Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer’s new novel will be released next week, no one can have missed that. A huge banner hung on the Spui in Amsterdam, it was brought by the publisher as a ‘cover unveiling’, a special website has been launched for the book and the writer has already posted four videos online via the socials. In these ‘mini-lectures’ he discusses topics Alkibiades from a historical perspective.
To top it all off, a press trip was organized by the publisher. To Athens, where journalists visit important places from the book, such as the Pnyx and the Acropolis, together with the author. They will undoubtedly get to know a lot of information, because Pfeijffer is a classicist and let it be known that he has documented himself well for this novel.
It is understandable that the Arbeiderpers turned out this way for Pfeijffer’s novel, given the enormous success of Grand Hotel Europa, but it is no longer common. The first book in Dutch literature to receive a major campaign I, Jan Creamer (1964). It is still the textbook example of how it should be done. Cremer himself came up with the idea for all kinds of publicity stunts: “Why is it allowed to praise oatmeal on television as the Best Pack of Oatmeal in the World and why is that not allowed in the art, such as literature, which is still sacred to many?” He handed out free books with friends at the Boekenbal and drove around in an expensive silver Mercedes with a few girlfriends, making as much noise as possible.
The machine rotates Alkibiades also at full speed, but with Pfeijffer no noise but mini-lectures, no fuss but a cultural journey, everything in keeping with the book. It must exude a certain class. But the goal remains the same: the book must sell well.
2023-05-12 20:00:08
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