If you’re an OEM in the digital embellishment space, or a print service provider investing in digital embellishment or appearance management capabilities, you need to understand why in August 2025, the U.S. paper and packaging industry voted to end the Paper & Packaging Board’s (P+PB) national marketing program. After more than a decade of advertising campaigns, sustainability messaging, and third-party evaluations, the program was shut down by the very companies that had funded its $20 million annual budget. The same problems that killed P+PB are already visible in early discussions about industry cooperation for digital embellishment and appearance management technologies.

I’ve analyzed cooperative marketing initiatives across printing, packaging, and allied industries for over 15 years, and I’ve conducted research and developed strategies for several. The patterns repeat: transparent governance and segment-specific value demonstration determine success or failure, regardless of budget size or campaign creativity. The paper industry just proved this principle and shut down the Paper and Packaging Board program despite Cornell University validating a 14:1 ROI that generated sales of 1.1 million additional tons of paper and paper packaging annually.

The end of the Paper and Packaging Board was not a verdict on performance. The program had delivered a 14-to-1 ROI validated by Cornell researchers. What ended it was a vote by member companies, driven by questions of governance and uneven perceptions of value.