Plans announced for Devil May Care book launch

17-May-2008 • Literary

The first copies of Sebastian Faulks' new Bond novel Devil May Care are to be escorted along the Thames to waiting press on board HMS Exeter at Tower Bridge, as part of a launch that Penguin General m.d. Tom Weldon promised would be the "most spectacular in publishing for decades". The event will kick off at noon on Tuesday 27th May, the day before the official publication date (28th) - reports The Bookseller.

Later, the delivery convoy will leave the Thames and deliver copies to Waterstone's in Piccadilly, which will open at 8 a.m. on publication day to catch Bond fans on their way to work. The book is to be delivered to bookshops everywhere overnight.

A Bond promotion is due this week in the Times, with the full advertising campaign for Devil May Care starting on Monday (19th May) and running to 1st June. The campaign will include a digital strip banner at Piccadilly Circus with a clock counting down to the launch of the book, as well as 450 national railway posters and 600 London Underground posters. Publicity will be "massive", and there are sales promotions lined up across the high street and online.

Above: Photograph of Piccadilly station in London which faetures a 23ft wide video wall advertising Devil May Care. Designer Tom Johnson said, "The animation contains a countdown timer to the publication date and falling poppy petals all elements that now feature throughout the campaign as a whole. The animation runs on a loop for 30 seconds every 3 minutes, so if you're passing through Piccadilly and look up to the video advertising boards, you may catch it."