The Publisher’s Publicity Circle (PPC) is delighted to announce the winners of the PPC Annual Awards. The awards took place in London on 29th February, and are awarded to the publicists responsible for the best PR campaigns carried out in 2015.
The PPC organises these awards as part of its on-going commitment to book promotion and the campaigns are judged according to the publicist’s use of imagination, creativity, careful thought and strategic planning.
The judges for 2015 were chaired by The Bookseller’s Cathy Rentzenbrink and the panel comprised: David Headley from Goldsboro Books; The Reading Agency’s Karen Brodie; Mo Siewcharran from Nielsen; Foyles’ Andy Quinn; Stuart Evers from Net Galley; Steven Cooper from Waterstones; Sally Morris from the Daily Mail; and Meryl Halls from The Booksellers Association.
Bethan Jones, Head of Publicity at Vintage and Chair of the PPC, says: ‘I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, publicists are some of the most creative, hard-working, diligent, passionate, ingenious, strategic, resourceful and dedicated people in our industry. They have made the judges’ task and incredibly difficult one this year, and I would like to congratulate the winners and all the nominees on a stellar year of phenomenal book publicity campaigns. Publicists are also some of the most supportive and collaborative people in the business, and it’s fantastic to have this opportunity to celebrate them at the Oscars of book pr!’
THE WINNERS!
PPC Award for Hardback Non-Fiction: Waterstones
Jaz Lacey-Campbell, Canongate Books: Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
Praise from the judges: This campaign embraced the book’s difficult subject matter and sensitively ensured that more people than ever were discussing and sharing stories of mental health. It ran and ran into a huge paperback success.
The Hardback Fiction Award, sponsored by Goldsboro Books
Alison Barrow, Doubleday, Transworld: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Praise from the judges: A long term commitment of imaginative pre-publication activity that led into the most phenomenal result we’ve ever seen. Spectacular.
The London Book Fair Award for Hardback Celebrity
Stephanie Melrose and Kiri Gillespie, Little, Brown: All I Know by Carrie Hope Fletcher
Praise from the judges: An intelligent and thoughtful campaign that worked hard to appeal to the core ‘tween’ audience and their parents.
The Cookery Book Award, sponsored by Foyles
Eleni Lawrence, Yellow Kite, Hodder & Stoughton: Deliciously Ella by Ella Woodward
Praise from the judges: Unmissable. Everyone has now heard of Ella. It’s unusual if not unique to create a cookery star and icon without a TV series as a bedrock.
Paperback Original Campaign: Fiction or Non-Fiction, sponsored by The Bookseller
Kirsteen Astor, Sphere, Little, Brown: I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
Praise from the judges: Well planned and executed with sustained energy. An astonishing result for a debut and we were impressed by the attention given to building the author’s brand. We’re all keen to read her next book!
Nielsen Award for Second Edition Paperback: Fiction or Non-Fiction
Sam Eades, Orion: The Taxidermist’s Daughter by Kate Mosse
Praise from the judges: An impressive and creative campaign that rethought the hardback approach with great success. The submission was incredibly well written and all the judges would like Sam Eades to be in charge of organising their holidays.
The Children’s Book Award, sponsored by Daily Mail
Alice Broderick and Lauren Hyett, with Jessica Farrugia-Sharples, Doubleday Children’s: The Shepherd’s Crown by Terry Pratchett
Praise from the judges: An ambitious and sensitively handled campaign that worked well with all partners to put the fans at the centre of all the activity.
Generic Campaign, sponsored by NetGalley
Ellie Hughes, Michael Joseph, Penguin: Ladybird Books for Grown-Ups
Praise from the judges: Clever use of the striking cover images long before the books were ready to send out set the ball rolling on presenting the #GrownupLadybirds as THE stocking filler for Christmas.
Best Newcomer Award, sponsored by IndieBound
Yassine Belkacemi, John Murray: The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley
Praise from the judges: A campaign that made a virtue of the book’s self-publsihed history and its genre. We were impressed at how the in house enthusiasm was harnessed and spread to the outside world.
The PPC also presented the following three awards, voted for by PPC Members, to recognise the brilliant journalists, events’ organisers and librarian members work with throughout the year.
PPC Journalist of the Year 2016: Joe Haddow, BBC Radio 2
PPC Events Manager of the Year 2016: Stuart Broom, Waterstones Events Manager
PPC Librarian of the Year 2016: Stewart Bain, Orkney Library & Samantha Everett, Hillingdon Library