Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Don Carli

Don Carli is Senior Consulting Editor at WhatTheyThink.com, and President and Co-founder of Nima Hunter Inc., a strategic advisory firm serving brands, OEMs, and print service providers. With deep expertise in technology and market trends, Don and the Nima Hunter Inc. team provide insights that inform the development of forward-looking product and marketing strategies. Nima Hunter Inc.'s data-driven analytical approach combines strategic foresight with quantitative and qualitative insights to deliver marketing solutions that help clients navigate industry transitions and capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Displaying 1-10 of 10 articles

2026–27 Printing Outlook: Why Brands and OEMs Should Fund Appearance Management Pilots in 2026

Published May 11, 2026

The new Printing Outlook 2026–27 Report describes a year of single-digit growth. At the same time, standards adoption around the growing topic of “appearance management” is becoming more and more necessary. Don Carli explains how 2026 is the right window for brand and OEM product managers to fund credible glTF and iccMAX standard pilot programs.

Most Digital Textile Printing Failures Start After Approval

Published March 10, 2026

Upstream file problems, standards-based appearance governance, and what can go wrong between design and installation across materials, processes, sites, and seasons.

The $850 Billion Retail Return Problem Nobody Owns… Yet

Published February 27, 2026

Why the costs and environmental impacts of e-commerce appearance management failures persist despite the existence of standards for most of the technical architecture required to solve them.

A Tale of Two Checkoffs: The $20 Million Category Marketing Lesson for Digital Embellishment and Appearance Management—Part 2

Published November 3, 2025

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. Senior consulting editor Don Carli takes a close look at the cessation of this initiative. In part 2 of this two-part article, category marketing cooperation: a framework for digital embellishment growth and profitability.

A Tale of Two Checkoffs: The $20 Million Category Marketing Lesson for Digital Embellishment and Appearance Management—Part 1

Published October 27, 2025

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. Senior consulting editor Don Carli takes a close look at the cessation of this initiative. In part 1 of this two-part article, the $20 million overnight loss 10 years in the making.

How Smart Print Service Providers Can Thrive Amidst Tariff Uncertainty (Part 2)

Published August 11, 2025

Strategies for OEMs and brands to support the growth of the digital embellishment category and the expansion of the profit pool available to print service providers and the brands they serve.

How Smart Print Service Providers Are Boosting Profits Amidst Tariff Uncertainty (Part 1)

Published June 10, 2025

While the industry grapples with tariff and trade turmoil, some printers and their clients are generating substantial returns through digital embellishment and finishing strategies. Don Carli takes a deep dive.

AI: Pondering the Big Picture

Published March 31, 2025

Don Carli talks with Caleb Briggs, Co-author of "The AI Conundrum" about the advantages—and dangers—of AI as it currently stands.

Direct Mail’s $37.3B Resurgence: Selling Value Over Volume in 2025

Published March 31, 2025

The direct mail marketing industry is redefining its value proposition for 2025, shifting from traditional volume-based metrics to a new value equation centered on data-driven personalization, omnichannel integration, process automation, multi-touch attribution…and the judicious application of AI.

The Connected Catalog Renaissance: The Evolution and Resurgence of Printed Catalogs

Published March 24, 2025

Once considered relics of pre-internet commerce, catalogs are evolving into sophisticated marketing tools that bridge physical and digital experiences. Contributing editor Don Carli looks at the resurgence.