Simon & Schuster Wants Readers to Watch, Talk
People may not read a lot these days, but they do watch a lot of video -- at home, at the movies, and more and more, online. In fact, the book industry is banking on it, which is why Simon & Schuster is launching a series of 40 promotional videos this month designed to drive word of mouth for its 2007 titles.
The videos will air online at Simon & Schuster's website, as well as a dedicated video channel at Bookvideos.tv. Each one will feature an author talking about his or her book, as well as what inspired it. The idea, according to the publisher, is to extend the reading experience with something that has viral potential, borrowing from a new medium in order to improve an old one.
Says Sue Fleming, vice president of online and consumer marketing for the Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group: "Bookvideos.tv will allow readers to easily use the internet to replicate, for the digital age, the critical and time tested word of mouth excitement that comes from talking about a good read."
