Tracy Arceo of Pelican Publishing of Gretna, LA writes:
“I am a publicist for Pelican Publishing Company. The publicists have been presented with a challenge and we’re having trouble comping up with ideas.
“Our company has two rather large series of books. One series is based on the classic children’s poem “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” each book with a spin specific to a genre, region or occupation.
“The other series is based on the classic recipes and dishes of some of the major cities in the South such as New Orleans, Charleston and Savannah. We have been asked to come up with some form of promotion for each of these series.
“Do your Publicity Hounds have any suggestions on what we can do to generate interest in each of these groups of books?”
It shouldn’t be difficult to promote these great southern cities. Try doing a tasting event with area restaurants creating the recipes for people to nosh on–like a progressive cocktail party in a ballroom or at a major landmark in that town—You could creat the great souther Taste Series of events—“A Taste of Charleston”, ” A Taste of New Orleans”–perhaps in Jackson Square or the French Market, “A Taste of Savannah”– maybe at Forsyth Park. Or another catchy name . . .”Toast to/of _____” Price of admission could be donated to your local food bank, so party goers get to do good too. The possibilties are really endless with this type of event.
As we near the anniversary of Katrina and Rita, many Southern areas are coming back strong with homes completed. How about a promotion leading up to a great block party on Labor Day Weekend. In the weeks leading up to the event, have people upload their own southern recipes to your site, where others can vote for their favorites. Video uploads from the amateur chefs would be great visuals – especially if it’s open to all ages. Have the top winners at the event and have all recipes avaialable for download. As a publisher, you create a book with all the great recipes and proceeds benefiting a local charity like Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild the Gulf region.
I think linking the dishes to movies that represented the South somehow would be fabulous:
Gone With The Wind
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof
Fried Green Tomatoes
Steel Magnolias
Maybe you hold a press conference at an old movie theatre (complete with velvet drapes) and show one of the movies above… have music from by-gone eras ie/ The Charleston etc…there could even be dancers similar to Dancing With The Stars at the event.
Invite a Southern Star like Harry Connick etc to cook one of the dishes on a TV show…I think you could have tons of fun with this project!
As for the Christmas book idea – I’m drawing a blank!
Ah, a fellow New Orleanian!
There are numerous discussion groups online that involve trading free recipes. Upload a recipe to these sites from each of the book and include the source information.
Video of the author reading from the kids’ book is always fun, and can include some of the illustrations as well.
For the “Night Before Christmas” series, you might stir up some regional interest by working with professional or amateur Santas in regions involved with the books. Similarly, you might do an event (if one books is linked to firefighters) with a Santa visiting a firehouse. Other professions, other visits. There are a number of organizations of professional Santas, such as IOS (based in Panguitch, Utah if I remember correctly). A web search might help you find some of the organizations.
Also, using the firefighter example, firefighters might well be a target market, for copies of the book for their own kids.
Now is a good time to work with Santas, as they usually have this time of year available…
Hi Tracy,
It’s the summer time and lots of fun stuff is going on. Why not check with your local tourism office and find out what happening events and festivals are going on in each town and see if you can sponsor a small section at the event and host a cook-off for whatever recipe that town is known for. Don’t forget to bring your video camera and ask locals if they know the story behind why that town is ‘famous’ for that particular recipe.
Alternatively, you can host your own mini events. Travel to each town and host an XYZ recipe cookoff (whatever the town is known for). Invite well known local chefs and restauranteurs and have them compete against people with no professional culinary background who simply love to cook.
Twas the Night Before Christmas- Contact schools and offer a contest where young people can create a “commercial” for their peers to promote the book (they can record it and upload it to you tube). Or they can draw a picture associated with a verse in the book or they can write a poem or short story about what they believe the meaning of it is.
Twas the Night Before Christmas was written by Clement Clarke Moore, who summered in Newport, RI. His house is designated with a rather large emblem. Newport, in addition to being a top summer destination, also attracts lots of visitors for its “Winter Fest” and “Christmas in Newport” promoted through the Newport County Convention & Visitors Bureau. I’d suggest contacting NCCVB for a tie-in.
I love the ideas already posted!!! Great job Hounds! Find regional “all Christmas” stores and coordinate to be involved in a Christmas in July Party. I did a google search and found a few all christmas stores: Traditions Year-Round Holiday Store in Canoga Park, CA and Krstmas Kringle Shoppe in Fond du Lac, WI. Hope that helps!!!
Since these recipes are classics – I would see if you can partner with Rachael Ray, the Food Network, Martha Stewart, or on-line places like recipes.com to share some of the “local flavor” behind these classic recipes.
You noted that one of the Christmas books is related to a particular genre’. Pick a theme within it, if it’s mysteries for example, you could use investigation, where the authors/illustrators can teach kids/adults about writing and that topic and then someone from a local crime lab could present reality vs. fiction. Also, see if there’s a nearby writing/critique group for that genre that could participate and help spread the word too. Encourage them to do so with some VIP treatment from your visiting author.
Also, either alone or in conjunction with above, you could integrate the regional book and do some sort of a city wide reading day event, possibly coordinating with local literacy groups too.
Cheryl Pickett
http://www.publishinganswers.com
For the “Twas” idea, what about doing something around Christmas in July? Create a winter wonderland in a notably hot, summery location like the beach and invite local children (and the media) for readings. Be a great photo opp, too, for national media.
Its a great post and useful also because today everybody want to buy shopping goods online.
Thanks for such an helpful post.
Mardi Gras theme contest – best recipe gets these books. Please contact me about food and cookbook promotions on how2heroes.com. We have some great promotions for 2009.
Tara Greco
Director of Marketing
tara@how2heroes.com
617-494-8899