy36:20 – Choosing the right vendors and partners40:16 – Why loyalty matters in business relationships41:06 – What’s next for Artcraft42:22 – Rapid-fire branding questions (favorite brands, campaigns, books)48:53 – Closing thoughts & advice👉 Subscribe for more conversations on branding, leadership, and innovation.#UnpackingTheBrand #Branding #Leadership #Packaging #CustomerExperience #resilience

Label Expo Europe is heading to Barcelona for the first time, and Labels & Labeling’s Chelsea McDougall joins Unpacking the Brand to share what’s ahead. From automation breakthroughs to flexible packaging opportunities, Chelsea gives a behind-the-scenes look at the event and the trends shaping the packaging industry in 2025.Chapters 0:00 – Welcome and introductions 2:23 – Chelsea’s journey from crime reporting to packaging journalism 5:58 – What Labels & Labeling covers and how to get featured 9:45 – Why Label Expo is a key industry barometer 15:10 – Tech launches to watch: automation, robotics, and more 20:47 – The Pulse: new on-floor educational experience 26:15 – Global attendance and Barcelona buzz 28:48 – Folding carton and flexible packaging crossover trends 32:10 – AI in packaging: beyond marketing hype 38:40 – A day in the life at Label Expo 43:11 – Chelsea’s tips for first-time attendees 44:34 – Rapid-fire branding questions🔗 Subscribe and share to stay in the know on branding, business, and beyond.Check out the other shows our network has to offer!

In Episode 4 of Unpacking the Brand, hosts Randy Kessler and Ken Theriot sit down with Nathan Ridnouer, President of the nonprofit Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), to discuss his journey from managing a movie theater to leading one of the most impactful trade associations in the packaging world. Discover what Nathan’s doing to modernize industry education, promote volunteerism, and build trust through radical transparency; all while steering a nonprofit through industry change.Topics Covered:FTA’s evolution under new leadershipWorkforce development & youth outreachImportance of in-person training in a post-COVID worldHow volunteering can boost your careerTransparency as a nonprofit leadership strategy🔗 Subscribe and share to stay in the know on branding, business, and beyond.Chapters: 00:00 Intro + InfoFlex Recap 02:00 Meet Nathan Ridnouer 05:00 From Multiplex to Mission-Driven 10:00 Nonprofit vs. For-Profit Mindsets 14:00 Reinventing Industry Education 20:00 Why In-Person Events Still Matter 27:00 Educating the Next Generation 33:00 Leadership Through Transparency 39:00 How to Get Involved with FTA 46:00 Upcoming FTA Technical Conference 50:00 Nathan’s Favorite Brands + Book 52:00 Final ThoughtsCheck out the other shows our network has to offer!

Join us for Episode 3 of Unpacking the Brand as we sit down with printing industry veteran Paul Teachout to explore his 45-year journey through flexographic innovation, leadership, and relationship-building.Paul shares how he went from apprentice to executive, shaped industry associations like TLMI and FTA, and continues to drive progress in automation, clean-hand technology, and workforce development. Whether you're in branding, packaging, manufacturing, or marketing, this episode is packed with insight, inspiration, and practical takeaways. 🎧 Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts 📍 Harper Roadshow Details (June 26, 2025 in Philadelphia): Get Tickets Now!Subscribe for more insights from leaders in print, packaging, branding, and innovation.00:00 - Intro & Catching Up on Summer Life01:22 - Guest Introduction: Paul Teachout02:38 - PGA Championship in Charlotte04:05 - Paul's Start in Printing with Kodak and Webtron07:40 - Career Path Through Harper and Nilpeter08:54 - Evolution of Flexographic Printing Technology11:45 - What Is “Clean-Hand Technology”?13:52 - Education in Print: From On-the-Job to Academia15:38 - TLMI & FTA: 30+ Years of Industry Association Involvement19:21 - Defining Customer Success in the Print Industry22:05 - How Customer Expectations and Sales Have Evolved26:13 - Mistakes Companies Make: Focusing Too Much on Price29:35 - Value Over Price: Building Trusted Partnerships31:39 - Life Lessons from Mentors and Industry Leaders37:33 - Workforce Challenges & Harper’s Educational Commitment40:10 - The Phoenix Challenge and Building the Next Generation43:59 - A Trillion-Dollar Industry That Nobody Talks About46:43 - Rapid Fire: Career, Brands & Business Reads51:41 - Bryson vs. Rory: Golf, Growth & Facing Adversity54:29 - From Mistake to Mentor: The John McDowell Story57:10 - Upcoming Event: Harper Roadshow on June 2658:30 - Closing Thoughts & Outro#UnpackingTheBrand  #PrintingIndustry  #Flexography  #PackagingInnovation  #PrintLeadership  #HarperCorporation  #CleanHandTech  #WorkforceDevelopment  #BrandStrategy  #PrintPodcast  

In this episode of Unpacking the Brand, hosts Ken Theriot and Randy Kessler sit down with Katie Graham, Regional Marketing Communications Manager at Bobst North America, to explore how customer-centric marketing is changing the face of industrial branding.From long sales cycles to global communications challenges, Katie breaks down what makes manufacturing marketing so unique — and how aligning messaging, analytics, and authenticity can help even the most technical brands stand out. They dive into topics like digital transformation, CRM adoption, and the importance of personal branding in the B2B space. Whether you're in sales, marketing, or leadership, this is a masterclass on how to build real value in modern industry.Chapters00:00 – Intro: Welcome back to Unpacking the Brand01:44 – Guest intro: Katie Graham of Bobst North America03:00 – Why manufacturing marketing is different05:00 – B2B brand building and customer engagement07:15 – Global marketing vs. regional strategy09:00 – Tech, CRM, and digitalization at Bobst12:00 – Strategic filtering: which initiatives to pursue14:05 – Case study: Building a new market presence17:00 – Sales and marketing alignment done right20:15 – How perception shifts drive brand expansion23:00 – The role of personal branding on LinkedIn25:00 – Katie’s top advice for new professionals30:00 – The future of AI and marketing analytics33:06 – Rapid Fire: Brands, books, and beachside insightsMentionedAtomic Habits by James ClearWomen of FlexoBobst Competence Centers in Atlanta and L.A.

In this debut episode of Unpacking the Brand, hosts Ken Theriot (TheRiot Agency) and Randy Kessler (Labels and Labeling) are joined by John Hirko, Director of Growth at TheRiot Agency. Together, they explore the evolving role of growth leaders and how companies can align sales, marketing, and customer success through systems that scale brand intimacy.From CRM adoption to bridging relationship selling with digital strategy, John shares actionable insights for manufacturers and B2B companies looking to modernize how they grow.Chapters00:00 – Intro: Why we launched Unpacking the Brand01:28 – Guest intro: John Hirko and his role as Director of Growth03:17 – The evolution of the "Director of Growth" title07:13 – Common growth challenges in manufacturing08:53 – Why sales and marketing misalignment is so common10:52 – From people-to-people to brand-to-people trust13:21 – The importance of systems and centralized data15:17 – Case study: Helping a hidden champion scale up18:10 – Overcoming CRM adoption resistance from seasoned sales teams24:26 – How long does CRM implementation really take?30:06 – Practical branding tips for businesses on a budget32:58 – The 4 pillars of any successful growth effort38:35 – Investing smartly in marketing roles39:23 – Why marketing now leads sales in the B2B journey42:10 – Rapid Fire: John’s favorite brand, Super Bowl ads & moreMentioned in This EpisodeBook: Traction by Gino Wickman (EOS/Entrepreneurial Operating System)HubSpot’s stat: 80% of purchase decisions are made before talking to sales

Episode Description: Welcome to Unpacking the Brand, your go-to podcast for everything business, branding, and innovation! Hosted by industry experts Ken Theriot (TheRiot Agency) and Randy Kessler (Labels and Labeling), this show explores what it really takes to build, grow, and differentiate a brand in today’s competitive landscape.In this teaser, get a sneak peek at the exciting conversations ahead—insights from branding pros, real-world success stories, and cutting-edge strategies to help you stay ahead. Whether you’re a marketing professional, entrepreneur, or business leader, Unpacking the Brand delivers valuable perspectives you can apply right away.Subscribe now, because the best brands don’t just happen—they’re built.Show Notes:📌 What to Expect in Unpacking the Brand:Expert insights from branding, sales, and marketing leadersReal-world case studies and success storiesStrategies for brand differentiation and customer engagementThe intersection of print, packaging, and digital brandingActionable advice for business growth🎙 Featured Voices in this Teaser:Ken Theriot – Discussing brand differentiationKatie Graham – The importance of customer-centric brandingJohn Hirko – Sales and marketing alignment for business successRandy Kessler – Brand perception and customer touchpoints🚀 Subscribe & Stay Connected:Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast appFollow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for updates and insights📩 Have a topic or guest suggestion? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected].👉 Don’t forget to rate and review the show—it helps us grow and reach more listeners like you!