When external values count
In the highly competitive book industry, there’s only one rule left: Stand out at any cost—here’s how to do it.
Around 100,000 book titles are published on the German-language market every year - and the trend is rising. This includes not only new hardback publications, but also paperbacks, translations and the like. In short, the choice is overwhelming.
In this extremely competitive environment, it is important to stand out - at all costs. When you enter a large bookshop, you often find entire landscapes of tomes, books and rinds rising up into mountains on display tables. In the valleys in between, the clientele wanders and, often disoriented, seeks out the information stand only to have to wait in line.
It is at times like these that traditional bookshops can play to their strengths against gigantic competitors from the Internet and large bookstore chains: Advice. "I often miss the advisory skills in the big chains," says David Hauptmann, head of the advertising agency Hauptmann & Kompanie, which specializes in book marketing. "In smaller stores, there are booksellers with passion. They can recommend books."
In this extremely competitive environment, it is important to stand out - at all costs. When you enter a large bookshop, you often find entire landscapes of tomes, books and rinds rising up into mountains on display tables. In the valleys in between, the clientele wanders and, often disoriented, seeks out the information stand only to have to wait in line.
It is at times like these that traditional bookshops can play to their strengths against gigantic competitors from the Internet and large bookstore chains: Advice. "I often miss the advisory skills in the big chains," says David Hauptmann, head of the advertising agency Hauptmann & Kompanie, which specializes in book marketing. "In smaller stores, there are booksellers with passion. They can recommend books."
But not all customers want advice right from the start. They love to stand in front of the displays and let their eyes wander over the new products and recommendations. If, at this moment, the eye catches an edgy lettering or glides over the glossy finish, the most important part of the battle of persuasion has probably been won: The potential buyer picks up the book and starts leafing through it.
David Hauptmann and his experienced team are masters at profiting from such moments. The covers of Hauptmann & Kompanie have shaped the German-language book world like no other. Anyone looking at the covers of the bestseller lists will inevitably come across works by the agency: Henning Mankell, Stephen King or the book about Annemarie Schwarzenbach - they all benefit from Hauptmann's artwork: "We focus on establishing the cover as our own brand as early as the conception stage of a top title," he explains. A special typeface was developed for the current King novel "Wahn". In addition, the production of the hardcover edition is extremely elaborate. In addition to the darkly unusual font, a brand was developed for the author's line. The aim is to create uniqueness and atmosphere.
The world in 14 cm × 20 cm formatAs befits a true marketing professional, Hauptmann always keeps his eyes open: "It's about reducing the world to 14 cm × 20 cm format." On a walk, the landscape is sorted through for potential motifs as a matter of course. A rusty garden hedge whispers a promise. A leaf by the wayside suddenly exudes a magical attraction. In the case of Mankell's last bestseller, "The Chinese", it was the jacket of the chef at Hauptmann's favorite restaurant, Zen. "When I was eating my won ton soup, I had the idea of putting a chef's jacket on the cover," recalls the book designer. No sooner said than done. He borrowed the jacket, photographed it at the agency, edited it and sold it internationally. Of course, this is doubly gratifying when the "German" artwork is also sold in countries such as Sweden, Finland, China and Spain. "And that also brings some money into the coffers," grins Hauptmann.
David Hauptmann and his experienced team are masters at profiting from such moments. The covers of Hauptmann & Kompanie have shaped the German-language book world like no other. Anyone looking at the covers of the bestseller lists will inevitably come across works by the agency: Henning Mankell, Stephen King or the book about Annemarie Schwarzenbach - they all benefit from Hauptmann's artwork: "We focus on establishing the cover as our own brand as early as the conception stage of a top title," he explains. A special typeface was developed for the current King novel "Wahn". In addition, the production of the hardcover edition is extremely elaborate. In addition to the darkly unusual font, a brand was developed for the author's line. The aim is to create uniqueness and atmosphere.
The world in 14 cm × 20 cm formatAs befits a true marketing professional, Hauptmann always keeps his eyes open: "It's about reducing the world to 14 cm × 20 cm format." On a walk, the landscape is sorted through for potential motifs as a matter of course. A rusty garden hedge whispers a promise. A leaf by the wayside suddenly exudes a magical attraction. In the case of Mankell's last bestseller, "The Chinese", it was the jacket of the chef at Hauptmann's favorite restaurant, Zen. "When I was eating my won ton soup, I had the idea of putting a chef's jacket on the cover," recalls the book designer. No sooner said than done. He borrowed the jacket, photographed it at the agency, edited it and sold it internationally. Of course, this is doubly gratifying when the "German" artwork is also sold in countries such as Sweden, Finland, China and Spain. "And that also brings some money into the coffers," grins Hauptmann.
A license for an international bestseller title costs 12 to 14 million euros and requires correspondingly uncompromising marketing: the hardcover editions range from 100,000 to 200,000 copies, followed by around half a million softcover books. Special licenses for publishing houses such as Weltbild or paperback campaigns are negotiated separately.
Under these conditions, the marketing budget is usually no longer huge, so innovation and originality are all the more important. Instead of producing glossy brochures, Hauptmann once opted for recycled paper and saved over 20,000 euros for a large-scale campaign for the Heyne publishing house. "I always try to create something new," says the book marketing specialist. "But publishers are very conservative, so a lot of persuasion is required."
Marc Bodmer
Under these conditions, the marketing budget is usually no longer huge, so innovation and originality are all the more important. Instead of producing glossy brochures, Hauptmann once opted for recycled paper and saved over 20,000 euros for a large-scale campaign for the Heyne publishing house. "I always try to create something new," says the book marketing specialist. "But publishers are very conservative, so a lot of persuasion is required."
Marc Bodmer
