Book Ads: Bring Back The Personality
In a keynote at Book Expo Canada in 07, ad exec Terry O’Reilly urged publishers to rethink the book ad. He played a radio ad for the Guinness Book of World Records that holds the Guinness world record for being the shortest ever ad on radio. It was genius. O’Reilly urged publishers to simply look to other industries for inspiration.
Judging by the book ads I have seen in the last year, no one listened to him. To start, instead of being radical and looking to other industries, we should simply look to our own past.
Last summer The New York Times featured Book Ads from the Golden Age, 1962-73.
All the ads feature author photos. Somehow in the last 30 years publishers have decided to sell books by their covers instead.
I say bring back the ad with photo. Sell the writer. I will buy the book.
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