A frank and funny blog where readers are able to review classic books and then comment on and debate each other's content.
Penguin gave away over 1400 books, in return for a frank review to be posted on the reader community blog, www.blogapenguinclassic.com.
We built excitement and enthusiasm for the campaign and for the Classics list by providing one copy of each Classic for free to the first 1,400 applicants who signed up on the blog.
The process was deliberately random, from the allocation of books, to the daily publication of uncensored reviews on the blog, guaranteeing that obscure, surprising titles were prominent from the very start and hinting at the full extent of the list. This resulted in a great deal of buzz for the project; anticipation centred on the exact title participants would receive, the challenge for readers to blog about a title they might never have chosen and which book review might be released next.
The random allocation of titles also generated many polarised and often surprising reviews. This stimulated vibrant debate and created a more appealing platform for discussion than if reviewers had chosen their favourite title.
The site is beautifully designed and very easy to navigate, familiarising people with the list visually - through jackets - as well as verbally. The full Classics list is easily accessible, together with the opportunity to purchase / find out more about each title.
With between one and three reviews still being released every day, this blog is set to run for a number of years and with the use of RSS feeds and email notifications, we are encouraging readers to return again and again and continue their discussion.