Request for Proposals–APMA Holiday Guide and Consumer Campaign
| Interest Due By: Tuesday, July 26 Company Information: The mission of the Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association (APMA) is to support the writing and publishing of books in Atlantic Canada. We are an industry support trade association representing book publishers in New Brunswick (NB), Prince Edward Island (PEI), Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) and Nova Scotia (NS). The APMA carries out joint promotion and marketing activities to support and expand the sales of books published by our members across the Atlantic Provinces, across Canada and internationally. The publishers in Atlantic Canada believe a vigorous Atlantic-owned-and-controlled book publishing industry is essential to the economic, cultural, educational, and social life of Atlantic Canada. Members of the association have won many awards and distinctions for their books including Governor General Awards and the Giller Prize. Atlantic Books is the public, consumer-facing brand created by the APMA to promote the discovery of books published in Atlantic Canada. The content featured on AtlanticBooks.ca and in our marketing campaigns specifically promotes books from our members. Our organization works towards growing and maintaining a strong Canadian-owned book publishing industry here in Atlantic Canada. We produce and distribute a bi-annual literary magazine – Atlantic Books Today available both in print and online, and each autumn we produce and distribute a Holiday Gift Guide. We also engage with readers and members via several digital channels: social media (Facebook, Instagram and TikTok) a monthly newsletter and on our website AtlanticBooks.ca. The #ReadAtlantic hashtag was developed in 2020 by the APMA, to promote a greater community of which Atlantic Books promotions are a part. #ReadAtlantic celebrates all Atlantic Canadian authors, bookstores, publishers, libraries, readers, literary festivals, and more. We encourage everyone in our book community to use this hashtag to promote all the ways we can support the local literary landscape in Atlantic Canada, and all books that have a connection to the four provinces in Atlantic Canada. We have a total of 35 publisher members. Our membership is divided into three categories. We have 22 active members, 8 associate members and 5 supporting members. Our provincial membership breakdown is as follows: Nova Scotia: Bradan Press Breton Books Conundrum Press Curriculum Plus Delmore “Buddy” Daye Learning Institute Fernwood Publishing Formac Publishing Four East Publications Friesens Corporation Gaspereau Press HARP Publishing MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Marechal Media Moose House Publishing Nevermore Press New World Publishing Nimbus Publishing OC Publishing Pottersfield Press SSP Publications Newfoundland: Boulder Books Breakwater Books Flanker Press Memorial University Press Running the Goat Books and Broadsides Engen Books Prince Edward Island: Acorn Press Island Studies Press New Brunswick: Acadiensis Anchorage Press Bouton d’or Acadie Chocolate River Publishing Glowing Light Press Goose Lane Editions Monster House Publishing Project Overview: We are looking for a marketing firm or marketer to help us with sales and marketing for this year’s Holiday Gift Guide [sample images above] and Campaign. We are also looking for a small amount of advertising revenue ($6000) for the next edition of our magazine Atlantic Books Today (30th anniversary edition #96). Project Goals: -Reach 25% of all Atlantic Canadians with the holiday consumer campaign -Increase Atlantic-Canadian publishers year over year sales by 3%. Last years book sales (over 52 weeks) were $2,835,241.13 (BNC SalesData) Holiday Campaign Scope of Work: Please see attached for some sample pages from the digital guide. · The guide is 5.5 inches by 11 inches, 16-20 pages in full color on newsprint paper. Printing will be done by Advocate Printing and the cost covered by the APMA. · 450,000 copies of the guide will be distributed between Nova Scotia (195,000 copies), New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island (175,000 copies) and Newfoundland and Labrador (80,000 copies). We will have a cover design for each province. · The covers (four separate covers – one for each province), inside design and guide theme will be decided by the internal Marketing Committee made up of member publishers and their marketing staff. · The guide will be distributed at Chapters/Indigo/Coles stores (table display), indie bookstores, in newspapers/flyer packs and sent by Canada Post (geofencing) throughout Atlantic Canada · Ad space rates are based on their size and page placement in the guide (single, double, quad ads). Layout can vary from page to page. Rates are predetermined by the APMA. · The guide’s content and/or ads are only for member publishers of the APMA. Inside sales in the range of $105,000 needs to be secured with our 35 publishers throughout Atlantic Canada by phone/email by Friday, September 9. Our members pay the APMA to have their books (book cover, book title, ISBN, authors name, short book description, name of publisher and price) in the holiday guide. You will reach out to our member publishers to ensure that ads are secured for the guides 16-20 pages and that the ad details and all graphics are received, correct, tracked page by page so that the guide’s content is confirmed, and all content elements then passed to our in-house graphic designers for layout. · A consumer multi-media campaign accompanies the guide in the market in Atlantic Canada during November and December. The campaign elements (newspaper, print, billboards, digital) are based on the APMA promotional and advertising budget. We will need recommendations, creative and vendors confirmed. We are also looking for an evaluation of these elements and analytics/metrics which will measure success or failure of the consumer campaign. The campaign elements will need to be confirmed in early September. · You will be responsible for keeping a very accurate account and tracking of guide ads and multi-media elements so that APMA staff can accurately invoice our member publishers for their investment in this guide and campaign. · Timeline: Work to commence Tuesday, August 2. Holiday guide to be in print production at the end of October for provincial wide distribution in Atlantic Canada for early November. Holiday consumer campaign to begin in mid November and end mid December. Atlantic Books Today: Inside sales to our publishers would need to be finalized by the end of August. There is also an option here to do outside sales to bring in the needed ad revenue required. These ads would also have to be finalized by the end of August. A media kit has already been prepared so this would involve reaching out to our publishers and others to secure the $6000 that we need in additional ad revenue and ensuring that our graphic designer receives the ad specs on time. Current Roadblocks and Barriers to Success: -Tight timelines Skill Set Required: · Attention to detail · Highly organized · Strong time management skills · Knowledge of Excel or a similar spreadsheet program · A collaborative working style with excellent verbal and written communication skills · Deadline oriented Submission Requirements An interview will be required with the Executive Director to discuss the project and answer any outstanding questions. Interviews will be tentatively scheduled for Monday, July 25 to Friday, July 29 Offers of Interest Due By: Tuesday, July 26 Rate of Pay: $10,000 flat fee + 10% commission on confirmed ad sales. Contact: Karen Cole Email: karencole@atlanticpublishers.ca Phone #: 902-420-0711 |
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A contest for Atlantic Canadian teachers! Build a wishlist of books in the ABC collection and share it on social media with the hashtags #ReadAtlanticABC and #WinYourWishlist or a chance to win all the books on your list (up to $100 value).
