Velocity: The My Private Brand Conference attendees will get an exclusive preview of Christopher Durham's latest book on private brands, Vanguard: Vintage Originals, before it releases on Amazon on Monday, Sept. 18. The follow-up book to his bestselling first book, Fifty2: The My Private Brand Project, will debut during the conference as Durham presents a look at the innovation, vintage design, and brands that make up the book. Velocity: The My Private Brand Conference will be held in Charlotte, NC on Sept 14.

Christopher Durham, author and president of My Private Brand, joins an impressive lineup of more than a dozen retail executive speakers at the conference, including Jack Pestello, senior vice president, private brands, at Walmart; Paul Hunt, vice president, proprietary brands, Petsmart; Chris Demeo, vice president, global channel sales, Staples; Jeff Gamsey, vice president, private brands, Boxed.com, and Adam Golomb, director, own brands and sourcing, Giant Eagle.

"There's a piece of retail history we've been missing because we've all taken it for granted," said Durham. "Traditionally, retailers and the press think the private brand movement began in the 1970s, with generic white packaging. Through this book, I reveal what's been in front of us all this time, and hidden in people's attics: retailers have a long history of innovation and great design."

In this photographic anthology, Durham explains that many private brands date back to the early 1800s and either predate national brands or were their contemporaries. Whether it's showing us retail's earliest groundbreaking brand builders like Sears, Walgreens, Kroger, and A&P, or reminding us that in 1893 Caleb Bradham created Brad's Drink for his drug store, which today we know as Pepsi-Cola, Durham takes readers on a journey through the early innovations of private brands.

With images from acclaimed photographer Teri Campbell, Durham brings to life the collection of more than 100 original vintage private label packages from more than 30 retailers. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to win or buy a copy of this untold history before it is available to the public when they attend the conference.

Durham is president of My Private Brand and the co-founder of The Vertex Awards.  My Private Brand was launched 2008 to foster innovation, encourage debate and write the next chapter of brand management – Private Brand Management. He is a strategist, author, consultant and retailer who built brands at Delhaize-owned Food Lion, and led strategy and brand development for Lowe's Home Improvement. He has consulted with retailers around the world on their private brand strategy including Family Dollar, Petco, Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy, Metro (Canada), TLW (Taiwan) and Hola (Taiwan).

For more information, contact Durham at Christopher@mypbrand.com.