Schawk, Inc., a leading provider of brand development and deployment services, enabling companies of all sizes to connect their brands with consumers, announced that Carol Best, vice president of brand strategy for its retail practice, has been invited to speak at the FMI 2012 Private Brands Summit, a part of the FMI 2012 The Food Retail Show.

Ms. Best will share her insights on the conundrum retailers face in building brands as another choice versus as an alternative choice. This subtle difference should not be understated as it relates to strategy and execution. The right private brand methodology is driven by corporate strategy and portfolio strategy. It also requires an execution strategy that is mindful of relevant brand equities, category dynamics and consumer acceptance. Her presentation, "Compare to or Not to Compare to: That is the Question" will be delivered at the Private Brands Summit on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. CDT.

"We believe it is imperative for all private brands retailers to examine their portfolio through a dual lens of driving private brand growth and equity by using private brands as strategic business tools," said Carol Best, vice president of brand strategy for Schawk, Inc.'s retail practice. "Retailers possess robust proprietary knowledge on the habits of their customers, and the shelf space is theirs. This is an extraordinary vantage point from which to glean insights about their customers' needs and actions within the context of their store."

The theme of this year's FMI Private Brand Summit, "Know Your Customer and You'll Know What Drives Business," will explore new ways for retailers to tune in to their customers, provide new insights to better understand shoppers' preferences and focus on fresh ideas for driving sales.

Ms. Best is an active speaker on branding and private brands issues at industry conferences and on BrandSquare Powered by SCHAWK! http://www.brandsquare.com Past presentations include "Brand Portfolio Optimization: For Fewer, Smarter, More Profitable Brands," "Why Private Brands are Un-American and What You Can do About It" and "Brand Governance in The Private Brands Revolution."

FMI 2012 Private Brands sessions will feature educational opportunities in the development of private brands, including consumer attitudes about private versus national brands, consumer habits in regards to purchases, and what it takes to differentiate and develop brand loyalty in the private brands arena, among others.

To learn more about the FMI 2012 The Food Retail Show, visit http://fmi2012.com

To learn more about the FMI 2012 Private Brands Summit, visit http://www.fmi2012.com/privatebrands/