Industry Giants Line up to Sponsor PODi’s 2010 AppForum

Dec. 25, 2009 - PRLog -- Rochester, NY  —  PODi, the Digital Printing Initiative, is pleased to announce that the prestigious Gold Sponsor positions for its annual 2010 AppForum conference, January 25-27 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, are now sold out. Top slots have been taken by Canon, Kodak, Konica Minolta, Pageflex, and Xerox. The biggest industry players recognize that their central message – that digital print enables more profitable business opportunities – is stronger when straight-from-the-trenches users deliver it at an independent venue like the AppForum.

PODi’s AppForum focuses on applications, and frontline practitioners from successful companies who are using digital print will be presenting throughout the three day conference. “The real innovation in our industry today is around applications,” says Gina Testa, VP Worldwide Graphic Communications, Xerox. “With the right technology, workflow and business model, print providers can build applications that thrill their customers while generating profit and growth to help their businesses come out of the recession as winners. By dedicating a conference to industry-leading applications, PODi does the industry a tremendous service."

"Eastman Kodak is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the 2010 AppForum,” says Michele Laird-Williams, Americas-Association Manager, Eastman Kodak Company. “The AppForum is an excellent venue to connect with customers and build business relationships. The conference provides an excellent forum for helping customers transform their businesses from being printers to graphic communications marketing service providers. The sessions provide Kodak an excellent platform to share best practices and success stories encompassing topics such as leveraging marketing services, streamlining processes, increasing response rates, and improving campaign management and return on investment."

Applications are driving the industry, and AppForum attendees will find a full range of the latest solutions represented in over 30 educational sessions and eight Pre-Conference Intensives. More than 60 speakers will be sharing insights into building and selling money-making applications.

   * Direct Marketing and Social Media
   * Lead Generation and Loyalty Programs
   * Marketing Resource Centers and Web to Print
   * TransPromo
   * On Demand Book Publishing and Custom Magazine Publishing
   * Innovations like QR Codes, Augmented Reality, Smartphone Apps, and more

The AppForum features full tracks devoted to the latest in Sales and Business Strategies and Print on Demand Technologies, along with ground-breaking Leadership Workshops and hands-on Sales Training. The only agenda of this vendor neutral conference is educating attendees – from the owners driving the direction of their companies, to the sales and the operations teams who create ultimate success. In 2009, over 300 people participated in the AppForum, and 60% of them were decision makers from forward-thinking marketing and service providers involved in digital print. Says David Erlandson, Caslon GM, “Networking is a huge part of the conference. Our audience and speakers are here to share experiences and to meet with peers. The atmosphere is unique. Everyone wants to learn how digital print applications can help them build higher margin business. These folks are the winners in today’s digital print race to the top."

For more information or to register for the 2010 AppForum, visit www.podiforum.org

PODi AppForum is produced by Caslon, a PODi Affiliate. AppForum Silver Sponsors include DocuLynx, FUJIFILM, HP, Online Print Solutions, USADATA, XMPie and xpedx. Bronze Sponsors are Avanti, Easypurl.com, GMC Software Technology, MindFireInc and Printable Technologies. For details on becoming an AppForum Sponsor please contact us at info@podi.org or visit the website. The AppForum is also supported by Media Sponsors, CANVAS magazine, In-Plant Graphics, Printing Impressions, and WhatTheyThink.

Media Contact: Christine DeLooze        
                          585-214-5900              
                          chrisd@podi.org


About the PODi AppForum
The annual three-day PODi AppForum is the only industry conference dedicated exclusively to digital printing applications, with a truly independent, vendor-neutral, unbiased agenda. All of PODi’s extensive research, resources, industry contacts, and expertise come together once a year to make the AppForum the cornerstone of what’s new and what’s next in digital print.
Print service providers and marketing experts learn the latest trends in one-to-one and relevant marketing, new profitable applications, and sales strategies. Thought-provoking sessions tackle productivity, operations, and print on demand technology. The diverse audience of printing and marketing professionals, end users, technology experts and others make the AppForum a dynamic networking opportunity. The intimate, low-key vendor hall encourages meaningful one-to-one communications, while showcasing the latest digital technology and professional services.

About PODi
PODi (www.podi.org) is a vendor neutral industry initiative with hundreds of member companies, including Executive Board members EFI, Pitney Bowes and Xerox. The organization’s goal is to drive demand for marketing applications powered by digital print & help members build successful digital print businesses. Membership in PODi is open to companies and organizations involved in digital printing.

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About Caslon
Caslon (www.caslon.net) helps companies leverage rapidly advancing digital technologies, especially digital printing. Since 1998, Caslon has been the international Affiliate of PODi, the Digital Printing Initiative. Caslon provides top-level services for the PODi organization, including managing the online case study database, the annual PODi AppForum, Find a Service Provider and the S3 Council.