Comments on: Reading: Hobby or Lifestyle?

By: Shawn

Shawn — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:51:39 +0000

I completely agree. Celebrities can “sell” pretty much anything — why not get them to sell the reading lifestyle?

By: Pop Culture Nerd

Pop Culture Nerd — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:52:33 +0000

Seeing a celeb holding a book IS effective publicity, though it worked with me in a slightly different manner than you might imagine.

I absolutely cannot stand Katherine Heigl but saw a picture of her a couple years ago reading EAT, PRAY, LOVE. I thought the title and cover looked interesting, I Googled it, liked the description and bought a copy. Loved the book and have been recommending it to friends ad nauseam.

In this instant, the celeb holding the book was irrelevant to me. That girl couldn’t sell me a cold lemonade after I’d been walking the desert for 3 days. But it made me aware of the book because I hadn’t heard of it before seeing that picture.

By: Jen Forbus

Jen Forbus — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:43:30 +0000

I also love this idea. The ALA does that with their library posters…celebs with a book they value. The best marketing, however, would come from candid shots taken unknowningly of the celebs. Those are the ones that say, “I’m reading this because I WANT to, not because I’m being paid to.”

Great article Lydia!

By: Joanie

Joanie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:35:06 +0000

Yes, Yes, Yes! A celebrity holding, even thumbing, a book…what a great gimmick! There are so many followers of the “Hollywood set”. I think they would pay $1.00 for a nickel a celebrity held. It is a sad comment on our society…heh??
Of course this form of advertising happens in the almost every movie, a coke can on a counter, a Macy’s bag on the floor, a bottle of beer, and on & on.

By: Lydia Hirt

Lydia Hirt — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:28:29 +0000

Visionheiry: A celebrity with a book is great publicity, but do you think it would also be an effective tool in the paid placement worlds of marketing and advertising?

I look forward to your thoughts!

By: vizionheiry

vizionheiry — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:27:16 +0000

I agree that a photo of a celebrity with a book (cratily positioned toward the camera) is great publicity for a book.