The day before the launch of Teri Terry's exciting first book Slated, things went a little... er... crazy... (What can I say? It started innocently enough!)
"What a great promotion idea!" someone commented on Facebook, a few hours into the day. Well - it wasn't so much a promotion idea as a Big Giggle. But yeah. It ended up being pretty good, promotion wise.
"What a great promotion idea!" someone commented on Facebook, a few hours into the day. Well - it wasn't so much a promotion idea as a Big Giggle. But yeah. It ended up being pretty good, promotion wise.
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| SURPRISE, TERI, you've been STEALTH MOBBED! A screenshot of Teri Terry's Facebook page |
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| This coud be YOU |
Fellow NFTSP blogger Teri Terry had one of those classic long journeys to publication, so last week, when her dystopian teen novel SLATED finally launched, the NFTSP team felt like making a big deal about it.
Jo Wyton said wouldn't it be fun to do a Stealth Mob on FB?
Because Teri's striking cover, with its heroine in desaturated colours, all big green goo goo eyes and deep red lips, was an open invitation for a Photoshopping spree. So we set to work sending out feelers on Facebook, inviting people to post Slated style profile photos of themselves on the day before Teri's book launch.
The first to be "Slated" of course were the Notes from the Slushpile blogging team:
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| (left to right) Addy Farmer, Maureen Lynas, Jo Wyton and Candy 'Sean of the Dead' Gourlay |
We had just intended this to be a little something. You know, between friends. Thing is, when you belong to the SCBWI, 'between friends' means about a gazillion people. Still, we were surprised by the reaction. People started saying saying, 'Me too! Me too!' And when the first photo went up in the morning, the floodgates opened.
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| The members header of the British SCBWI group page turned into a stripe of Slated profile pictures |
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| The Facebook feed was an ever changing mass of Slated covers. |
Some people looked far too glam.
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| green eyes suit author Fiona Dunbar |
Some people were downright terrifying.
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| Julienne Dunbar from the dystopian Demention blog |
...and then there were animals.
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| A koala, in honour of Teri's Aussie roots - created by illustrator Amanda Lilywhite |
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| Horror writer Chris Priestly did his own DIY version of the cover |
So, anyone for a bit of social networking?...
The NFTSP crew, minus Maureen Lynas, who instead chose to appear via the medium of Teri's book cover...
Pssst... for a blow-by-blow account of Teri's launch, drop by the Demention blog where Julienne Durber has been busy!
Wow! Can't believe I missed that.
ReplyDeleteBut using the cover to make a promotion go viral like that is a creative use of marketing. I'm going to put Slated onto my list of books to consider to buy, since the premise seems intriguing enough. Hopefully, I'll enjoy it once I get it.
It was a great promotion and great fun. Huge thanks to Candy for slating so many of us. I'm still quite terrified of mine. And it got people's interest. I've had someone from my facebook friends who's not a writer who's googled the book as a result and wants to read it now. I'm sure there are plenty of others. Can't wait to start reading it this week, Teri.
ReplyDeleteAll the best, Clare.
You're welcome! But that cover is just perfect for such a thing. If there was such a thing as social networking when Celia Rees' Witch Child with its eponymous girl-just-looking jacket first came out in 2000 (?), this would have been the perfect stunt.
DeleteI had great fun doing this, got really excited as each new creation appeared! Plus I am seriously considering getting some green contact now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the best giggle I had all week :-)
I loved how you combined a Philip Ardaghesque beard with being slated! Very stylish!
DeleteI spent most of the day on facebook instead of writing! I loved seeing all the faces popping up and it was such a reminder to me of what life was like before the internet and scoobie. We all have so many supportive writing friends to have a giggle with, so well done to Jo and Candy for arranging it all :) And well done to Teri's cover designer for designing a cover we could have fun with.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed well done to the cover designer - who is it by the way, Teri?
DeleteGreat to see Maureen photoshopped into that picture of us NFTS bloggers together. At last, a photo with ALL of us in it!
Deletethe very amazing Thy Bui!
DeleteIt was great fun when we were all sniggering together on the Facebook SCBWI page waiting for Teri to stop trying on shoes and get online.
ReplyDeleteThe designer did a good job with the cover - somehow the design could cope any of the many liberties that were taken with it.
How fantastic!! Well done all of you for getting Slated!!! Yay!!!! I think the koala was the best though!!
ReplyDeleteBig hoorah to Teri Terry! Take care
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The koala with LIPSTICK! Mind you, the terror was somewhat lost.
Deleteand I spent the whole afternoon on Facebook instead of writing my speech! Think how eloquent I could have been...
ReplyDeleteBut it was SUCH fun: thanks Jo and Candy and everyone else who got involved. I'll certainly never forget it :O)
You were eloquent enough - in fact, very funny indeed. Congrats again (though you might be sick of hearing that by now)
DeleteNo, not at all: go on....?
DeleteLove the blog, Candy, and my sinister slated face. Though my favourite has to be Chris Priestly's subverting of the concept.
ReplyDeletePS I'm not actually related to Fiona Dunbar ;)
Not related .... ??? But but but!
DeleteIt was great fun! As was the launch. Oh and the book is brilliant too!
ReplyDeleteaw...thanks so much!
DeleteOh yes, well remembered Jackie, we must not forget the actual book. I'm halfway through and enjoying every minute - it is hard to put it down.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a lead character who has no background, so we get to know her as she gets to know herself.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I think Julienne's was far and away one of the best - so utterly sinister! Along with Chris Priestley who was just wonderfully subversive!
ReplyDeleteGood fun all around, only now you realise a precedent has been set and all debut authors are going to expect a stealth mobbing of some sort! ;-)
Great fun. Such a wonderful idea!
ReplyDelete