At CeBIT 2003 in Hanover, March 12-19, 2003, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) will be exhibiting as a total solutions provider for the entire digital printing industry under the slogan "Digital Inspirations". Heidelberg will be located in Hall 1, Booth 6a2. As well as Heidelberg's digital printing solutions for the color and black/white sectors, the focus will also be on practical applications of the technology. The showcase, which is a joint venture for the tourism specialist Thomas Cook and Heidelberg, will illustrate how public media can be personalized using the example of interactive television. Visitors will see how television has gone from being a one-way medium to an interactive system, while an integrated print job demonstration will show how television can be combined with variable data printing. The example will show how digital technology can help improve communication between companies and their customers. “This interaction among the media will lead to a shift in how advertising expenditure is apportioned”, explains Bernhard Schreier, CEO of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. “We are hoping for a gradual shift in advertising expenditure allocations in favor of the print sector – a development promoted by the increase in cross-media marketing by advertisers, not least at times when the economy is weak”, he adds. Interactive television will probably be used throughout Germany in five or ten years’ time. "We are using CeBIT 2003 to give our customers and other interested parties a clear illustration of the business opportunities and competitive advantages of digital printing. Visitors to the trade show will have the opportunity to savor the technical perfection of our comprehensive digital print solutions and experience the wide range of applications that variable data printing can offer", explains Holger Reichardt, Board Member for Marketing, Sales and Service at Heidelberg. Heidelberg and Thomas Cook CeBIT Showcase A number of television monitors will be installed at the Heidelberg trade show booth, showing the current Thomas Cook TV advertisement. Visitors can interrupt the ad at any time using an info button and a remote control element and obtain customized, detailed information about the relevant destination. This information is then printed out and sent to the interested party. This integrated print job demonstration will feature all the Heidelberg digital printing systems (NexPress 2100, Digimaster 9110cp/9150i and the Quickmaster DI 46-4 Pro). The data input by the interested party provides companies with information and customer profiles, which form an excellent basis for customer relationship management (CRM) activities. The well-known TV entertainer Niels Ruf will host a show about this CeBIT demonstration. In addition to the Thomas Cook application, Heidelberg will be presenting its complete digital printing portfolio. The Heidelberg solutions cover the entire value-added chain of digital printing, from prepress and black & white / color printing to postpress.