Apparatus for placing indicia on a sidewall of a tire, comprising: a) a first frame member coupled to a tilt mechanism by which the orientation of said first frame member is adjusted with respect to a tire; b) an intermediate frame member mounted for relative movement with respect to said first frame member, said intermediate frame member movable between two operative positions; c) window structure carried by said first frame member, said window structure defining a marking region on a tire; d) said intermediate frame member mounting a stamping bar assembly having a plurality of stamping elements, said stamping bar assembly mounted for relative movement with respect to said intermediate frame such that any one of said plurality of stamping elements can be positioned in predetermined alignment with said window structure; e) a sub-frame coupled to said intermediate frame, said sub-frame supporting at least one tape cassette in predetermined alignment with said window structure, such that tape carried by said tape cassette is positioned between said window structure and an aligned stamping element; f) a marking actuator located in predetermined alignment with said window structure such that energization of said actuator causes an actuating element forming part of said actuator to move said aligned stamping element towards said marking region on said tire whereby said tape is pressed against said tire region in order to mark said tire with indicia defined by said stamping element (20; and g) said intermediate frame is shiftable between at least two positions by at least one actuator in order to place two adjacent marks in said tire marking region. a) a first frame member coupled to a tilt mechanism by which the orientation of said first frame member is adjusted with respect to a tire; b) an intermediate frame member mounted for relative movement with respect to said first frame member, said intermediate frame member movable between two operative positions; c) window structure carried by said first frame member, said window structure defining a marking region on a tire; d) said intermediate frame member mounting a stamping bar assembly having a plurality of stamping elements, said stamping bar assembly mounted for relative movement with respect to said intermediate frame such that any one of said plurality of stamping elements can be positioned in predetermined alignment with said window structure; e) a sub-frame coupled to said intermediate frame, said sub-frame supporting at least one tape cassette in predetermined alignment with said window structure, such that tape carried by said tape cassette is positioned between said window structure and an aligned stamping element; f) a marking actuator located in predetermined alignment with said window structure such that energization of said actuator causes an actuating element forming part of said actuator to move said aligned stamping element towards said marking region on said tire whereby said tape is pressed against said tire region in order to mark said tire with indicia defined by said stamping element (20; and g) said intermediate frame is shiftable between at least two positions by at least one actuator in order to place two adjacent marks in said tire marking region.