Author: Lucy Upton

BMS Awards: Apr to Jun (Q2) 2025

Thanks to everyone who submitted campaigns for the Q2 Awards and congratulations to our winners!

Click here for the presentation with judges’ comments

Or a full list can be found below…

Q2 – Apr to Jun 2025

MULTI-TITLE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: How To Train Your Dragon

Marketers: Naomi Berwin, Nils Jones / Hachette Children’s

WINNER: Wayward TxF imprint launch

Marketer: Sara Roberts / Transworld

GUERRILLA

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Fahrenheit-182

Marketer: Aimee Kitson / Little Brown

WINNER: We Are Not Numbers

Marketer: Mhari Nimmo / Cornerstone

CHILDREN’S

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Ady and Me

Marketers: Christopher Ransom, Megan Fowler & Lucy Lillystone / Quarto

WINNER: The Donut Squad

Marketers: Fraser Hutchinson & Ruth Sanderson / David Fickling

YOUNG ADULT

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Watch Me

Marketers: Olivia Carson, Sophie Porteous & Lorrie Rose / Farshore

WINNER: Fearless

Marketers: Alesha Bonser, Miya Elkerton & Simi Toor / S&S Children’s

DEBUT

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Silver Elite

Marketers: Sophie Shaw & Isabella Levin / Cornerstone

WINNER: Consider Yourself Kissed

Marketers: Sophie Shaw & Claire Bush / Cornerstone

ADULT NON-FICTION: NARRATIVE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The New Age of Sexism

Marketers: Hannah Paget, Sarah Jeffcoate & Kate Kaur / Simon & Schuster

WINNER: Of Thorn & Briar

Marketer: Rich Vlietstra / Simon & Schuster

ADULT NON-FICTION: LIFESTYLE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Boustany

Marketer: Lara McLeod / Ebury

WINNER: Nettles & Petals

Marketer: Lewis Laney / Quarto

ADULT FICTION

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Atmosphere

Marketers: Isabella Levin & Claire Bush / Cornerstone

WINNER: Butter PB

Marketer: Liv Marsden / 4th Estate

 

Q2 2025 SPOTLIGHT AWARD WINNERS

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: A Different Kind of Power

Marketer: Natasha Tulett / Pan Macmillan

INNOVATION: Caught Up

Marketer: Charlotte Gill / Quercus

CREATIVITY: Is A River Alive?

Marketers: Sahina Bibi & Emily Cox / Penguin General

GRAFT: Forgotten Churches

Marketer: Stephanie Lee / Quarto

FORMAT: The Devils

Marketer: Lucy Cameron / Orion

 

 

 

 

 

BMS Autumn 2025 Primer Workshop

BMS Primer Workshop

We’re thrilled to be running a second BMS Primer workshop for book marketers in 2025.

Targeted at those in the early years of their career, as well as those hoping to join the industry or wanting an update on latest developments, this workshop will take place online over the course of two mornings and will offer an in-depth overview of book marketing, with new insights and the latest thinking around campaigns, available tools and resources.

Attendees will learn how marketers handle their campaigns, overcome challenges, and drive results – the aim is to learn from industry experts, and stay on top of marketing trends and best practice. The event will culminate in a session where participants will get the chance to create and present their own marketing campaign working with other colleagues across the industry.

*This will be a virtual workshop, taking place over two mornings.*

BUY TICKETS HERE

 

WHEN: Thursday 20th and Friday 21st November 2025 (09:30 – 13:00 each day)

WHERE: via Zoom

COST: BMS members £50 / Non-members £100

 

THURSDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 2025

09:30 – 10:00

Introduction, Overview and How to Plan a Marketing Campaign

(Laura Di Giuseppe, Marketing and Publishing Consultant)

10:00 – 11.30

Media Landscape and Briefing an Agency

(Rebecca Keegan, Total Media Client Service and Operations Director, and Total Media team)

11.30 – 11.45 BREAK

11.45 – 12:45

Marketing Non-Fiction on a Shoestring Budget and Launching a New Fantasy Imprint

(Jennifer Porter, Senior Brand Manager, and Sara Roberts, Marketing Manager, PRH)

12.45 – 13.00

Q&A and key takeaways: Day 1

 

FRIDAY 21ST NOVEMBER 2025

09.30 – 10.30

In-Depth Case Study: The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

(Lucy Cameron, Senior Marketing Manager, Orion)

10:30 – 11.30

BookTok Trends: Maximising Opportunities

(Alice King, Content Creator and Community Manager, The Tandem Collective)

11:30 – 11:45 BREAK

11.45 – 12.00

Q&A ahead of the Group Work Challenge

12.00 – 12.45

Group work Challenge: Plan a campaign and present back

12.45 – 13.00

Close and key takeaways: Day 2

 

Tickets are limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

BMS members will have priority.

 

 

 

BMS Awards: Jan to Mar (Q1) 2025

Thanks to everyone who submitted campaigns for the Q1 Awards and congratulations to our winners!

Click here for the presentation with judges’ comments

Or a full list can be found below…

Q1 – Jan to Mar 2025

MULTI-TITLE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Never Let Me Go Anniversary

Marketer: Sophie Clarke / Faber

WINNER: Virago Classics with Bite

Marketer: Lilly Cox / Little Brown

GUERRILLA

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Half-Arse Human

Marketer: Kate Baguley / John Murray Press

WINNER: I Make My Own Fun

Marketer: Sophie Walker / Atlantic

CHILDREN’S

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Grumpfort

Marketer: Beth Gardner / Usborne

WINNER: The Adventures of Rap Kid

Marketer: Daniel Fricker / Simon & Schuster Children’s

YOUNG ADULT

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Our Infinite Fates

Marketer: Michelle Nathan / PRH Children’s

WINNER: Sunshine on the Reaping

Marketers: Rachel Partridge, Ellen Thomson & Hannah Griffiths / Scholastic

DEBUT

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Lamb

Marketer: Javerya Iqbal / Orion

WINNER: The Artist

Marketer: Kate Baguley / John Muray Press

ADULT NON-FICTION: NARRATIVE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Careless People

Marketers: Katie Roden & Andy Joannou / Pan Macmillan

WINNER: The Trading Game PB

Marketers: Rosie Brown & Ingrid Matts / Penguin Press

ADULT NON-FICTION: LIFESTYLE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The DOSE Effect

Marketers: Rachel Quin, Dawn Burnett, Jo Rose & Lauren Gardiner / HQ

WINNER: What’s Your Dream?

Marketer: Lucy Hall / Cornerstone

ADULT FICTION

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Broken Country

Marketers: Alice Graham, Ellie Bailey, Sarah Arratoon, Kate Baguley & Hannah Whittaker / John Murray Press

WINNER: Onyx Storm

Marketers: Laura Vile & Katy Brigden / Little Brown

Q1 2025 SPOTLIGHT AWARD WINNERS

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs

Marketer: Hannah Marshall / Faber

INNOVATION: Blue Sisters PB

Marketer: Matt Clacher / 4th Estate

CREATIVITY: A Language of Dragons

Marketer: Laura Hutchison / HC Children’s

GRAFT: The Favourites

Marketers: Katrina Northern & Maireád Zielinski / Vintage Books

FORMAT: The Baby Dragon Café

Marketers: Emily Hall & Jessica Whitehead

 

 

 

 

 

BMS Primer Day – May 2025

BMS Primer Workshop

We’re thrilled to be running our BMS Primer workshop for book marketers on Thursday 29th May 2025.

Targeted at those in the early years of their career, as well as those hoping to join the industry or wanting an update on latest developments, this workshop will take place in person in central London and will offer an in-depth overview of book marketing, with new insights and the latest thinking around campaigns, available tools and resources.

Attendees will learn how marketers brief media agencies, handle their campaigns, overcome challenges, and drive results – the aim is to learn from industry experts, and stay on top of marketing trends and best practice. The event will culminate in a session where participants will get the chance to create and present their own marketing campaign working with other colleagues across the industry.

WHEN: Thursday 29th May (09:30 – 17:00)

WHERE: Total Media Offices, First Floor, Waverley House, 7-12 Noel St, London W1F 8GQ

COST: BMS members £100 / Non-members £150

Refreshments and lunch will be provided.

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

 

AGENDA

09:30 – 10:00  Introduction and Overview

10:00 – 11:00  How to Plan a Marketing Campaign

Laura Di Giuseppe, Publishing and Marketing Consultant

11:00 – 12:30  Media Landscape and Briefing an Agency

The Total Media team

12:30 – 13:00 Non-Fiction Focus: Case studies across cookery, literary memoir, and self-development/business titles

Louis Patel, Head of Marketing, Orion

13:00 – 14:00  LUNCH

14:00 – 15:00 In-depth Case Studies: From Shoestring to Big Budgets

Sian Richefond, Senior Marketing Manager, HarperFiction

15:00 – 16:00  BookTok Trends: Maximising Opportunities

Alice King, The Tandem Collective

16:00 – 16:15  BREAK

16:15 – 17:00  Group Work: From Theory to Practice

Plan a campaign and present back

 

Tickets are limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. BMS members will have priority.

 

 

 

 

 

BMS Awards: Oct to Dec (Q4) 2024

Thanks to everyone who submitted campaigns for the Q4 Awards and congratulations to our winners!

Click here for the presentation with judges’ comments

Or a full list can be found below…

Q4 – Oct to Dec 2024

MULTI-TITLE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: InvestiGators: A Campaign with Teeth

Marketers: Cheyney Smith & Alice Smith, Macmillan Children’s Books

WINNER: 2024: A Year of Rebus

Marketers: Tom Noble & Yadira Da Trindade / Orion

GUERRILLA

HIGHLY COMMENDED: She’s Always Hungry

Marketer: Mollie Stewart / Faber

WINNER: The Gavin & Stacey Quiz Book

Marketer: Holly Milnes / Bonnier

CHILDREN’S

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Where’s Clive Penguin?

Marketers: Jasmin Lindenmeir, Finn Murphy, Jade McGrath & George Hanratty / Little Tiger Press

WINNER: Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch

Marketer: Fraser Hutchinson / David Fickling Books

YOUNG ADULT

Entries rolled to Q1 2025

DEBUT

Entries rolled to Q1 2025

ADULT NON-FICTION

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Ted: A Pawtobiography

Marketer: Shelise Robertson / Ebury

WINNER: Patriot

Marketers: Vintage Books

ADULT FICTION

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Iron Flame

Marketers: Laura Vile & Katy Brigden / Little Brown

WINNER: In Too Deep

Marketers: Jen Porter & Lucy Upton / Transworld

 

Q4 2024 SPOTLIGHT AWARD WINNERS

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: Warhammer 40,000: The Ultimate Guide

Marketers: James Atkinson & Tilly Mummery / DK

INNOVATION: William

Marketer: Eleanor Bailey / John Murray Press

CREATIVITY: The Accidental Artist

Marketers: Sarah Arratoon & Kate Baguley / John Murray Press

GRAFT: Poet Mystic Widow Wife

Marketer: Sarah Head / Bloomsbury

FORMAT: And Then There Were None

Marketer: Maddy Marshall / HarperFiction