Theory House Announces New Book from Christopher Durham that Showcases the Best Private Brands in America

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New book from Christopher Durham VP of Retail Brands at Theory House

Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project takes a focused look at notable private brands that have cracked the code and become true national brands.

Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) March 10, 2014

Retail marketing and shopper experience agency Theory House announced today the release of “Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project,” the first book from retail industry veteran and respected thought leader, Christopher Durham, vice president of retail brands at the agency.

Retail-owned brands have come a long way from the black and white generic labels of the 1970s. The transition included a lengthy period of knock-offs, where retailers introduced “me-too” private labels that closely mimicked the look of national brands. Now, in his new book, Durham takes a focused look at notable private brands that have cracked the code and become true national brands, including Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Classics, Publix, Sephora, Trader Joe’s and Williams-Sonoma.

“These are the retailers who are doing it right,” said Durham. “They have evolved their private labels into consumer-focused brands and are devoting the resources necessary to build them with everything from advertising to packaging design. I think the biggest surprise while conducting research for my book was that even Walmart has some standout brands.”

Other retailers whose brands are featured in the book include Target, Staples, Kroger and Lowe’s Home Improvement.

The premise of “Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project” is to combat the erroneous perception that private brands in the United States are just a “value play” wrapped in bad design. Durham sets out to debunk that perception with this book, which is based on his yearlong blog project of the same name on his industry website, My Private Brand (http://www.mypbrand.com).

“Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project” includes profiles along with an examination of the strategies and learnings from the 52 featured brands as well as more than 200 original photographs from the award-winning photographer Teri Campbell. After reviewing more than 650 brands, Durham commissioned Campbell to visually portray the select brands in compelling ways and rethink traditional packaging photography. Durham’s book redefines not only the perception of private brand in America, but also its potential.

“One of the things I love about this project is that when I found the best brands, not all were from big retailers with big budgets,” said Durham. “Some brands, like Bi-Rite, are local surprises that truly deserve the recognition.”

“Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project” is available for purchase at theoryhouse.com, mypbrand.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

About the Author
Christopher Durham is the vice president of retail brands at the retail marketing and shopper experience agency Theory House, and is the mind behind My Private Brand (http://www.mypbrand.com), a website designed to foster forward thinking within the retail brand industry. Durham is a trusted consultant for many of the world's leading retailers, including Office Depot, Best Buy, Lowe's Home Improvement and Grainger.

He is a much sought-after thought leader who has been featured in columns and interviews in the Washington Post, Brand Packaging, Private Label Buyer, Global Retail Brands, Food Processing, Retail Leader, PLMALive! and Food Processing Magazine.

Durham is available for interviews and appearances. For booking presentations, media appearances, interviews and/or book signings, contact christopher(at)theoryhouse(dot)com.

About Theory House
Theory House, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is the retail marketing and shopper experience agency. They help retailers win using a complete suite of services including research and insight, strategy, branding, design, shopper marketing and portfolio management. Theory House creates differentiated retail brands and engaging shopper experiences that result in meaningful and profitable consumer relationships. More information about Theory House and its approach to retail marketing can be found at http://www.TheoryHouse.com.

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