British To 'Sex Up' The Book Industry For Men

[matcom]

<snip>

LONDON (Reuters) - In a bid to lure men in Britain away from TV soccer games and into book shops, publisher Penguin Books will send out a sexy model to offer 1,000-pound ($1,837) prizes to males spotted reading a selected title.

The publicity ploy, launched Monday, aims to boost sales among men, who on average buy fewer books than women.

"It's to sex up the book industry, which probably needs it, but also to address the more serious issue that reading has fallen off the radar of younger men," said Neil Griffiths, author of Penguin-published "Betrayal in Naples."

Penguin's so-called Good Booking Girl will canvass the streets this month for men older than 16 years reading versions of Nick Hornby's "31 Songs" that bear a special cover sticker.

A different title will be chosen each month.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=573&e=1&u=/nm/20040607/od_nm/media_penguin_men_dc

[T_i_B]

1. Why don't they just go the whole hog

and give us a free porno mag with every copy of said books?

Sadly, since a large proportion of the UK male population in that age group tends not to read much beyond FHM and the Sun it might not be all that bad a ploy. :eyes:

[supernova]

2. You mean if I visit the UK

and strike up a convo with an eligible man, I can't have high-minded discussions of Jane Austen and the Metaphysical poets?

[T_i_B]

3. Not Jane Austen I would imagine

But Metaphysical poets? Maybe! I dunno. I guess you might have to look in the right place. :shrug:

Rude limericks or Stanley Holloway monologues? Count me in!

http://www.monologues.co.uk/Albert_and_the_Lion.htm

[Book Lover]

4. I am shocked, shocked

that no US house has done the same thing.

[Guy_Montag]

5. I'm just sorry they didn't pick a decent book.

I'm sure "31 Songs" is ok, but most of Nick Hornby's books are pretty light weight.