Betting on BabyLit: The Development, Branding, and Merchandising of a Board Book Series

This report details the development of the first board book series produced by Gibbs Smith, Publisher (GSP), a mid-sized independent publisher located in Layton, Utah. The introduction briefly reviews the history of GSP’s book lists, including publisher Gibbs Smith’s beginnings as a western-USA history textbook publisher and the company’s growth into design-focused genres including home reference & architecture, cookbooks, and children’s activity books. A discussion of children’s board book developmental strategies and recommendations from early literacy experts is followed by an examination of GSP’s experience developing, branding, and marketing BabyLit®. This report then focuses on how the introduction of gift products and an emphasis on branding individual series, including BabyLit, is proving financially successful for the company.