Marketing

The Federal Trade Commission officially revised its “guides” which govern endorsements and testimonials, aimed squarely at the universe of online and word-of-mouth recommendations. The new rules have all the clarity you would expect from an 81-page government document , and in many instances they are either opaque, noxious or just ridiculous (the FTC wants disclosure within tweets as well). The main point of essence for book publishers, and book bloggers and online reviewers, is the determination that “bloggers may be subject to different disclosure requirements than reviewers in traditional media.” They judge that “a blogger’s statement on his personal blog […]

Penguin Group has launched a mini-site called From the Publisher’s Office that presents promotional videos in four “series” (Tarcher Talks; Penguin Storytime; YA Central; and Project Paranormal); a selection of standing audio “programs”; and online browsing samples from selected books. Most of the content “is created, written, shot, edited and produced by more than 30 Penguin Group executives and department team members who are closest to the content.” Among them, CEO David Shanks composed and performs two songs for Penguin Storytime, where his wife Liz, a former librarian, is hosting and producing a read-aloud program. Shanks tells the AP, “I […]

Harper Children’s is testing a “viral mobile initiative” with 2D barcodes. Book browswers in a store take a picture of the codes with any smartphone and, in tandem with a free downloadable application, the code links to a web site optimized for mobile viewing. For the first book, Lauren Conrad’s LA Candy, the code connects to a video and author Q&A. Harper says the code for August’s paperback release of Freakonomics “will include exclusive content related to the book and to the fall publication of Superfreakonomics.” And Harper Teen’s new series The Amanda Project promises to “incorporate the codes to […]