This is how you advertise your book!

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by dreams

Katie Price talks to World of Books.com about her ghost writer, children’s fiction and reading true crime.

The first season of Remington Steele, when it was good, there was an episode with just such a plotline!

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by Andanzas

Ok, now I want to see that Rebecca on a horse!

LOL! Karma for that!

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Got your attention, didn't it? Then it's already done its job.

True, but there are both positive and negative attributes that are associated with that attention-getting. I know some saw there is no such thing as bad publicity, but I'm not sure I agree 100%.

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by kennyc

True, but there are both positive and negative attributes that are associated with that attention-getting. I know some saw there is no such thing as bad publicity, but I'm not sure I agree 100%.

Come on down from your high horse man. You are must be lonely up there.
Sure eating baby puppies and kittens is going too far for publicity, though there was a rocker that used to bite the heads off of chickens (or bats) or something up on stage. I think that he did pretty well.

But a good looking woman on a horse? What is the down side?
Look at all the movie posters!
Those bigger than life pictures sell products.
Did you ever watch Zena?

Don't you remember Raquel Welch selling Motorola?
I am not even sure it was Motorola but I remember those standup cutout posters at the store. By the way, Megan Fox is channeling Raquel right now for some ads. (See us guys know these things. They cause eyeballs to turn.)

Look at Lara Croft! Pistols and all. By the way, she has slimmed down in her later renditions.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by kennyc

True, but there are both positive and negative attributes that are associated with that attention-getting. I know some saw there is no such thing as bad publicity, but I'm not sure I agree 100%.

It's not a perfect "attention equals sales" proposition; but data indicates that sex sells, and the promo is sexy.

When I looked at it, I also had to google Katie Price, having no clue who she was. Why did I do it? Because she's a sexy babe... what do you think? Once I knew, I did not get an urge to buy her book, but then I don't read romance novels, so I'm not her target audience. So sex doesn't sell everything, especially to those who have no interest in the product (and know that buying it isn't going to get them any points--if you get my drift--elsewhere).

But the ad managed to get people's attention, and therefore many people who didn't previously know Katie Price (like me) know her now, and can potentially become part of the promotional machine that convinces others to buy the book or buy the books as gifts. And as long as she makes more in sales than she spent setting up the promo, she comes out ahead.

As I said: The ad's job is done.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

It's not a perfect "attention equals sales" proposition; but data indicates that sex sells, and the promo is sexy.

I disagree with this statement in the general case . As linked above, that is not true outside of the sex industry. That is if you are selling romance, porn, or etc then sexy ads work, otherwise sex tends to have a negative impact on sales.

Looking only at that cover, I assume that is a romance novel? If so, then it is not a bad cover. If not, it is. I personally do not read romance, and I would not buy any book with that cover because it looks like a romance book and therefor I am not interested. So if it is a romance book, I say job well done.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

[...]Looking only at that cover, I assume that is a romance novel?[...]

You do? Hmmm... I wonder about my mind sometimes, romance was not my reaction to that cover. Not unless romance books are rather more lascivious than I imagined them to be ... I've read a few things referred to as romance, though not a lot, and those few things wouldn't fit that cover very well (even the ones that had horses in them). It seems to me that the target audience must be lusty male horse lovers. ... I wonder if I could have phrased that better.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

I disagree with this statement in the general case . As linked above, that is not true outside of the sex industry. That is if you are selling romance, porn, or etc then sexy ads work, otherwise sex tends to have a negative impact on sales.

Not necessarily. Non-romance products that are marketed by suggesting attraction to the opposite sex by using their product do sell... witness most liquor, body products, makeup and clothing ads. Or try to convince me that women buy 3" heels because of their comfort and versatility.

Originally Posted by gmw

I wonder if I could have phrased that better.

Yeah, probably.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Not necessarily. Non-romance products that are marketed by suggesting attraction to the opposite sex by using their product do sell... witness most liquor, body products, makeup and clothing ads. Or try to convince me that women buy 3" heels because of their comfort and versatility.

I would still hold what I said was true, and that is the same market. If the INTENTION is sex related, then using sexy ads to market it works. If its not, then it tends to have a negative impact on sales. It is just common sense, and it is born out in studies. My point is that in the general case, that it is not true. It is actually a fairly narrow market in which it does.

I would say that every woman that I have asked about hellish shoes spoke more in terms of vanity then sex about them. So not sure that applies. I will never understand the desire to spend your life in the least possible comfort just to accomplish some "ideal" look. My wife wears sneakers, and because of that we can go hiking, bike riding, and so on. Much rather that in a woman then shoes like one coworker here wears that literally make her feet bleed!. Sheesh.

[gmw]

I might also add that there is a difference between advertising with the commonly accepted norm for "attractive" people (if you use this product, you too can be this attractive, or at least meet or read about them) versus advertising with sexual overtones (fill in your own "if you use this product" explanation).

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by gmw

I might also add that there is a difference between advertising with the commonly accepted norm for "attractive" people (if you use this product, you too can be this attractive, or at least meet or read about them) versus advertising with sexual overtones (fill in your own "if you use this product" explanation).

Yes. That is marketing to vanity. Which is effective in its own right. As is marketing to Greed.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

We could probably argue over whether Vanity is, at root, a self-confidence-building tool designed to attract the opposite sex by presenting well against the competition...

But I won't pursue it.

[SeaKing]

I think that the problem is that some people over study things and put too much importance into narrow meanings that actually don't have much significance in the wider real world.

What do I care about what watch a beautiful Russian tennis star wears in a glossy ad in a magazine? Nothing really except that while I am looking at the beautiful blonde and her braids, I do notice the watch, the name of the maker and may even peruse some information about it.
I will apply the same scrutiny to the watch worn by a Navy Seal or a Marine Scout, or for that matter, to the one on the arm of the fellow in the next row at the gas station on the highway, gassing up his Jag convertible last week. My lady friend mentioned that his watch had a face that was wider than his wrist. I replied that it was almost as big as the smile on his face when he looked at her. (You see I also know what sells.)

Would anyone be surprised to find out that the proud Jag and watch owner had perused several big glossy ads in magazines that showed attractive and impressive people with Jags and very large watches? Not me.

I offered to let him use the squeegee, I had gotten from the pump stand, on his windshield but he politely declined, and then we noticed that he took a few of the napkins from the squeegee box, wet them, and carefully wiped a few spots off the Jag. He has a few ideas of his own about what sells.

Ads like Katie Price's sell books as well as movies and sometimes action figures and also cars and watches. I won't go into the clothes, boots and fragrance angles.

[WPotocki]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

(my Bold)

Hey, you folks do realize that is the authoress riding that horse, don't you?

Katy Perry writes books?

[latepaul]

Originally Posted by WPotocki

Katy Perry writes books?

Quite.

I was going to ask what kind of horse the ghost writer rode.