Canongate Books Launches Campaign for Ruth Ozeki's A TALE FOR THE TIME BEING

Canongate Books is launching an innovative campaign for Ruth Ozeki's new novel, A Tale for the Time Being,including several elements unprecedented in the publishing world.

The campaign includes ebook/physical bundling, simultaneous publishing across all formats and the use of 'Blippar' technology to create a fully interactive cover.

Big Active, a leading music design agency, was also brought on board to ensure the integration of all visual elements of the campaign, ranging from book jackets to marketing. Canongate Art Director Rafi Romaya comments:

"This multiple format release model recalled the experimentation which has taken place in the music industry in recent years, whilst publishing is working through equivalent changes. We wanted to collaborate with a team that would be experienced in this and fully open to working towards bespoke on multiple platforms from inception."

Gerard Saint, Creative Director at Big Active, adds:

"We wanted to create a solution that is beautiful not only in terms of being a piece of artwork, but also as a concept that works equally well for physical product and handheld devices, online animation, interactive digital access and the wider integrated marketing campaign."

Canongate will publish all editions of A Tale for the Time Being simultaneously, releasing complementary hardback and paperback editions alongside the digital and audio editions. Purchase of the hardback from Canongate's website will also provide the reader with a free ebook, further extending the consumer's reading options.

The campaign also sees the first ever use of 'Blippar' technology to create a fully interactive book jacket. The jacket is brought to life through a phone or tablet screen, before linking the reader to a variety of additional material including author interviews and social media conversations.

Jess Butcher, CMO of Blippar, states:

"Creating the first blippable book jacket is an important milestone in the evolution of the printed book. With this project,Canongate has pioneered a use of interactive technology to redefine the experience of buying, owning and reading a book - we are very proud to help make this happen."

Canongate Head of Marketing Cate Cannon concludes:

"As with advertising and other print media, you can see that augmented reality certainly has a place with books too, and really integrates the design and marketing process. The animation and design translates across our digital outdoor advertising, our website and all our editions, simultaneously published, creating a brand identity for this novel that is enriching, engaging and progressive."