Mt Eden community bookshop,
Time Out Bookstore, has been named Bookseller of the Year at the NZ Book Trade
Industry Awards for 2016. Allen & Unwin Publishers have been named
Publisher of the Year.
Time Out Bookstore and their
manager Jenna Todd have been media favourites over the past year, with their
whole-hearted backing of local author Ted Dawe seeing their ‘banned book’
display become one of the most enduring images of New Zealand bookselling in
2015. Judge, NZ Book Council CEO Catriona Ferguson notes, “Time Out Bookstore
nudged ahead of the other finalists with its focus on a lively digital
programme, headline-grabbing responses to issues in the book world, and an
enthusiasm for embracing and engaging readers from all areas of the community.”
Another Auckland independent
bookshop, The Women’s Bookshop in Ponsonby, has walked away with the
bookseller’s Marketing Strategy of the Year for their fantastic NZ Bookshop Day
event. This saw a whole range of their celebrity customers in a moving window
display, which led to impressive sales on the day and a very successful
campaign overall.
Rachel Eadie from Scorpio Books
in Christchurch is the Young Book Retailer of the Year for 2016. Scorpio has
just moved out of the Re:Start containers in central Christchurch, into a brand
new store in the newly-built BNZ building. In a testimonial as part of her
entry, a publisher said, “A bookseller such as Rachel imparts enthusiasm and
careful consideration of books – she makes you want to read.”
Sales Reps are the essential
connection between bookseller and publisher, bringing the publisher’s best
books to their essential audience. Winner Louise Crisp, from Penguin Random
House NZ is described as “having aplomb, commitment, engagement, helpfulness, a
sense of humour and as being gentle, friendly, honest, and conscientious,” says
ex-publisher, judge Tony Harkins.
HarperCollins Publishers NZ
wins Marketing Strategy of the Year, for their exceptionally successful
promotion of They Let Me Write a Book, by Jamie Curry. One of the features of
the campaign was the use of Interlike with their ‘magic selfie machine’ at each
of the book’s launches: 438 photos generated over 16 million post
views each seen 38,415 times. Says judge, bookseller Helen Parsons, “The judges
were very impressed by the winner’s use of modern marketing to an appropriate
audience in an appropriate way.”
Publisher of the Year goes to Allen & Unwin, for their
dedication to New Zealand publishing in a difficult time. “These publishers
have plans and vision for the future. They are sound. And they continue to
diversify…they are producing very fine books,” says Helen Parsons.
Wellington-based Bridget
Williams Books wins the NZ Book Industry Special Award for their consistent
publication of “splendid books which beautifully represent New Zealand culture.
“Bridget Williams Books
tirelessly represent our stories, our people and our place, and strives to find
new ways to tell these stories,” says Ferguson.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is deservedly awarded to Paul
Greenberg from Greene Phoenix Marketing, for his tireless championing, through
ill health and well, of his publishers’ books. Greenberg has spent his life
representing books for sale to bookshops all over New Zealand – the only sales
rep to do so.
Our book industry is thriving.
We may be small in size, but we are great in ambition, and the strength of our
publishing and bookselling industry proves this year after year.
NZ Book Trade Industry
Awards winner’s list:
Sales Rep of the Year - Louise
Crisp, Penguin Random House NZ
Marketing Strategy of the Year – Publisher - HarperCollins
Publishers New Zealand
Publisher of the Year - Allen & Unwin Publishers
Marketing Strategy of the Year – Booksellers - The Women’s
Bookshop, Ponsonby
Young Book Retailer of the Year - Rachel Eadie, Scorpio
Books, Christchurch
Bookseller of the Year - Time Out Bookstore
NZ Book Industry Special Award - Bridget Williams Books
Lifetime Achievement Award - Paul Greenberg, Greene
Phoenix Marketing
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