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Scholastic announces publicity campaign & record printing 
MARCH 14, 2007 at 9:18 AM
Posted by GERI
Source: Scholastic via The Leaky Cauldron
Scholastic, the U.S. publishers of the Harry Potter series, announced this morning information
of a new media campaign tied in with the release of the last book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The campaign, which will kick off on April 17 and run through July 7, will include a Knight Bus National Tour, a 7 Questions of Harry Potter campaign, daily polls, downloadables and printables.
Details of the campaign from the press release:
The Scholastic "THERE WILL SOON BE 7" marketing plan for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows officially launches on April 17th and includes:
- 7 Questions of Harry Potter campaign - Beginning on April 17 2007, Scholastic will release one question every two weeks. These are the big questions fans debate at great length online, at book clubs and in everyday conversations, and that they hope J.K. Rowling will answer in this final installment. The questions will be posted on scholastic.com and released through advertising and publicity outlets. The final question will be released on July 7th.
- Knight Bus National Tour - On June 2nd , exactly seven weeks prior to publication, a touring Knight Bus, based on the unique vehicle in the Harry Potter books, will take off from New York City and travel to 40 libraries in 10 major metropolitan areas all across the country. In each location where the bus stops, fans will be invited to visit the Knight Bus and share on video their thoughts and feelings about the Harry Potter books. Select video clips from each location will be uploaded for viewing and sharing on http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter.
- Retail Promotions: Scholastic will send THERE WILL SOON BE 7 table top easelbacks and millions of collectible bookmarks to retail accounts and libraries throughout the country. Both the easelbacks and the bookmarks will feature one of the 7 Questions as each is released. Beginning June 2nd, THERE WILL SOON BE 7 countdown standees (a 5 foot corrugated promotional piece featuring Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows cover art and a 7 week countdown feature to July 21st) will be displayed in retail accounts and libraries. And, finally, to celebrate the big day, Scholastic will distribute millions of tattoos for giveaways at what is sure to be a record number of Harry Potter midnight parties.
- Scholastic's online marketing campaign launches on April 17th. In addition to a desktop alert downloadable,poster printouts, bookmark printouts, and updated Wizard Challenge questions, the site will include: - Shrieking Shack Poll - will invite fans to vote for their favorite answer to each of the 7 Questions of Harry Potter, and lead them to the Discussion Chamber Message Boards where they can converse with other fans.
- 7 Word Review - fans can review their favorite Harry Potter book in 7 words or less and everyone can vote for their favorite. - Knight Bus Tour Tracker - On June 1, the site will launch the Knight Bus Tour Tracker as well as Knight Bus Blogs and Videos. - Book Release Party Finder - this online guide will list various retailers' midnight parties nationwide searchable by zip code, city and state so fans can find a celebratory party to attend intheir community.
- Advertising - Scholastic's national advertising campaign, based on the theme THERE WILL SOON BE 7, will appear on electronic billboards, online, and in print media nationwide beginning in April.
In other news, Scholastic also announced that there will be a record-breaking first printing of 12 million copies in the U.S. of the book. You may remember that Half-Blood Prince had an initial run in the U.S. of 10.8 million of which 6.9 million copies were sold in the first 24 hours.
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Custodian of Miracles
Points: 3253
MadamDumbledore says:
We're getting closer and closer.... better get reading those six books again. Sad times, but also very exciting!
Posted Mar 17, 2007 at 4:32 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1055
princess165 says:
Sounds like a fun campaign. I love it that the hype is soon to really begin. Some here have asked if this campaign is needed when the book is so popular. I think they do it to help fuel the excitement and thus attract more marginal readers who might have been unsure of whether to buy the book, and attract more readers to get the book as soon as it comes out at midnight. I think the more people that buy it the first day the better off Scholastic is.
Posted Mar 17, 2007 at 12:47 PM EST
Witch
Points: 613
Valéria says:
Geez! It's crazy to think just how big this launch will be. And it just reminds you that it's the last of the last! I'ts so exciting and depressing at the same time! I can't wait.
Posted Mar 17, 2007 at 1:42 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1588
ravenbeaut says:
Wow. That's some pretty good promotional advertising. I'll be at scholastic! Hopefully the tour will go through my city. Hmm... only 7 words to describe my fav HP book? I don't think I can do it...
Posted Mar 17, 2007 at 2:31 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1998
brenpotterfans says:
Do they really even need to advertise? I mean come on this is going to be the biggest book published probably this century.
Posted Mar 17, 2007 at 7:21 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2350
mad_eye muggle says:
Interesting!That is great news.Really can't wait for the release of the final book.Wish July would come soon.HP RULES!
Posted Mar 17, 2007 at 11:18 PM EST
Witch
Points: 722
MsVoldemort says:
Cool!! I can't wait until July 21st!!!
Posted Mar 18, 2007 at 2:32 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1237
HeadmistressMcGonagall says:
This sounds awesome!!! I can't wait!!!
I'm so pleased they're going to promote the book so hard, although I don't think they really have to. I'm basically stoked about this book!!!
HeadmistressMcGonagall
Posted Mar 18, 2007 at 3:50 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2087
JAYSTARR says:
That will be awesome to see the Knightbus making tours around different countries or at least more than 40 libraries.
Posted Mar 18, 2007 at 7:48 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2327
Skitch says:
Oh, that day is going to be soo crazy. I'll be in line at one of the many midnight parties. Its going to be truly awesome. There will be drinks, and then there will be crazy plot lines and twists. Squee.
Posted Mar 18, 2007 at 10:52 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1631
Hermione's younger sister says:
I wonder how JK Rowling feels about being the one to right such a popular novel (an understatement). She must be under so much pressure to use her imagination to make this a great book. I think it is great how many people have faith in the fact that she will produce a great book and they are already buying it even though they don't even know what will happen, or even what the cover looks like.
Posted Mar 19, 2007 at 9:53 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1360
SiriusFan says:
Wow! They're really promoting the last book like crazy; although, I doubt it would take much marketing at all to sell record setting numbers. Everyone who calls themselves a fan will have this in their hands as soon as it's released.
Posted Mar 19, 2007 at 2:45 PM EST
Squib
Points: 158
Lilian87 says:
Cool commercial tricks:P
I think it will all be very popular...
Posted Mar 19, 2007 at 5:39 PM EST
Witch
Points: 852
nejicanspin says:
It will be in record printing because it's the last and most awaited book of the series so far!!
Posted Mar 19, 2007 at 9:22 PM EST
Student
Points: 228
Jlgrigsby says:
COOL! Im soo excited about the movie i can hardly wait!
Posted Mar 20, 2007 at 8:29 AM EST
Witch
Points: 603
Book-worm says:
This just gets better and better :)
Posted Mar 20, 2007 at 3:28 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1056
GeeMessy says:
Oh Yay!
It is going to be a big thing then
hopefully it does stop off somewhere nearby
which I doubt
but if it does, way cool
Posted Mar 21, 2007 at 6:12 PM EST
Wizard
Points: 787
Beyondfreedom3 says:
Wow, it would be kinda cool to see the Knight Bus here in the States. Although I might stick out a bit over all those kids!
Posted Mar 21, 2007 at 10:43 PM EST
Harry's Lost Brother
Points: 10058
American Harry Potter says:
I can't believe it's getting so close to the release!!
Posted Mar 23, 2007 at 3:55 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2197
Pheonixflames says:
You just know that Scholastic is going to push this last novel as much as they can, you can expect anything and everything as far as promotion goes. I know Im getting my copy!
Posted Mar 23, 2007 at 6:42 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1375
Phoenix Phire says:
This is exciting. I can't wait for the last book to come out (although it's actually pretty sad)!
Posted Mar 24, 2007 at 10:22 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2690
LoveMagic says:
Yeah, like I can not wait for this stuff to be released, I'm going to go and grab it all up. Just when I thouhgt it was not possible to be any more excited about the book, I get miore excited. I am taking that day off work and staying secluded in my house the entire weekend.
Posted Mar 25, 2007 at 11:31 AM EST
Witch
Points: 952
im freeeeeeeeee says:
There are going to be so many that a first edition wont matter at all. Expect to extreme Harry Potter fans like most of us. hhee
Posted Mar 30, 2007 at 1:57 AM EST
Witch
Points: 966
Weasleyismyking!/R/Hrfrv says:
This is awesome!!!!!!! I absolutely love all the activities.
Posted Apr 2, 2007 at 11:38 PM EST
Heiress of Gryffindor
Points: 3481
Nienna Narmolanya says:
And I cannot wait until there ARE seven! I still can't believe that this is happening this year! I mean, I so excited about it - but it's all coming to an end! Oh well, at least we'll still have the movies after that.
Hang on, what about after??
Oh yeah, the discussions will forever go on, like Lord of the Rings!
Posted Apr 5, 2007 at 5:58 PM EST
Lupin's Eternal Love
Points: 3065
BlackKatL says:
I'm sooo Excited!!! I hope the Knight Bus comes near home!! I can't wait til July!!! Sooo near and Yet sooooooooo FAR!!
I'm really sorry HP is coming to an End... but JKR promised that we would have a lot to Talk about even after DH..... I hope she finds it in her heart to write mote HP related books even if she takes 10 or 15 yrs to do it! I'd wait happily! I really hope for a Marauder Era book!!! It would be the best!!!
Posted Apr 6, 2007 at 1:48 PM EST
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