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 ]
News tagged with: #wall street #fifty shades #makes sense

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Strange Ads Promote an Author Who Isn't Real and a Book That Doesn't Exist'


Media Decoder: Self-Publisher Signs Four-Book Deal With St. Martin's

Amanda Hocking, the 26-year-old author who shot to fame by selling more than a million copies of her self-published books, has signed a deal with St. Martin's Press. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media decoder #amanda hocking #million copies #self-published books


Judge throws out revised Google Book Settlement

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Tue, 22/03/2011 - 19:52 A New York judge has ruled that the revised Google Book Settlement is not "fair, adequate, and reasonable" and has denied final approval. Judge Denny Chin has instead told the parties to redraft the settlement as an "opt-in"... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #york judge


Mainstream, J R Books and Pan to rush Elizabeth Taylor titles

Written By: Katie Allen and Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 23/03/2011 - 15:48 Mainstream, J R Books, Pan and Faber are to rush publication of titles on Elizabeth Taylor, after the Oscar-winning film star died today [23rd March]. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #katie allen


Printed book sales slump to new 2011 low

Written By: Philip Stone Publication Date: Tue, 22/03/2011 - 15:36 Spending on printed books in the UK slumped for a third consecutive week to a new 2011 low, with this week's number one the lowest-selling top title for more than seven years. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #consecutive week #printed books


Transworld signs three from debut author Lamb

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 22/03/2011 - 08:30 Transworld has acquired three novels by debut author Victoria Lamb, all set in the time of Elizabeth I's reign. Publishing director Selina Walker bought world rights in the trilogy from agent Luigi Bonomi, and will... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #transworld signs


Japanese book trade facing worst crisis since WWII

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 22/03/2011 - 16:31 The Japanese earthquake and tsunami has caused the worst disruption to the Japanese book industry since the Second World War, the president of the Japanese Publishers Association has said. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #japanese earthquake #world war


Media Decoder: Noted Self-Publisher May Be Close to a Book Deal

Amanda Hocking, the darling of the self-publishing world who has sold more than 900,000 copies of nine books in the last year, has been shopping a four-book series to major publishers. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media decoder #book deal #amanda hocking #four-book series #major publishers


B&N Is #1 in Trade Books

Barnes & Noble, through its combination of physical bookstores and bn.com, remained the largest outlet for the sale of trade books in 2010. That was one of the first findings from Bowker’s annual rollup of its monthly book consumer tracking program, PubTrack Consumer. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trade books #barnes noble #physical bookstores #largest outlet


No breakthrough over author ebook rights in France ahead of fair

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Thu, 17/03/2011 - 06:39 French authors have urged culture minister Frédéric Mitterrand to intecede in order to break the deadlock in their negotiations with publishers over electronic rights. For the second year running, the Permanent Council of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #electronic rights #year running


Mulholland Books acquires debut by "Saw" writers

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 09:04 Hodder thriller imprint Mulholland Books has acquired a fiction debut by "Saw" writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, and author, screenwriter and illustrator Stephen Romano. Editor Ruth Tross bought British... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fiction debut #european rights #nancy wiese


Knitting book proves favourite Royal Wedding yarn

Written By: Philip Stone Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 14:50 Fiona Goble's 64-page Knit Your Own Royal Wedding (Ivy Press), which comes with a backdrop of Westminster Abbey "so that you can display your creations in authentic surroundings", is the current sales leader in the incredibly... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #12th march #popular purchase #royal wedding


French authors happier with publishers

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 13:30 French authors are increasingly satisfied with their publishers, according to the third annual survey conducted by the Civil Society for Multimedia Authors (Scam). The latest results show that 71% of respondents are... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers pay #civil society


Big French publishing houses to return to Paris Book Fair

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 09:03 The new-look Paris Book Fair will open on Friday [18th March] for four days as five of the leading French publishers ponder the raids by the European Commission competition officials a fortnight ago. Hachette Livre, Bayard... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hachette livre #scaled back #opening hours


Hardback fiction added to UK's shopping basket

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 15/03/2011 - 14:47 Adult hardback fiction books have been added to the basket of goods that the government uses to calculate the cost of living in the UK. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


As Library E-Books Live Long, Publisher Sets Expiration Date

While librarians are pushing for access to more ebooks to satisfy demand, publishers are reconsidering how much that access should be worth. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #satisfy demand


Hearst Magazines is 2010 Group Publisher's Ad-Page Champ

With the explosion of magazine apps, social media and the resurgence of print advertising, magazine brands are showing a prominent face to their loyal and new readers and advertisers. A top 5 chart pulled together by FOLIO: sister publication min looks at the group publisher vanguards that had... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hearst magazines #ad-page champ #magazine apps #print advertising #magazine brands


Children's Books Publishing in Asia

In most parts of Asia, wizardry and fantastical plots have lost much of their magic after dominating the bestseller list for so long. The subsequent vampire and werewolf fever is, by comparison, not as rabidly welcomed in certain territories. As for that wimpy kid, well, his popularity suffers... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bestseller list #wimpy kid


Authors hit by new fears over taxation charge

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 11/03/2011 - 16:25 Writers’ ability to average out their earnings over a number of years could be abolished, according to new tax system proposals. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Sales of World Book Night titles 'double'

Written By: Lisa Campbell and Philip Stone Publication Date: Fri, 11/03/2011 - 16:27 Sales of the selected 25 World Book Night titles soared by over 100% at W H Smith, amid a wider trade sales boost, following television coverage, events and book giveaways to mark its inaugural year. On 5th... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book giveaways #inaugural year #5th march #million books #included works #david nicholls #philip pullman


HC promotes Jamie Cowen

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 11/03/2011 - 08:14 HarperCollins has appointed Jamie Cowen to its newly created role of commissioning editor for men's thriller and adventure novels for HarperFiction. Cowen, currently a contracts manager at the publisher, will begin his new job... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #adventure novels #contracts manager #4th april #male readers