This month, fresh off the back of the news that UK sales of e-readers are on the decline, we put our heads together to figure out how Waterstones could capitalise on this and encourage readers to keep buying physical, printed books.

2. Nothing beats a good bookshop

3. The Brief
- E-reader sales are falling, but
book sales are rising. Make
Waterstones the first choice for
physical book purchases.
- Campaign must last from pre-
Christmas 2015 to summer 2016.
- Think about changing in store
and online experiences.
- Consider different ways to do
book launches.

4. TEAM 1
RESPONSE
1 HOUR LATER

5. ‘A Book is
for Life’
PROPOSITION
Your favorite books will stay with
you throughout your life, come to
Waterstones to choose them.

6. ‘Life of a Book’ - Above the line campaign
TV ad charts the life of a book, from its role as a Christmas
gift, accompanying its owner to university and being read
throughout various life stages - before being passed down to
the next generation.

7. ‘Life of a Book’
- Above the line
campaign
Press ads that depict
the book at different
life stages from the
TV ad.

8. ‘A Book for your
Life’ - Mobile app
Users complete
personal information
about their age,
stage and mood.
The app uses the
information to
make a tailored
book suggestion
and enables them
to purchase it from
Waterstones.

9. ‘My Life in Books’ -
In store and online
campaign
In store point
of sale displays
where celebrities
(like J.K. Rowling,
David Walliams and
Stephen Fry) chart
their lives through
the books that
defined them.
Complemented by
social media posts
about the campaign
by the celebrities
featured.

10. Personalised
inside front covers
Personalised
messages printed
in the front cover of
books when ordered
as gifts.
Good luck at university
Sarah! This book really got me
through those early years.
Love from,
Jill x

11. ‘A Book When you
Book’ - Summer
campaign
Partnership offer
with Airbnb.
Order a book when
you book holiday
accommodation,
either chosen by you
or recommended by you
host, and it’s waiting in
the property when
you arrive.

12. TEAM 2
RESPONSE

13. ‘Books with
personality’
PROPOSITION
Books are an incredibly personal
experience, why not start your journey
at Waterstones with people who care?

14. ‘Try before you
buy’ - Free first
chapter campaign
Real-life equivalent
of Kindle chapter
samples.
Distributed in store,
on the street and left
on public transport
- with handwritten
notes in the cover.
Discount codes in the
back for money off
the full book.

15. Online staff
reccomendations
Mirroring the
handwritten POS
recommendations
Waterstones staff write
for books in stores.
Social media staff
respond to tweets with
related suggestions.

16. ‘Christmas
Bumper Editions’
Offer valid on
purchases of the
top ten best-selling
Christmas books.
Anyone who buys
in store or online
is entered into a
competition to win a
signed first edition
copy - upgrading
their gift in time for
Christmas.

17. ‘History Tags’
Every book bought at
the store comes with
‘History Tag’ that acts
as a timeline for the
life of a book.
Begins with a “Bought
at Waterstones”
message, followed by
your own note.
Next person that
reads it fills in their
information creating a
history of that copy.