Natalie's School Day

http://www.everythingmarketing.co.nz/showcase/2011/6

NZ Book Month’s Books Change Lives campaign was announced as the winner of the Not-for-Profit Award at the 2011 NZ Marketing Awards.

 

Not-for-Profit Award

Open to organisations whose activities involve fundraising, community services or any other activity where profit is not used as a measure of success.

Year

2011

Winner

New Zealand Book Month

The People

Donella Parker, Member of the Board

The Partners

Marnie Brannigan, Account Director, Rapport Advertising and Marketing

 

Books Change Lives

NZ Book month is an annual celebration with a simple intent: to promote books, reading and literacy amongst all Kiwis – young or old, beginner or pro. It was established six years ago to address the fact that, year after year, the number of books sold in New Zealand decreases. And this creates a serious cultural issue: Kiwi authors struggle to maintain a career and our country's stories go untold.
In March this year, the organisers attempted something huge and, as part of the Books Change Lives campaign, aimed to put a book in the hands of every New Zealander by distributing more than four million $5 vouchers. It was an immense undertaking and to do it, buy in was needed from the country's publishers and retailers so point of sale advertising could be shown in stores and vouchers could be redeemed for any book.
Benchmarks were difficult to set, as the campaign was a world first, but its objectives were all well and truly surpassed. The organisers aimed to get 50 percent of booksellers on board, and felt a one percent redemption rate would make it a success. Amazingly, they managed to persuade 85 percent of the retailers and 95 percent of the publishers to join the scheme (in theory, a $20 million commitment) and the redemption rate was 2.25 percent.
In January and February, New Zealand book sales were down eight percent. In March, as a direct result of the campaign, they were up 12.5 percent year on year and sales continued to increase in April, with increases across all categories particularly non-fiction and children's.