How do you create a newspaper model that is attractive to both readers and advertisers while providing a healthy margin for publishers? That is the burning industry question Kodak Product experts will answer at a special European customer event on December 4, staged at Axel Springer AG's Hamburg-Ahrensburg offset printing plant. The day will focus on ways the industry can make newspapers more dynamic and targeted with variable data.

The invited guests will see how the recently installed KODAK PROSPER S30 Imprinting System on a MANROLAND COLORMAN Newspaper Web Offset Press enables static offset-print to be combined with high quality digital inkjet printing at full production speed of up to up to 914 m / min (15 meters per second).

Olivier Claude, General Manager for Print & Vice President Commercial Business EAMER Kodak comments: "Axel Springer was the first newspaper to implement hybrid printing at this speed and we are delighted to be able to show prospective customers the versatility and quality possible and also highlight how it can create a higher profitability for numerous other printed products."

Daily Digital Applications
Applications include versioning or personalization of advertising campaigns, combining static advertising content with variable data and image components, as well as enabling local advertising without plate changes. It also facilitates cross-media marketing and builds bridges between the online and offline world.

In fact German newspaper Bild embraced the capabilities of the KODAK PROSPER S30 Imprinting System for a large scale Cash Millions Lottery campaign aimed at its Hamburg readers. Tickets bearing a one-off, inkjet-imprinted number combination were included with the newspaper at the start of the week. Readers were then urged to compare their numbers with the daily lucky numbers for a chance to win cash and non-cash prizes. A similar prize draw was organized in which around 35,000 copies of Welt Kompakt were imprinted every day with the S30 System. An exclusive prize code on the tabloid's title page held the key to electrical goods. Although the promotion was originally only supposed to last two weeks this was doubled by the publisher due to its huge success.

Then there is variable QR codes, changes in text and image information as well as URLs or graphics to change adverts from copy to copy for incentives in multi-channel campaigns and even prize draws. All of which can help boost sales and reader loyalty. The KODAK PROSPER S30 Imprinting System can also be used for editorial purposes - inserting targeted reader content, last minute stories or updates during production.

Newspaper Market Review
The day will begin with a warm welcome by Thomas Drensek, Plant Manager at Axel Springer's Hamburg-Ahrensburg offset printing plant and Olivier Claude, Kodak, followed by an overview of the newspaper market situation and trends from Prof. Karl Malik, Media Consultant, PreMedia Newsletter.

Axel Springer's Sales Manager Stephan Wellnitz and Master Printer Sven Türy will talk about the implementation of the project, the challenges it addressed, the progress made and the improvements delivered.

Anton Hamm, Vice President Service and Printcom for MANROLAND Web Systems GmbH, followed by Kodak's Marketing Program Manager Marie-Luce Delaune, and IPS Sales Support Manager Rainer Küssel, will talk about how the project was completed and give an insight into its success. They will also highlight the opportunities that this opens up for print operations in this sector to create a more targeted approach and add value to their services.

The event will conclude with a factory tour and demonstration of the KODAK PROSPER S30 Imprinting System in operation on the MANROLAND COLORMAN Web Press.

Olivier Claude concludes: "Newspapers need to work harder to retain hard won readers and boost their revenue in a very competitive market. The flexibility and creativity offered by hybrid solutions can help them make their product stand out. With the KODAK Technology now in place we need to focus on presenting the options available so publishers can truly harness the benefits."