Book stores in London and Birmingham are joining forces in a unique pilot initiative to target black and minority ethnic (BME) audiences. Borders, Books Etc, WH Smith, WH Smith Travel, Waterstones, Foyles and Bonds of Birmingham are teaming up with decibel, Arts Council Englands diversity initiative, in response to research published by The Bookseller last year, which revealed that the book industry lacks confidence in marketing to Britains BME population.
The Books for All initiative will see more than 70 bookshops presenting in-store author events, window displays and point-of-sale material. Fiction, general non-fiction and poetry books for both adults and children, including new and major backlist titles, will be featured through the promotion, many by BME authors, but also other authors who appeal to BME audiences. Well-loved best sellers, such as White Teeth by Zadie Smith and Midnights Children by Salman Rushdie, will be featured alongside newer work such as Wish You Were Here by Mike Gayle, Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Londonstani by Gautam Malkani. Books for Alls aim is to boost sales in the short-term and to open up a new and expanding market in the long-term. The impact of the promotion will be evaluated in a supplement to be published in The Bookseller in September 2007, which will provide guidelines for retailers and publishers in reaching this market in the future.
Published: 04-06-2007