Pitch perfect: The past, present, and way forward for book publicity pitching

A well-crafted and personalized pitch is the cornerstone of a successful book marketing campaign. Drawing on published interviews of professional experts and building on research conducted by past MPub students, this report provides a thorough analysis of effective pitching strategies and executions. This report examines how the tools of book publicity have evolved over time, and the limitations of those tools that continue to constrain Canadian book publicists. This report features case studies of three successful book campaigns run by marketing agency ZG Communications between 2018 and 2019, with each case study illustrating how to construct a tailored pitch and capitalize on a book’s qualities such as genre, author, geography, and launch timing. To conclude, it details both the current state of book publicity practices, exploring the different techniques and tools used by professional publicists while also highlighting the challenges book publicists face in adapting to a vastly new media landscape.