How Elf On The Shelf Went From Family Tradition To The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

From self-publishing and selling out of the trunk of a car to millions of dollars in sales and a blue-sky spot in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the creators of Elf on the Shelf discuss how they packaged up a new American tradition. Innovators often have those “blue sky” moments, times where they close their eyes and conjure ideas on the grand scale. But for three business owners, the actual sky was the backdrop for their biggest dream: to see a 46-foot tall inflatable elf sailing through the air during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Not just any old elf, though. Twins Christa Pitts and Chanda Bell and their mom Carol Aebersold wanted to see that North Pole scout from Elf on the Shelf become the first storybook character selected from an independent publisher fly in the parade since Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit (self-published in 1901) sailed down Sixth Avenue on the way to Herald Square.Read Full Story Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2012-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #business owners #chanda bell #beatrix potter

Other Publishing stories related to: 'How Elf On The Shelf Went From Family Tradition To The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade'


Cupcakes from Jamie T and a trip to Abbey Road: A day in the life of NME’s digital editor

For the latest in Digiday’s Day in the Life series, Charlotte Gunn, digital editor at NME, takes us through an average day. Like many publishers, NME is producing more video content, half of Gunn’s time is spent finessing the video strategy. This includes Facebook Live sessions with bands at... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital editor #video content #video strategy


National Poetry Day to see 'mass outbreak of verse'

National Poetry Day this year will see community groups come together for a "mass outbreak of verse" on Thursday 6th October, when railway stations, coffee shops, police forces, schoolchildren and scientists all rise to the challenge to “say it with a poem”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #community groups #coffee shops


Literary Agents in India: Not Your Traditional Gatekeepers

Not least because publishers traditionally accept and commission direct submissions from authors in India, literary agents there are relatively new to the scene. The post Literary Agents in India: Not Your Traditional Gatekeepers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary agents


Facebook Stands Up To Clickbait, Day 2: The Media Responds

The media industry responded predictably to an announcement from Facebook Thursday that articles using so-called "clickbait" headline tropes will get lower billing in the social giant's all-important News Feed product, which publishers rely on for sweet, sweet referral traffic. (Sponsored posts... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2016-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #social giant #publishers rely #sponsored posts #poked fun #publishers operate #media companies


Cursed Child playscript sells 680,000 in UK in three days

The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child playscript has sold 680,000 print copies in the UK in its first three days of sale – making it the fastest-selling book in a decade. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harry potter #fastest-selling book


First day sales of Cursed Child 'incredible'

Sales of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child playscript (Little, Brown) have been “incredible” according to Waterstones, while Foyles deemed it “the fastest-selling book we’ve ever sold” after fans flocked to midnight openings around the country. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #day sales #cursed child #harry potter #fastest-selling book #midnight openings


Innovation and a Non-Traditional Background: a Recipe for Success

How FierceMarkets publisher Rebecca Willumson drove major growth. The post Innovation and a Non-Traditional Background: a Recipe for Success appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2016-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post innovation #success appeared


Orders up 60% on Amazon's second Prime Day

Amazon’s second Prime Day saw customer orders soar by 60% globally in comparison to the first, with "hundreds of thousands" of Kindle e-readers sold. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prime day


Amazon Prime Day: books and Kindles on offer

Amazon has launched its second Prime Day promotional bonanza, offering deals on products every five minutes. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Thalia majority stake sold to Herder family

A major stake in German book chain Thalia has been sold to the German Herder family, which runs a longstanding publishing house of the same name. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


R.J. Julia Offers Prime Day Alternative

To combat Amazon's "global shopping day" on July 12, Connecticut bookseller R.J. Julia is encouraging customers to shop local with a dueling event through which it will donate 10% of its sales to the community. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #combat amazon


New Klosterman book questions modern-day beliefs

Amberley is to publish But What If We’re Wrong?: Thinking about the Present as If It Were the Past by Chuck Klosterman in September. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #chuck klosterman


Facebook news feed changes to rank posts from friends and family above 'liked' pages

Facebook will make changes to its news feed rankings, highlighting posts from friends and family over those from publishers and brand pages that users have "liked". Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2016-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Facebook changes the News Feed to favor friends and family over publishers

Facebook has published for the first time a list of “News Feed Values,” Facebook’s secret sauce of what makes the algorithm tick. The social network is adjusting the recipe with a heavy helping of content from friends and family, likely an attempt to get people to share more, given that there... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post facebook #publishers appeared #secret sauce #media outlets


Father’s Day chart fillip led by Wicks’ second sizzler

Joe “The Body Coach” Wicks’ follow-up to his record-setting début fitness title has rocketed to the top of the charts in a strong week overall as a Father’s Day surge boosted print book sales by almost 20%. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #strong week


Sky Movies rebrand to feature one premiere a day

Service to become Sky Cinema from 8 July, offering more releases including Star Wars: The Force AwakensSky will premiere a new film every day, including the latest Star Wars film this summer, as part of a rebrand of Sky Movies as Sky Cinema. The move will see a 75% increase in the number of... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Cover Story: ‘The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047’

Welcome to Cover Story, a new PW column that looks at the art and science of book-jacket design. First up: 'The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047' by Lionel Shriver. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cover story #lionel shriver


S&S's Books and the City to host submissions day

Simon & Schuster UK's online community of women's fiction, Books and the City, is to host a Digital Originals submission day on 15th July. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online community #15th july


Staff Pick: Penryn and the End of Days Trilogy by Susan Ee

Assistant editor Drucilla Shultz recommends the Penryn and the End of Days Trilogy by Susan Ee, a refreshingly dark YA love story set during an angel apocalypse. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #susan ee


A Day to remember: Sylvia grabs third monthly E-Book Ranking number one

Sylvia Day’s One With You (Michael Joseph) has easily romped to the top of The Bookseller’s April E-Book Ranking, outselling the second-placed title by a factor of over four to one. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sylvia day #michael joseph