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.
Protected: Campaign Learnings – The Ministry of Time

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
Protected: Campaign Learnings from the January 2025 meeting

BMS Primer Day – May 2025

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.
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)
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
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