PODi Partners with Tissot Swiss Watches to Highlight New Print Technologies in 2011 AppForum Conference Marketing

PODi's AppForum is the leading event for digital printing industry innovators who come to learn the latest marketing trends and technologies. This year's event marketing includes augmented reality, and personalized QR codes and landing pages.
Rochester, NY — November 30, 2010— PODi, the Digital Printing Initiative, is using the latest digital technology in its marketing for the 9th annual AppForum digital printing conference, http://www.AppForum.org January 31 - February 2, 2011 at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. Their direct mail campaign features a tie-in to the interactive 3-D augmented reality campaign created for Tissot Swiss Watches' T-Touch watch collection. Tissot US Brand President, Sharon Buntain, will also be a featured speaker at the AppForum.
"The AppForum is known for being ahead of the curve when it comes to new applications for digital printing. We introduced our audience to augmented reality and QR codes last year, and it's been incredibly exciting to see how quickly the technologies are being adopted in the marketplace," says PODi President, Rab Govil. "The Tissot augmented reality campaign has generated enormous buzz around the world - we're thrilled to have Sharon on board as a speaker, and to be able to repurpose the campaign in our own event marketing."
The Tissot campaign, launched in May 2010 with online and print advertising, allows users to experience the latest watch collection interactively. It resulted in 50,000+ hits on YouTube in the first two weeks. "This partnership with Tissot is an opportunity for us to build buzz for out-of-the-box content and progressive thinking people will find at AppForum," says Caslon GM David Erlandson. "We'll be taking our own direct mail one step further with digital printing and personalization - individuals will have personalized QR codes and URLs that will take them to personalized landing pages. They'll then be able to enjoy the Tissot campaign for themselves."
Ms. Buntain will present a special Spotlight Session at the AppForum. She'll be sharing her perspectives as a brand manager, insights into what drives her marketing decisions, and thoughts on being a first-adopter of this progressive technology. She will also award a Tissot watch to the winner of the PODi sponsored raffle.
Tissot Swiss Watches www.Tissot.ch is a member of the Swatch Group, the world’s largest watch producer and distributor, and has a presence in over 150 countries. Tissot is the official timekeeper and partner of NASCAR, FIBA, AFL, CBA, MotoGP, and the World Championships of cycling, fencing, and ice hockey.
The Tissot augmented reality program was created by Holition, a leader in AR retail experiences www.holition.co.uk. It included print advertising and an augmented reality window display at Selfridges in London.
The QR code portion of Tissot’s promotion was implemented by Tappinn Mobile QR Code Engagement, a company specializing in Quick Read connected content and web-based mobile pages and sites. Tappinn Co-Creator Nick Ford will also be in attendance. www.tappinn.com
Cutting-edge digital printers, FormStore www.formstore.com are printing the Tissot direct mail. MindFireInc www.mindfireinc.com supplied the personalized QR codes, URLs, and landing pages. GPA Specialty Substrate Solutions www.askgpa.com supplied the paper.
2011 AppForum sponsors: Gold Sponsors – Canon, FUJIFILM, Kodak, Konica Minolta, Pageflex by Bitstream, Xerox, xpedx / Silver Sponsors – CGS Technologies, HP, Online Print Solutions, Ricoh / Bronze Sponsors – Avanti, Finch Paper, MindFireInc., PrinterPresence. Rollem International, XMPie. Media Sponsors – CANVAS magazine, In-plant Graphics, Printing Impressions, Process Magazine, Quick Printing, The Seybold Report, WhatTheyThink. A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are still available. Get more information at http://www.AppForum.org/sponsors-info
The AppForum is produced by Caslon, a PODi Affiliate. For more information on the 2011 AppForum, or to register, visit www.AppForum.org

About the AppForum
The annual three-day AppForum is the only industry conference dedicated exclusively to marketing applications powered by digital print, 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 applications.
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 a wide variety of application technologies. The diverse audience of printing and marketing professionals, end users, technology experts and others make the AppForum a dynamic networking opportunity.
About PODi
PODi (www.podi.org) is a vendor neutral industry initiative with hundreds of member companies, including Executive Board members EFI, HP, 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.
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 annual PODi AppForum.

Caslon & Co., Inc.

1240 Jefferson Road

Rochester, NY 14623

(585) 239-6063

info-at-caslon-dot-net

This release was published on openPR.