ROCHESTER, N.Y.--Feb. 26, 2004-- Xerox Corporation and more than 20 of its partners are back on the road with "Innovate '04," a 10-city seminar series designed to help businesses learn how to develop innovative communications programs and therefore reduce costs, generate new revenue streams and boost customer loyalty. Last year's series reached about 2,800 printing and graphic arts professionals in 15 North American cities and 11 European countries. Designed for print operations, creative services agencies, corporations, government agencies and nonprofit organizations, the free seminars begin today in Cincinnati and continue throughout the summer in nine other North American cities. Industry experts, consultants and customers will demonstrate how businesses can use innovative thinking to offer cross-media communications programs, add digital value-added services, and use personalized communications to improve results. "Through dynamic speakers and creative case studies, the Innovate seminar crossed all disciplines for a practical look at improving work processes," said Victor Basile Jr., senior vice president/director of print graphic services, Publicis New York, an attendee at last year's New York seminar. "I left with a refreshed view on the industry and a new sense of motivation." New this year is a session on advancements and opportunities in digital color printing. At select locations, Xerox also will showcase its new mid-production black-and-white DocuTech 120 printer/copier, a 120 page-per-minute digital system that has set benchmarks in image quality, productivity, reliability and ease-of-use. "Our customers continue to look for ways to reduce costs and enhance their business, and Innovate '04 will give them valuable insight and ideas on how to capitalize on new digital technologies and business communications strategies," said Valerie Blauvelt, vice president, marketing, Xerox Production Systems Group. Innovate '04 features a keynote address focused on improving workflow and implementing best practices in business communications. It will be presented by Barb Pellow, Gannett Professor for Printing and Publishing, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Howie Fenton, senior consultant of digital technology, National Association of Printing Leadership. Participants then choose from four tailored tracks: Driving Breakthrough Results with Innovative Business Communications - for marketing, sales, human resources, IT and data-center managers. This session covers the how and why of business communication innovation, with examples from actual case studies. Attendees will hear how companies are achieving cost reductions as great as 40 percent, and learn how to increase direct mail response rates, revenue, and customer satisfaction and loyalty. Working and Profiting with Cross-Media Digital Communications - for graphic artists, production studio executives, print buyers, and advertising agency creatives. This track provides insight on designing and producing successful cross-media digital communication programs. Topics include how to successfully use digital technology in advertising and direct marketing and how to build high-response, personalized print and Web campaigns. Profiting with the Innovation of Value-Added Digital Production Services and Workflow - for commercial printers, quick printers, service bureaus, and managers of in-plant and centralized reprographics departments. This track focuses on how to better serve existing customers, attract new customers, and increase revenue with new digital value-added services. Participants will hear from customers on how to successfully add digital technologies to their print operations, as well as solutions and workflow innovations for growing digital capabilities. Advancements and Opportunities in Digital Color - Recent workflow and technology advancements in digital color printing have opened a new realm of communication options. Through successful customer examples and unique applications, participants will learn how to capitalize on these advancements. Seminar co-sponsors are Adobe Systems Inc., Creo Inc., EFI, and North American Publishing Company. Supporting partners are AF Lewis; CreativePro.com; eXstream software; GAA, Graphic Arts Association; GATF, Graphic Arts Technical Foundation; Global Document Solutions; In-Plant Graphics; IPA, The Association of Graphic Solutions Providers; IPMA, International Publishing Management Association; Pageflex; PODi, the Digital Printing Initiative; PrintBuyersOnline.com; Printing Impressions; Printing Industries of America Affiliates; PrintMedia; Target Marketing; TrendWatch Graphic Arts; and XMPie. The seminar dates and locations are: Cincinnati, Feb. 26; Boston, March 23; Miami, March 25; Baltimore, July 13; Vancouver, British Columbia, July 15; metro New York City/New Jersey, July 22; Kansas City, Mo., Aug. 10; Ottawa, Ontario, Aug. 12; Seattle, Aug. 17; and Pittsburgh, Aug. 24. Additional seminar stops will be announced this spring. Customer Contact: To register and for program details, visit www.xerox.com/events or www.innovate04.com, or call Gretchen Wharton, +1-202-483-4567