Strange Ads Promote an Author Who Isn't Real and a Book That Doesn't Exist

IFC's upcoming The Spoils of Bablyon, a comedy miniseries that spoofs serious miniseries, is based on a book that seems to be sold out in Hudson News stores around the country. The problem with keeping the book in stock, though, is that there were never any printed copies. Eric Jonrosh (and the jig will be up when he shows up on TV and looks a lot like Will Ferrell, who produces the series along with the rest of the Funny or Die crew) is the megalomaniacal author of the book, and his persona has become the avatar of IFC's marketing for the show. "[Andrew Steele and Matt Piedmont, who wrote the series] created a character—well, we don't even like to call him a character," head of marketing Blake Callaway tells AdFreak. "We like to pretend he's real. We've written the fake book reviews. He's committed to literacy, because if you can't read, you can't read Jonrosh." The writer's megalomaniacal streak is borne out in the ambitions of the miniseries, which appears to span a period from the 1930s to the 1980s, if the trailer (see below) is any indication. So IFC has an appropriately grandiose ad campaign, with the book-focused executions littering bookstores and branded Little Free Libraries installed in cities like Dallas and Minneapolis in partnership with that organization. Callaway says he hopes to entice writers from the blockbuster-ier end of the literary spectrum to turn out for the show's Los Angeles premiere in January. "[James Patterson] is on our wish list,"... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2013-11-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Saltyard acquires Prashad restaurant books

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 18/10/2011 - 07:00 Saltyard Books has bought two books about Prashad, the Indian restaurant run by the Patel family in Bradford which narrowly missed out on Gordon Ramsey's Britain's Best Restaurant award. Saltyard Books publisher Elizabeth... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #annabel merullo


Hollinghurst makes Galaxy Book Awards shortlist

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 17/10/2011 - 08:25 Alan Hollinghurst, whose novel The Stranger's Child was a surprise omission from the Man Booker shortlist this year, has been shortlisted for an award at the Galaxy National Book Awards 2011, with works by Ian Rankin and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #year category #ian rankin #keith richards #carol birch #anthony horowitz #andrea levy #uk author


21 Finalists for 2011 National Book Awards

The announcement of the nominees for the 2011 National Book Awards had an extra dose of drama this year as the National Book Foundation added a sixth selection to the Young People’s Literature category after the original broadcast over Oregon Public Broadcasting’s program Think Out Loud had only... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Science book deals at Frankfurt

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 14/10/2011 - 11:25 Popular science writer Simon Singh has accepted a six-figure world English language rights pre-empt made at Frankfurt for his next book, The Mathematics of The Simpsons. The deal, Singh's first since winning the legal case... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #patrick walsh #legal case #uk publisher #george gibson


E-tailers, E-books Move Ahead

Online retailers continued to increase their market share of book purchases in the second quarter of 2011, according to the latest data from Bowker’s PubTrack Consumer service. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #market share #book purchases


PW Select Fall 2011: E-Book Master Class: PW Talks with Joshua Tallent

If self-publishing is a major part of the future of the publishing business, then its most uncharted region, and the frontier of greatest possibility, is digital self-publishing, where authors can make their own names and sell infinite numbers of books with the help of a handful of increasingly... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital self-publishing #joshua tallent #major part #publishing business


Time Inc.’s Real Simple App Launches First on NOOK

The NOOK Newsstand is getting another addition, Time Inc. has announced that Real Simple magazine will be exclusively sold on the digital platform for the month of November and will begin a full digital integration with the December issue. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nook newsstand #digital platform #december issue


Frankfurt Book Fair in upbeat mood

Written By: Philip Jones and Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 13/10/2011 - 16:10 The quadruple threat of air traffic control strikes, economic slow-down, creaking Blackberry servers and digital disruption failed to dim spirits as the 63rd Frankfurt Book Fair continued this week. read... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #upbeat mood #philip jones


Consumer Magazine Ad Pages Fall 5.6 Percent in Third Quarter 2011

After showing growth for the first six months of 2011, consumer magazine ad pages fell 5.6 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period in 2010, according to newly released figures from Publishers Information Bureau. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #quarter compared #showing growth


BRC says September book sales 'tough"

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 11/10/2011 - 08:50 Book sales remained “tough” in September according to the British Retail Consortium, which reported total retail sales were up by 2.5% against September last year. The BRC said UK retail sales values were 0.3% higher on a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #3% higher #2% increase


Beautiful Books enters administration

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 11/10/2011 - 15:00 Independent publisher Beautiful Books entered administration earlier today (11th October). The company has ceased to trade and four members of staff have been made redundant. A spokesperson for London firm Leonard Curtis, the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #made redundant #beautiful books


New Directions For National Geographic Books

The appointment late last month of Hector Sierra as general manager and senior v-p for National Geographic Society’s books division completes the new management team that will now drive the book operation for one of America’s best-known brands. The change in the division began last October when... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #general manager #management team #childrens books #adult books


Indies call on government to fix book prices

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Fri, 07/10/2011 - 08:35 Independent booksellers say the government should step in to fix the price of books after the Booksellers Association called on the coalition to do more to maintain bookshops on the high street. BA c.e.o. Tim Godfray appealed... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #indies call #high street #high streets #trade body


Beautiful Books facing administration

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 07/10/2011 - 16:18 An administrator for Beautiful Books is expected to be appointed by close of business on Monday (10th October). In a letter to authors, David Lewis, director of The Beautiful Group PLC, said the company has had cash flow... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #beautiful books #pay royalties #borne fruit


Book Business Has Big Hopes for Biography of Steve Jobs

Industry experts said the biography of Steve Jobs could easily sell millions of copies in print, audio and ebook editions. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book business #steve jobs #industry experts #ebook editions


Trump, Rich Dad's Kiyosaki Put Twist on E-book Marketing

Donald Trump has trained his eye for promotion on ebooks, teaming up with Robert Kiyosaki, author of "Rich Dad Poor Dad," in a new twist on the traditional... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #robert kiyosaki


Oneworld buys book from Private Eye journalist

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Thu, 06/10/2011 - 15:25 Oneworld has bought a book by a Private Eye journalist that uncovers how Britain has become a tax haven. Commissioning editor Mike Harpley bought UK and Commonwealth rights to Duty Free: How Britain’s Become a Tax Haven for Big... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #duty free #big business #karolina sutton #curtis brown


Bickmore promoted at Canongate

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 06/10/2011 - 15:26 Canongate has promoted senior editor Francis Bickmore to editorial director. His recent publishing includes the Man Booker-shortlisted Jamrach's Menagerie. Bickmore joined Canongate in 2000 and his authors include Glen... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Spanish book fair looks to digital growth

Written By: Robert Stokes Publication Date: Wed, 05/10/2011 - 15:18 Liber, the 29th International Book Fair for the Spanish speaking world, starts today [5th October] in Madrid and takes place against the backdrop of the launch of Amazon.es, which publishers hope will lead to greater interest... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital growth #takes place #publishers hope #greater interest


Time Inc. Launches PinPoint For Ad Clients

As advertising clients continue to tighten the grip on their change purses, publishers are concocting solutions to show the value of their content, sites and magazines as an advertising platform. Meredith launched a ROI guarantee for select print advertisers in August, and now Time Inc. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ad clients #meredith launched