Helping marketers and graphic communications professionals improve their business effectiveness with digital printing technologies is the goal of a new partnership between Xerox Corporation and the DigitaldruckForum (DDF).

The DDF is a global industry group that promotes interactive marketing with print, and Xerox is a digital printing and workflow company whose technologies include software and systems that help direct a print job from creation and ordering to fulfilment and distribution. The two will work together on events, presentations and knowledge-sharing on the growing role of digital printing in interactive marketing.

"Digital printing is a very dynamic, complementary technology that is developing at a much faster pace than traditional printing, and the moment is perfect to move it forward," says Andreas Weber, DDF spokesperson.

"Our customers are using digital technologies to change the business of marketing communications by producing individualised marketing materials that deliver superior response rates and better manage customer information than traditional systems," says Thomas F. Wetjen, vice president and general manager, Xerox Worldwide Graphic Communications Industry Business. "Our work with the DDF will help our customers achieve even greater success, enabling more designers and marketers to benefit from powerful, cost-effective cross-media communications programs."

Cross-media communications programs use multiple media, such as websites and print, in coordinated communications efforts. For example, a direct mail piece might entice the recipient to visit a website where a reward is available in exchange for personal information, such as purchase intent in the direct mailer's product category.

Xerox and the DDF have already begun working together. For example, at the recent Drupa printing trade show in Düsseldorf, Germany, the GWA (Gesamtverband Werbeagen-turen), the largest association of German advertising agencies, toured the Xerox exhibit as part of a DDF function. There, they reviewed new technologies and workflow management systems for streamlining the connection between printing applications and printing systems. In addition, the DDF's Weber delivered a series of presentations on business development as part of the Xerox exhibit.

For more information contact Marlene Haig, Bytes Documents Solutions, 011 928 9111, marlene.haig@bdsol.co.za