Publishers have been experimenting with promotional free downloads of books, and worrying about the risks of electronic piracy but there has been precious little data and analysis to work from. For the past eight months Brian O’Leary at Magellan Media has partnered with Random House and O’Reilly Media to rigorously study the “impact of free distribution on paid content,” which meant examining both giveaways and unauthorized peer-to-peer distribution. The ultimate objective is to develop “a model that describes instances in which free distribution works or may not work,” taking into account the variety of complex influences. The work is still […]
Marketing
Over 2 Million Downloads for New Orman Book
Spiegel & Grau reports that the weeklong Oprah-driven promotion of free electronic versions of Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan led to over 2.1 million English-language downloads and another 45,000 Spanish downloads. The publisher says they have 1.1 million copies in print of the trade paperback.
NPR Cuts Staff–and Two Staples of Book Coverage
NPR is laying off 64 people and eliminating 21 other open positions while cutting expenses, including the elimination of two shows, Day to Day and News and Notes, both of which are produced by NPR West. The two shows, which regularly feature authors and books, will go off the air on March 20.NPR
Isn't It Ironic? Houghton Leads Amazon's "Inside Publishing"
Picking up on a program begun at Amazon.UK (with a letter from Harper UK ceo VIctoria Barnsley), Amazon.com in the US today launched an Inside Publishing promotion. And who better to take the lead for our business than Houghton Harcourt Mifflin trade and reference president Gary Gentel, right? He begins: “Dear Amazon Customers: Even as the winds of change swirl around us this Election year, some things never change. Among them is the perennial fascination with the subjects of family, betrayal, social status, and money.” Gentel goes on to recommend Meryl Gordon’s Mrs. Astor Regrets: The Hidden Betrayals of a […]
Another Broad Promotion for Books
Following news of Random House’s efforts to promote book sales this holiday season, MJ Rose announces an initiative via her AuthorBuzz venture that promises to reach “reach over 10 million people” online with banner ads. The campaign proclaims “You can’t buy more enjoyment for less… Give a book” and then promotes a selection of 24 sponsored books. Ads click through to the online bookseller choice of the author or publisher who bought the ads. But bloggers are invited to grab generic (or specific) campaign images to share the message of supporting books as gifts.Rose blog
Remedy?: RH Promotes Books as Gifts
In trying to address nervousness across the business, Random House spokesman Stuart Applebaum reports that ceo Markus Dohle “challenged our sales group to see what we can do as a company on behalf of the larger trade to get people in to the book-buying habit for the holiday season.” As a result, Doubleday’s Suzanne Herz led an in-house “mini-task force” that has pulled together an ambitious promotional campaign over the past two weeks. Aiming for what Herz calls a “got milk campaign for books,” the unifying slogan is “Books = Gifts” and it is designed to promote book sales throughout […]