Publicity Campaign of the Year 2025
Publicity Campaign of the Year Winner and Shortlist
Proudly supported by the Publishers’ Publicity Circle
This shortlist is made up of ten campaigns honoured in various categories at the Publishers’ Publicity Circle’s annual awards. As Bea Carvalho, head of books at Waterstones and chair of the PPC’s judges, said: “They highlight the astonishing creative talent to be found in publicity departments across our industry… their passion and tenacity shepherded authors, illustrators and their books to the attention of the widest possible audiences.”
Winner
Fran Owen, Mari Yamazaki, Annabel Robinson & Hayley Camis
Want
Bloomsbury
From a closely fought shortlist full of superb publicity campaigns that transformed the fortunes of its books, Bloomsbury’s work for Want, edited by Gillian Anderson, stood out for its complexity, duration and ambition.
The campaign started even before it was written. Bloomsbury used the announcement of the concept to help generate more than 2,000 submissions from the public. Momentum from that interest rolled through to publication, when publicity knitted in to the Nibbies-shortlisted marketing strategy and an exceptional cover design to make Want unmissable in shops.
Bloomsbury’s team of Fran Owen, Mari Yamazaki and Hayley Camis, with maternity cover from Annabel Robinson, positioned Want brilliantly, overcoming some media hesitation about the content to secure widespread coverage and four carefully chosen newspaper serials. The quartet made very good use of Anderson’s limited time, building her trust and honing her messaging, and dealt well with multiples stakeholders. They also pitched the book with positivity, as an empowering manifesto and a conversation-starter.
Two years of hard work culminated in a Sunday Times number-one on release, six-figure sales in all editions and more than a dozen rights deals – all of which can be traced back to the end-to-end publicity work. “Want was an all-company, all-guns-blazing publicity campaign,” said the judges. “There were so many fresh approaches and it got everyone and everything in line. On top of all that it gave voice to women at a time of awful misogyny.”
All 10 campaigns on this shortlist were winners at the Publishers’ Publicity Circle’s annual awards.
The Shortlist
Anna Frame
All Fours by Miranda July
Canongate
The campaign for All Fours by Miranda July is one of two category nominations for Canongate’s communications director Anna Frame. It moved July on from a cult name into a fully-fledged literary author and an authoritative voice in feminist conversations. From pre-publication buzz to widespread reviews to big events, via some tricky scheduling issues, it led to great visibility and triggered multiple reprints.
Anna Frame
poyums by Len Pennie
Canongate
The second shortlist place for Canongate’s Anna Frame is for her work on Len Pennie’s poyums. Poetry is a rarity in the bestseller lists – especially in hardback, and when it covers themes like such as mental illness and abusive relationships – but poyums was propelled there through smart use of Pennie’s social platforms and a host of well-chosen events. Author care was exceptional.
Ellen Turner
So Good by Emily English
Orion
This campaign from Orion’s senior publicity manager Ellen Turner turned So Good into the cookbook debut of 2024 and made Emily English into a powerful brand in the field for years to come. It took English from social platforms into the mainstream via interviews, recipe placements and, crucially, big TV slots. Publicity continued well after release and TCM hardback sales are well into six figures.
Ellie Hughes
I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest With You by Miranda Hart
Penguin Michael Joseph
In a hectic Autumn celeb market, Miranda Hart’s I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest With You needed particular positioning. Michael Joseph’s deputy publicity director Ellie Hughes ran a sensitive, author-centric campaign that brought Hart back into the public eye, dealt with embargo and media complexities and ensured a serious tone. It lifted the book to its category number one with TCM sales of more than 140,000.
Eve Wersocki Morris
Skandar and the Skeleton Curse by AF Steadman
EWM PR for Simon & Schuster
Eve Wersocki Morris showed the value of freelancers in book publicity. Her work on by AF Steadman’s latest fantasy, Skandar and the Skeleton Curse, was centred on a mammoth programme of activity activities, including ‘superfan’ events with Waterstones, a launch party, signings, school visits and a media round. She took very good care of Steadman throughout, and the campaign repaid itself with thousands of extra sales.
Fran Owen, Mari Yamazaki, Annabel Robinson and Hayley Camis
Want curated by Gillian Anderson
Bloomsbury
The Bloomsbury team of Fran Owen, Mari Yamazaki, Annabel Robinson and Hayley Camis had a unique dual role on Want. They started with literally a blank page, running a media campaign to source the book’s content. Next they launched it with bold and positive messaging, earning big coverage despite limited time from curator Gillian Anderson. It was two years’ hard work that pushed sales into six figures.
Mia Quibell-Smith
Hunted by Abir Mukherjee
Vintage
Publicity director Mia Quibell-Smith’s campaign transferred Abir Mukherjee to a new genre, pulling interest in his historical crime fiction across to his contemporary thriller Hunted. It made good use of the book’s timely backdrop of a US Presidential presidential election and got exposure in big radio slots and at 30+ events. The campaign also gave Mukherjee a platform to discuss issues around DEI, politics and neurodiversity.
Patrick Hargadon
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
4th Estate
Asako Yuzuki’s Butter was one of the most talked-about books of 2024, and much of the credit goes to 4th Estate’s publicity director Patrick Hargadon. His work dovetailed with marketing activity and included handling a live event tour and Japanese-language media interviews. The long tail of the campaign helped to sustain sales right through the year, and it became the TCM’s 13th top book of 2024.
Rebecca Mundy
All That Matters by Chris Hoy
Hodder & Stoughton
Rebecca Mundy’s campaign for All That Matters by Chris Hoy showed publicity at its most sensitive. After the cyclist’s terminal diagnosis, it put him in full control of time commitments and narratives and pivoted whenever necessary. It also handled the widespread media interest well, timing announcements and interviews with great care. As well as delivering sales the campaign raised cancer awareness.
Tina Mories
Let's Split Up by Bill Wood
Scholastic
Scholastic’s senior PR manager Tina Mories’ campaign for Let’s Split Up launched Bill Wood into the burgeoning YA horror and thriller market, dexterously repositioning a TikTok personality into a fully-fledged author. ‘Scooby-Doo meets Scream’ was a great elevator pitch, and event highlights included a fan Q&A and launch at the Ritzy Picturehouse Cinema in Brixton.
