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Monday 19 January 2015

Not Judging

What would you do if you really couldn’t judge a book by its cover? This is the proposition being offered by one Melbourne bookshop which is giving customers the opportunity to choose and buy a book in plain packaging.
The idea is not really new. We’ve seen it in other contexts; the ‘cleanskin’ approach to wine, the mystery hotel or destination booking and the good old lucky-dip. But will it catch on for books?

From a marketing point of view an eye-catching cover will attract the reader (and buyer), but in the digital age you can buy an e-book from a list (no cover in sight). When you make the download, many e-readers jump straight to page 1, by-passing the cover altogether. I have one friend who refuses to buy an e-reader for this reason. With recent data showing a 2.2 per cent jump in hardcopy book sales in Australia this past year, she's not the only one opting to see the cover first.

What do you think – is the cover an essential ingredient for a quality reading experience? 

2 comments:

  1. Penguin have been doing this for years with their classics. But in that case, the title and reputation are selling the book; no marketing required.

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  2. Yes - the Penguin 'plain package' cover acts as a brand. You know you're buying a Penguin.

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