Author: Lucy Upton

BMS Autumn 2025 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.*

 

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

WHERE: via Zoom

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

Please register your interest below and you’ll be sent a link to purchase tickets shortly.

BMS Primer Workshop - Nov 2025

 

AGENDA

To follow

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

BMS Mentorship Scheme 2025

 

BMS is delighted to announce the 2025 Mentorship Scheme, matching junior-to-mid level marketers with more experienced mentors, of manager level and above. 

The scheme will run for six months and each pairing commits to six, one-hour sessions which can be in person, via Zoom / Teams, or hybrid. 

The aim is for mentees to be matched with someone with significant experience who can offer advice on career and skills development, campaign challenges, ways of working with colleagues and managers, and broad industry knowledge. 

The scheme is not intended to ‘manage’ the mentee or share insider knowledge, but rather to be an impartial, friendly steer and constructive critic – a sounding board for any questions that the mentee might have. It involves a couple of check-ins with the BMS team, and we encourage both parties to keep us informed about how things are going.

We are aiming to match 20 pairs – if more applications are received, we will roll these on to the next scheme’s intake. Priority will be given to those who have not been matched in previous schemes. Please apply by 5.00pm on 23rd December 2024.

 

The deadline for applications has now passed but we’d love some more Mentors so please do apply if you’re able to!

MENTORS – apply here

Matches will be introduced in January 2025.

 

A detailed document will be provided to help outline the parameters of what mentoring is, and to give the mentor and mentee some questions to spark initial conversations.

 

 

 

 

BMS Lunch and Learn: TV advertising

In association with Thinkbox

If you’re new to TV advertising, you’ll want to catch up on our recent lunchtime session with Thinkbox which ran on 21st November 2024 and covered the various advertising options available on Linear, BVOD and SVOD channels.

Watch the video of the session

Download the slide deck

 

Thinkbox are the marketing body for commercial TV in the UK with an ambition to help advertisers get the best out of today’s TV. You might recognise some of their own fab TV ads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Book Trade Carol Service – 12 December 2024

Join the annual celebration for publishing professionals taking place for the very first time at St Alban The Martyr Church in Holborn.

The service will feature appearances from a range of author and industry speakers including author and historian Tom Holland, as well as the chance to singalong to much-loved Christmas carols in the welcoming atmosphere of this striking nineteenth century church, before plenty of mulled wine and mince pies are served after the service.

Venue: St Alban The Martyr Church

Date: Thursday 12th December

Time: 18.00 – 20.30 (service runs 18.30-19.30)

Ticket price: £10 donation

(all ticket proceeds will go to The Book Trade Charity and its mission to support colleagues across the book trade and their families)

BUY TICKETS NOW

 

 

 

 

 

BMS Awards: Jul to Sep (Q3) 2024

Thanks to everyone who submitted campaigns for the Q3 Awards and congratulations to our winners!

Click here for the presentation with judges’ comments

Or a full list can be found below…

Q3 – Jul to Sep 2024

MULTI-TITLE

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Lord of the Flies at Seventy

Marketer: Sophie Clarke, Faber

WINNER: Sticker Dolly Dressing

Marketer: Hayley Shingles / Usborne

GUERRILLA

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Third Gilmore Girl

Marketer: Gabriela Quattromini / Vintage

WINNER: Dallergut Dream Department Store

Marketer: Katrina Smedley / Headline

CHILDREN’S

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Evenfall: The Golden Linnet

Marketers: Olivia Carson, Sophie Porteous, Chris Wells & Hannah O’Brien / Farshore

WINNER: The Majorly Awkward BFF Fails of Lottie Brooks

Marketer: Lauren Floodgate / PRH Children’s

YOUNG ADULT

HIGHLY COMMENDED: The Dagger and The Flame

Marketer: Olivia Horrox / S&S Children’s

WINNER: Immortal Dark

Marketers: Bec Gillies & Nils Jones / Hachette Children’s

DEBUT

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Rewitched

Marketer: Ana Taylor / Pan Macmillan

WINNER: The Phoenix Keeper

Marketer: Hennah Sandhu / Orion Books

ADULT NON-FICTION

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Want

Marketer: Genista Tate-Alexander / Bloomsbury

WINNER: Oh Miriam!

Marketers: Sarah Arratoon & Kate Baguley / John Murray Press

ADULT FICTION

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Daydream

Marketers: Sarah Jeffcoate & Genevieve Barratt / Simon & Schuster

WINNER: Intermezzo

Marketers: Jess Kim, Mollie Stewart & Katie Hall / Faber

Q3 2024 SPOTLIGHT AWARD WINNERS

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT: Think Again

Marketer: Hannah Winter / Transworld

INNOVATION: Percy Jackson and The Olympians

Marketers: Stevie Hopwood & Jess Millott / PRH Children’s

CREATIVITY: Joe Lycett’s Art Hole

Marketers: Cait Davies & Hennah Sandhu / Orion Books

GRAFT: The Life Impossible

Marketer: Alice Shortland, Jamie Norman & Alan Nevens / Canongate

FORMAT: Nexus

Marketers: Rosanna Boscawen, Katrina Northern & Natalie Chapman / Vintage