• How Community Becomes a Competitive Advantage with Peter van Teeseling
    Jan 15 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.

    Chapters
    00:00 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 Thoughts

    Unpacking the Brand, Peter van Teeseling, dScoop, business community, leadership, collaboration, competitive advantage, print industry, digital print, packaging industry, brand strategy

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Why LabelExpo Rebranded to LOUPE with Jade Grace
    Dec 5 2025

    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 forward

    00:00 – Intro: The Evolution of Label Technologies
    00:35 – Welcome & Introducing Jade Grace
    01:26 – Why LabelExpo Rebranded to LOUPE
    02:34 – How the 6-Year Rebrand Process Began
    04:01 – Why the Name “LOUPE”?
    07:12 – Research & Industry Data Behind the Decision
    11:21 – Industry Reaction to the Announcement
    14:29 – What Stakeholders Really Said
    16:06 – Future-Proofing the Platform
    21:16 – How LOUPE Expands Opportunities
    25:22 – LOUPE Americas: The Official Launch
    26:10 – What Success Looks Like in 5 Years
    30:55 – Rapid Fire Questions
    37:12 – Closing Thoughts

    Unpacking 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

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    38 mins
  • Legacy Meets Innovation: Ben Urquhart on Two Centuries of Packaging Evolution
    Oct 30 2025

    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.

    ⏱️ Chapters

    00:00 – 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 Brand

    Join 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

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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • Loyalty, Leadership, and Labels: A Conversation with Alain Paquette of Artcraft
    Sep 25 2025

    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.

    Chapters
    00:00 – Welcome & Intro
    01:06 – Meet Alain Paquette, President of Artcraft
    02:19 – Career background & early experiences
    05:50 – Becoming owner of Artcraft in 2012
    07:14 – Defining what makes a brand successful
    10:02 – Customer loyalty and creating value
    13:34 – Knowing your ideal customer profile
    17:34 – The role of an advisory group
    25:12 – Losing a major client before COVID
    29:42 – Lessons in resilience & rebuilding
    31:08 – Artcraft’s rebrand and 10-year refresh philosophy
    36:20 – Choosing the right vendors and partners
    40:16 – Why loyalty matters in business relationships
    41:06 – What’s next for Artcraft
    42:22 – 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

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    50 mins
  • Labelexpo Europe 2025 Preview with Chelsea McDougall
    Aug 14 2025

    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!

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    52 mins
  • Reinventing FTA: Nathan Ridnouer on the Future of Flexographic Printing
    Jul 25 2025

    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 leadership
    • Workforce development & youth outreach
    • Importance of in-person training in a post-COVID world
    • How volunteering can boost your career
    • Transparency 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 Thoughts

    Check out the other shows our network has to offer!

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    53 mins
  • 45 Years of Print Industry Wisdom with Paul Teachout
    Jun 19 2025

    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 Life
    01:22 - Guest Introduction: Paul Teachout
    02:38 - PGA Championship in Charlotte
    04:05 - Paul's Start in Printing with Kodak and Webtron
    07:40 - Career Path Through Harper and Nilpeter
    08:54 - Evolution of Flexographic Printing Technology
    11:45 - What Is “Clean-Hand Technology”?
    13:52 - Education in Print: From On-the-Job to Academia
    15:38 - TLMI & FTA: 30+ Years of Industry Association Involvement
    19:21 - Defining Customer Success in the Print Industry
    22:05 - How Customer Expectations and Sales Have Evolved
    26:13 - Mistakes Companies Make: Focusing Too Much on Price
    29:35 - Value Over Price: Building Trusted Partnerships
    31:39 - Life Lessons from Mentors and Industry Leaders
    37:33 - Workforce Challenges & Harper’s Educational Commitment
    40:10 - The Phoenix Challenge and Building the Next Generation
    43:59 - A Trillion-Dollar Industry That Nobody Talks About
    46:43 - Rapid Fire: Career, Brands & Business Reads
    51:41 - Bryson vs. Rory: Golf, Growth & Facing Adversity
    54:29 - From Mistake to Mentor: The John McDowell Story
    57:10 - Upcoming Event: Harper Roadshow on June 26
    58:30 - Closing Thoughts & Outro

    #UnpackingTheBrand
    #PrintingIndustry
    #Flexography
    #PackagingInnovation
    #PrintLeadership
    #HarperCorporation
    #CleanHandTech
    #WorkforceDevelopment
    #BrandStrategy
    #PrintPodcast

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    1 hr
  • Customer-Centric Branding in Manufacturing with Katie Graham
    Apr 22 2025

    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.

    Chapters

    • 00:00 – Intro: Welcome back to Unpacking the Brand
    • 01:44 – Guest intro: Katie Graham of Bobst North America
    • 03:00 – Why manufacturing marketing is different
    • 05:00 – B2B brand building and customer engagement
    • 07:15 – Global marketing vs. regional strategy
    • 09:00 – Tech, CRM, and digitalization at Bobst
    • 12:00 – Strategic filtering: which initiatives to pursue
    • 14:05 – Case study: Building a new market presence
    • 17:00 – Sales and marketing alignment done right
    • 20:15 – How perception shifts drive brand expansion
    • 23:00 – The role of personal branding on LinkedIn
    • 25:00 – Katie’s top advice for new professionals
    • 30:00 – The future of AI and marketing analytics
    • 33:06 – Rapid Fire: Brands, books, and beachside insights

    Mentioned

    • Atomic Habits by James Clear
    • Women of Flexo
    • Bobst Competence Centers in Atlanta and L.A.
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    36 mins