Miami Beach, FL – Counterfeiting -- an alarming $800 billion industry worldwide -- has snowballed into a major issue facing brand owners and the designers, pre-media, and printers who supply them. Those attending Graphics of the Americas' 2010 Brand Protection Conference will gain essential knowledge and insight about the latest innovations in counterfeit printing to protect brand image and product integrity. The next annual Brand Protection Conference takes place at Graphics of the Americas (GOA) in Miami Beach, Florida on February 25-26, 2010.

Two-Day Infusion of the Latest in Counterfeit Security Measures
The two-day Brand Protection Conference at GOA features the latest technologies and techniques to thwart counterfeiting including design software, screening, holograms, security printing techniques, security inks, nano-tags, coatings, security substrates, photonic crystal chemistry, biometrics, DNA markers, FDA mandates and industry standards for food and pharmaceutical protection, and much more.

Special session: The Wine Label Counterfeit/Anti-Counterfeit Project
A special session at the conference includes a hands-on case study illustrating one of the most prevalent and damaging forms of counterfeiting: wine labels. Dick Warner, Security Printing Consultant and Frank Kanonik, President, DigitalPrintInfo, have received permission from a winery to counterfeit one of its labels.

The session, held on Friday, February 26 at 11:15 a.m., will include a video presentation about the production of the counterfeit wine label from start to finish. The counterfeit labels will also be on display, alongside genuine labels, for evaluation.

Dr. James A. Hayward, CEO of Applied DNA Sciences, will demonstrate the security technology that will prevent counterfeiting of the wine label. The security technology uses embedded DNA markers and bio-signatures in the wine label.
In addition to side-by-side comparisons of the counterfeit and the brand name product, the session will also demonstrate the risk that brand owners assume when no security techniques are employed.

George Ryan, President of GOA, says, "The Brand Protection Conference this year is more important than ever before. Security printing is a critical element of our marketplace from financial, brand protection, and increasingly, health-related standpoints. The take-aways in terms of education will give GOA visitors the ability to bring protection to their own operations, and thereby prevent potentially major problems in the future."

Conference Keynotes
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Keynote Address: Edible Markers for Brand Protection
Brad Mueller, Vice President & General Manager, Commercial Safety and Security, Smiths Detection, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Smiths Detection's new solution for the brand protection community authenticates, identifies, tracks and traces consumer food products throughout the product's life cycle. Mueller presents this solution to tracking and tracing, which uses edible, non-visible, physical markers which can be carried through a consumer product's life cycle; then read and verified using Smiths Detection technologies and assisted by 24/7 diagnostic services.

Applications for this new technology are imminent, not only for consumer food products, but also for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, OTC drugs, and more. The technology drastically reduces detection time, response time and failure risks; both socially and financially.

Friday, February 26, 2010
Keynote Address: Counterfeit Cowboys: Profiles in Deception
Nick Busick, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

As former head of security at a prestigious racetrack resort and casino, where he was exposed to the world's most ingenious fraudsters, scam artist and criminals, Nick Busick has been actively involved in the consumer products and services supply chain. His extensive law enforcement experience includes warding off fraudulent attacks, profiling enemies, detecting criminal activities, and successful legal and financial recovery.

Busick is now a brand owner and retailer who has developed a unique approach for brand protection using what he has learned through experience. This keynote address is very useful for reviewing and upgrading your own risk management programs.

For information about the other sessions on the agenda, visit: www.bpc-security.com.

Brand Protection Conference - Early Registration Discount
Early registration is available through January 31, 2010; and team discounts are also available. Register today by visiting www.bpc-security.com or call 407-240-8009 for more information.