We have added more speakers to the roster for our fourth annual Launch Kids Conference on January 13 — which kicks off what will be our biggest Digital Book World Conference + Expo yet, already breaking pre-registration records.
The biggest trade conference focused on the children’s and YA market — which is accounting for all the industry’s growth this year and then some — Launch Kids provides a number of views on building new revenue streams in new ways (since as we have seen, digital opportunities in children’s publishing are primarily additive to existing markets and channels).
Across 15 sessions, we’ll explore building and exploiting original IP; how subscriptions are working for children’s books; alternative funding (Kickstarter’s seven-figure backing for Reading Rainbow and more); direct-to-consumer plays such as personalization; putting trade books into the big new education platform plays; and experimental new imprints such as Alloy’s Powered by Amazon line.
The bigger picture view is that Launch Kids is looking at the nexus of publishing, technology and education. It’s all about finding, and building, value — through creating and extending brands, developing new markets and revenue channels, and harnessing digital marketing in an appropriate way (including 3 great case studies from different publishers).
With both Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ceo Linda Zecher and the FT both reporting in the past week that Chromebooks are the fastest growing device for school purchases, we’ll have a look at Google for Education from Chris Palma — along with another view from Amplify Learning/News Corp. president Larry Berger.
The full agenda so far is posted here (we still have a few more great participants confirming) and now is the best time to register, before the holidays hit — and before prices go up on December 16. You can come for just one day for Launch Kids, add on the first day of DBW in a children’s package, or sign-up for the high-value three-day total access pass. No matter which option you choose, make sure to use this link which gives Publishers Lunch readers the best available discount on individual ticket prices.