Avery Dennison makes mailings easy, extends alliances with software community with its own Wizard software for Microsoft Word users.

DIAMOND BAR, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 21, 1996--For the home and office professional, mailings comprise a critical and unavoidable job task that generates administrative headaches when the process goes less than smoothly.

For this reason, office products giant Avery Dennison is introducing new Avery Wizard software to make mailings a breeze.

With the Avery Wizard system, users of Avery laser and ink jet products and Microsoft Word can print materials for mailings with ease and simplicity. Avery Wizard will be available beginning on Aug. 21 from the World Wide Web and from Avery's Customer Service Center.

"The Avery Wizard program is an exciting extension of our alliances with over 100 software manufacturers," said Nancy Cottrell, director of software, Avery Dennison Office Products North America. "Through these alliances we work to make it easier for the millions of Avery label and office products users worldwide to utilize our products with the PC."

Cottrell continued, "Research told us that a high percentage of our customers are Microsoft Word users who would like to remain within Microsoft Word when they complete mailings. As a result, we developed the Avery Wizard software to meet their needs."

Avery Wizard, an add-in that works within Microsoft Word for Windows 95 version 7.0, does all of the following: leads users through a series of simple steps for formatting and printing with a variety of Avery products; simplifies the creation of mailings; and keeps text from printing off of the tops, bottoms and sides of labels.

Avery Wizard also helps consumers to more easily create reusable lists, merge and format text. The program even suggests the right font and alignment for each product the user selects. In addition, extensive user testing was conducted so that this new Avery product would enhance Word's ease of use for any level of expertise.

Because of Avery Wizard's own WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) display, users are able to see exactly how a label will look with text prior to printing -- enabling them to print the label the right way the first time. Avery Wizard also remembers the most recently used lists, making it unnecessary for consumers to conduct time-consuming searches through their computer files.

"Microsoft Word users will appreciate the added value of Avery Wizard," said Susan Weeber, Microsoft group product manager. "Printing Avery products is an important application for our consumers, and Avery Wizard helps simplify the process.

"Avery Wizard shields consumers from the complexities of learning to merge," continued Cottrell. "Even advanced users tell us they appreciate the convenience of the Wizard approach."

Avery Wizard 1.0 for Microsoft Word for Windows 95 version 7.0 will be available beginning Aug. 21 through Avery's Consumer Service Center for $9.95, and will also be available for downloading free from the World Wide Web at http://www.wizard.avery.com.

Avery Wizard supports address and shipping labels, Index Maker and a number of products for office organization: file folder labels, diskette labels, and name badges and name tags. The program will become available at retail beginning in January 1997, and will also be available for Microsoft Word for Windows version 6.0, beginning in Fall.

Consumers can call 800/252-8379 (reference code G111) to learn more about Avery Wizard or to place Avery Wizard orders.

Avery Dennison Office Products North America is the world's leading manufacturer of: self-adhesive labels for laser and ink jet printers; labeling and list management software; binders; sheet protectors; index dividers; and other office, home and school-related supplies. Avery Dennison Office Products North America, a business unit of Avery Dennison Corp., is based in Diamond Bar, Calif.

For further information about Avery products, consumers can call 800-252-8379.

Facts About the Avery Wizard

The problem: Mail merge can be difficult to learn, easy to get lost within and easily forgotten if not used frequently. Yet individuals and companies rely upon the successful completion of mailings each day.

The solution: Avery Wizard 1.0. Sixty-seven percent of Avery users who use word processing programs use Microsoft Word.

Wizard Specifics

Wizard can:

-- Be added to Microsoft Word for Windows 95 version 7.0

-- Lead users step-by-step through the merge process

-- Simplify font and alignment changes via a built-in toolbar 

-- Suggest the right font and alignment for each product

-- Offer an easy way to create reusable lists

-- Remember the nine most recently used lists

-- Deliver WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) display and

automatic margins which allow users to print labels right the

first time; no more text running off the label

-- Work with 112 Avery products (shipping labels, Index Maker,

file folder labels, diskette labels, name badges and name tags)

-- Eliminate the need to learn a new software program

CONTACT: Avery Dennison Office Products North America

Sara Burns, 909/444-8055

[e-mail]

or

Fleishman-Hillard

Leena Pandit/Nina Forman, 213/629-4974

[e-mail]

or

Fleishman-Hillard

Tiffany de la Rosa, 916/441-7606

[e-mail]