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Project Proposal – Wife/Hostess by Coco Mellors

Project Details

Wife/Hostess is a literary fiction novel written by Coco Mellors. Set in sunny Marbella, Millicent (Millie) Middleton is a mere accessory to the Johnny Middleton, a London property magnate. In London, she was an ordinary girl. In their new Spanish villa, Millie thrives in this never-ending summer of booze, affairs and lounging. Johnny mysteriously disappears and leaves behind a note. Is Millie truly happy without her cold excuse of a husband or does absence make the heart grow fonder? The key themes are love, lust, adventure, and identity.

Marketing Plan

Target market

The target market for Wife/Hostess is for people aged 18-35, primarily people who are interested in ‘sad girl’ literature and literary fiction. Research suggests that this age group is more likely to read and buy these types of books.

Market details

Literary fiction as a genre has existed since the conception of the novel in the 1600s. These genres are less definable and profitable than perhaps fantasy or romance in terms of fanbase and brand. The novels that characterise these genres are a blend of multiple genres and are character-driven narratives. A characteristic of Mellors’ specific brand of fiction is that the author sometimes becomes an extension of the novel. Connection and relatability build the brand and audience. Social media becomes a key tool in displaying and attracting authentic readers who have an emotional response and connection to the narratives themselves.

Competitors

Competitors include authors such as Ottessa Moshfegh, Sally Rooney, Emily Henry, Dolly Alderton and Halle Butler. However, Wife/Hostess is set in summer on location in Marbella with quintessential Coco Mellors prose, standing out from other competitors.

The Marketing Mix

Wife/Hostess will be placed in online retailers such as Amazon, Waterstones and WH Smith. Also, the book will be sold in brick-and-mortar independent bookstores scattered around the UK due to the target clientele. This will enhance visibility on a physical scale, introducing newer readers to the book regardless of the book’s online presence. Priced at £16.99, to match Mellors’ previous titles and a lower price to competitors of the same genre such as Sally Rooney’s ‘Intermezzo’. The promotion campaign will be mainly digital with forays into physical marketing according to the main objectives. The primary digital marketing will be to leverage TikTok and Instagram influencers as prime consumers of the novel. Secondary digital marketing will be towards media outlets, radio to target other segments of the market.  Physical marketing will be in terms of posters in public areas and launch parties. Also, leveraging Coco Mellors’ public presence on social media and the writing community.

Conclusion

Through extensive market research, a targeted approach to promotion and a deep understanding of competitors, ‘Wife/Hostess’ intends to add to Coco Mellors’ success as an author and stand out amongst the sea of literary fiction. The integration of digital and physical marketing efforts will help the novel gain traction and boost the profitability of the novel. This proposal highlights the exact methodology to help achieve the objectives and add to Mellors’ reputation as a high-quality literary fiction author.

Marketing Budget

Goal:

To maintain and exceed Coco Mellors’ audience as she decides to explore a new genre and publish for the first time in the summer.

Marketing Strategy:

Coco Mellors has a dedicated fanbase, so I am approaching this in improving the current strategy in place. I am focussed on building a relationship between Coco and her fans. This showcases Coco Mellors as a person rather than a business. Fans are more likely to have an emotional connection with the literature so making sure to include previous celebrators of her work is important to her future success.

Her being famous on TikTok, means more emphasis on influencer marketing and digital advertisements compared to more physical and brick-and-mortar marketing.

However, independent bookstores, bus advertisements, London underground train station posters, and airport advertisments will help her get a new audience. People interested in reading frequent these places daily. Summer is a season that is highly anticipated by British people, so making sure the marketing emphasises the season and how it relates to the plot will help draw consumers in.

Having a mix between traditional and digital forms of marketing will help cover a wider demographic of readers than fixating on one singular strategy.

Plan:

• Commissioning a 30 second illustrated animated short and making a video with Coco Mellors to promote the upcoming book

• Sending out ARCs to Book influencers with minimum 10k followers on their designated platforms and press releases to journalists to market the book

• In London/UK, ads in selected independent bookshops, bus advertisements, airport advertisements, and London underground train station posters

• Radio advertisement to promote pre-orders

• Then when published, a London launch event that will be an intimate 50-person dinner with Coco Mellors and an after party at a London bar

• A month long tour across the UK to promote the book with interviews, discussions and signings