Labels West

After a year fraught with industry shake-ups, government red tape and global strife, many are turning to 2014 for hope. For distributors, hope translates to stability and profits—both of which can be found in the label and tag market. Just ask Sandy Brown, plant manager for New Dimension Labels – a Graphic Dimensions Company, Austell, Ga.

Branding: It's Business 101, but for many businesses, it's hard to do it right. The simple explanation? Some marketers just aren't listening to their clients.

Nearly three years have passed since the Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA) joined forces with management firm SmithBucklin and relocated its headquarters from Alexandria, Va., to Chicago. Now the PSDA is making bold moves once again.

The evolution of supply-and-demand for self-adhesive labels is not just a matter of collecting and interpreting industry statistics and quantitative indicators. 

The first time I noticed a QR code, I was in a restaurant. The place had a self-serve soda fountain, and the code was on the side of one of the paper beverage cups.

The Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA) is adding even more charm to Baltimore this year.

What do the labels and tags industry and Daniel E. "Rudy" Ruettiger (of Rudy fame) have in common? If you said, "neither is a very good football player," you'd technically be correct, but that's not the answer we had in mind.

What do waffles, plants and a man with a bald spot have in common?

Those in the marketing and direct mail arena may say these are better than the kind you find nestled between the shells of an oyster.

It's not just famous for its inner harbor and crab cakes. It's not just the backdrop of HBO's now defunct The Wire. Many know it as "Charm City," but for the printing industry it's the site of PSDA's annual Print Solutions Conference and Expo from May 24 to 26 at the Baltimore Convention Center.