Open Road has found that highlighting banned and challenged books in targeted promotions significantly drives awareness and sales. In their initial marketing efforts to “highly targeted segments of power readers” identified by the company’s data science and machine learning technology, “The initial response from readers has been extraordinary, with unheard-of open rates above 75 percent on segmented email sends.” As a result, the company is rolling out a Free Voices marketing initiative, open to all publishers, that can promote ebook editions (which require “limited time, consumer-friendly ebook pricing”), print and audio editions, or both. Chief marketing officer Peter McCarthy says […]
Marketing
Open Road Targets Ad Initiative, Flips Process
Open Road has revamped their Activation service, an advertising program for frontlist books introduced last summer, reflecting the insights of new chief marketing officer Pete McCarthy. The initiative now harnesses granular consumer data from the company’s core Ignition service that markets and distributes ebooks for client publishers, providing a broad spectrum of very specific audience targeting. Consumer segments they can market to range from, as the release says, cyberpunk and military history to vegan cooking, and “hyper-specific targets include such segments as neuroscience, birds of prey, ancient greek history, mixed martial arts, and parisian enthusiast.” As McCarthy says in the […]
Initiatives: Open Road to Promote MG and YA Hardcovers
As part of their Activation service to promote frontlist titles to their subscribers, Open Road Integrated Media will launch the Fall Hardcover Discovery Initiative for hardcover middle grade and young adult titles. Participating publishers can choose up to five titles to be featured on the company’s websites and newsletters. The initiative is a response to Barnes & Noble’s decision to reduce stock of MG hardcovers. “With changes in the retail and media landscape, it has never been more challenging to publish a new middle grade or YA hardcover,” ceo David Steinberger said. “The Fall Hardcover Discovery Initiative will provide middle grade […]
Washington Post To Bring Back Standalone Book Section
Washington Post Book critic Ron Charles announced in his Book Club newsletter on Friday that the newspaper will bring back its standalone books section starting September 25. The news follows the announcement that John Williams will become the new editor of Book World on September 6. Reviews by Charles and Michael Dirda will move from the daily paper to the new Sunday section. Charles writes, “Along with reviews, readers will find Q&As, publishing stories, author profiles and anything else we might dream up for this luxurious new space. As a print junky, I’m also excited to have weekly cover art […]
Open Road Launches Marketing Service for Frontlist Books
Best known for their Ignition service that markets, manages and distributes backlist ebooks for other publishers, Open Road is launching Activation, a service available to all publishers to help market frontlist titles. The initiative formalizes and expands upon campaigns and promotions Open Road has offered recently through their content vertical websites and newsletters, which they say reach audiences of over 3 million readers. Open Road chief marketing officer Mary McAveney says in the announcement, “Publishers everywhere are seeing their Facebook ad costs rise dramatically and their campaigns less effective because of recent privacy changes. While protecting consumer privacy, Open Road […]
Bogaards Public Relations Launches
Paul Bogaards, Knopf’s longtime evp, publicity & marketing, and deputy publisher, who left the publisher at the end of 2021, has launched Bogaards Public Relations. He is joined as a partner in the firm by Stephanie Kloss, who previously ran the advertising and marketing department at Knopf for 17 years. Bogaards writes in the announcement, “Our business model at BPR is a little different – we’re a long runway business, not a quick fix shop. If you are looking for someone to book a tour – that’s not us. Think of us as project managers – with you, your work, or […]