Well, Aaron Gilbreath, the author of the article believes publishers should band together to come up with an ad that will be equally enticing, but will make people want to buy a print book and chuck their eReaders.
Why hasn't America's publishing industry launched an ad campaign as seductive and aggressive as the Kindle's? Not to market front-list titles or authors, but to market the paper book form itself? In other words, sell consumers on the exclusive pleasures and qualities traditional books offer that e-books cannot.Can print book publishers do that? Is it possible? Is it too late? What do you think? What kind of commercial would you script and shoot?
If traditional book publishers want to survive, then their marketing departments better think of a way. And fast.
Girl in a bubble-bath, reading on her Kindle, drops it in the tub. Oops!
ReplyDeleteMan on subway, surrounded by thugs. Cheap paperback, or fancy electronic job?
How about the annoying and much more common dead battery or system hang when opening a book. Or trying to recommend the book only to not be able to loan a copy of it. Or having to buy it twice so your spouse can legally read it too... What about being forced to turn off your book while the plane is taking off, or going through security with it at the airport, or realizing that you can't reread that book because the format isn't compatible with your new device.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many little things that the average person will fimd very frustrating.
Creating pro-print commercials isn't going to change anything. Technology will always prevail. How many people are still listening to music on 8-track tapes?
ReplyDeleteYeah, Annette is right - it's too late. Look at the music industry - I almost never buy a physical CD anymore, I download a copy from iTunes. EBooks are cheaper and easier on the eyes, but ultimately, it's the shift in technology that's spurring the change.
ReplyDeleteI do love the look and the feel of a real book. The kindle is dreary without color. Maybe the ad could emphasize color and feel of a print book. There's room for both. I'd hate for print to go away!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Helen.
Monti
NotesAlongTheWay
I have to admit, I love my iPad and I've only had it about two weeks. I still read print, though. The iPad was handed down to me by my husband, so I didn't check out other reading devices. Besides the books on the iPad, I like also having access to my email and the Internet without lugging my laptop, which, at the moment, is in the shop totally messed up by a virus. I wonder if the iPad ever crashes from a virus? I've heard Apple is better about not crashing.
ReplyDeleteHelen,
ReplyDeleteSince I haven't read a print book in years, I'd be the last person to come up with any reasons for anyone to do so. I know some people prefer print--I'm perfectly content to let them read print while I read on my Kindle. Just don't ask me to awkwardly hold open a paperback and squint to read the small print. :-)
After far too many viruses, and malware, and a couple "OMG! I LOST EVERYTHING--I'LL NEVER WRITE AGAIN!!!" experiences with Microsoft's blue-screen *crash* situations, I finally switched (7 years ago). Now you couldn't pay me to use a free truck-load of PCs. Once you go Mac, you never go back. ;-) I know it's more expensive, but it's a far more superior product.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that all the commercial suggestions were to show the short-comings of the eReaders rather than to show the benefits of paperbooks. Then again, how do you show the delight of holding a print book in hand?
ReplyDeleteThis is such a good post. You got some good comments here, too. I love my Kindle but I still read print books. What I really love about the Kindle (and probably other e-readers, too) is that I can make the text bigger. As my eyesight gets worse and worse (even with glasses), it's so nice to have bigger print.
ReplyDeleteI don't watch TV so I had no idea there were Kindle commercials out there! I think technology is already here and it's too late for publishers to point out deficiencies in ereaders. Instead, they should play up the pros of physical books - you know, the overflowing bookcases that fall on top of a hapless bibliophile, squinting at tiny print, pages that fall out of too-small gutters that saved them a few pennies,...
ReplyDeleteLike Laura, I don't watch TV and so had no idea about e-reader ads. I don't think print books need ads. Everyone knows about print books, and the pros and cons of them. And no ad can improve on a bookstore display. Can anyone walk past a bookstore without stopping? (maybe they can, but for me it's impossible)
ReplyDeleteMaybe publishers could have a silent ad and just show the awesome looks on the faces of people in a used book store as they discover a past memory or a new friend. You can't get that feeling with any e-reader.
ReplyDeleteI love my kindle but I love my books more!
I have had my I-Pad about two weeks longer than you...I WON mine...unexpectedly. I am loving it, but slow to figure out best uses. I have however, downloaded and read one free book and other than the glare in sunny spaces, enjoyed the reading as much as traditional paper. I just downloaded the Kindle app and the first chapter of a book I would like to read. My problem right now is that I don't have a book budget and must rely on the library...so won't be downloading too many books in the near future. Like you, I enjoy having books, email, etc. all in one place. I was all for traditional books, didn't expect to have an I-Pad, and the ease at which I have become a convert startled me. As a result though, I think it is only a matter or short years before most traditional books disappear...
ReplyDeleteI think publishers are so tight with money right now, they don't have the funds to launch a campaign like that. No, they'll just keep trying to force the print mold on ebooks and overcharge.
ReplyDeleteUnless they change fast enough, who really stands to lose are printers. When film died, some film manufactures were diversified enough and changed fast enough to survive. The rest went belly-up.
I love print books but I think any battle the publishers fight will be only one in a losing war. They would be better off embracing the advances and adjusting to the steam roller they can't stop.
ReplyDeleteI probably would be more upset about leaving an e-reader on a plane than a paperback, but then again with the luggage restrictions it might be a better choice.
ReplyDeleteAnn
Liza, I agree on how easy it is to adapt to the iPad, and probably any eReader.
ReplyDeleteAnn, the few times I"ve been on a plane with my iPad, I put it in my bag before we began the approach. If I had been reading a print book, I probably would have put in in the pocket on the back of the seat in front of me - and been more likely to leave it.
Thank you Annettefix. I needed that reminder since I've been wavering.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the commercial.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it's that kind of marketing that's doing it. People love gadgets. The e-reader is a gadget. And if you travel with books, an e-reader makes it easier. I don't want one, but I think the appeal is more concrete.
My daughter left a book outside overnight last week. In the rain. It was drenched. When she cried, I said, "At least it's not a Kindle."
ReplyDeleteI actually don't like this kind of advertising war. Why not spend the money to help bookstores or authors to get back to traditional publishing process instead?
ReplyDeleteEvery Savage Can Reproduce
You have a fabulous blog! I’m an author and illustrator and I made some awards to give to fellow bloggers whose sites I enjoy. It’s not a pass on award. This is just for you to keep. I want to award you with one of my homemade awards: Powerful Woman Writer Award for all the hard work you do! By the way, I'm your newest follower.
ReplyDeleteGo to http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/p/awards.html and pick up your award.
~Deirdra
A clash of the Titans, Kindle vs Hardback!
ReplyDeleteA lot of the other commenters have had awesome ideas for an ad campaign, but I also agree with Enid Wilson on this one - they could pour more money into author / title promotion. I think that would help remind people why print books are so fab.
There must be authors who don't plan to publish e-books, too - maybe get them on board for a campaign. If they could get some big name authors to participate, they'd draw a lot of attention. I'm not sure if it'd slow the sale of Kindles or e-books, though. The train has already left the station and it's picking up speed.
Hi Deirdra. Thank you very much for the award. I'll link over. I appreciate the permalink,too, since my computer died and I'm working off my iPad.
ReplyDeleteA campaign sounds like a good idea!
My question is what show would a publisher use to have the commercial? They could easily do ads in newspapers and magazines though.
ReplyDelete