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Patterson up 30% in Europe

10.10.07

Hachette Livre UK's controversial demands for exclusive European English-language rights have led to a 30% uplift in European subscriptions for James Patterson, according to Headline.

Thriller writer Patterson's Cross is the first title to be sold exclusively in Europe by Headline, and the publisher has thrown its marketing budget behind the book. Ads are set to run in the Christmas catalogues of two major German chains, Thalia and Hugendubel, and in Holland a three-for-two on Cross and Patterson backlist is planned through BGN, along with retail space in Bruna and a plasma screen in AKO.

This has led to a 50% rise in sell-in for Cross in Germany, and a 99% uplift in Holland, said Headline. Across Europe the rise is 30%.

"We decided to cherry pick markets to see whether this bold marketing campaign will make a difference in terms of sell through," said export sales director Peter Newsom. "We wouldn't have put this sort of marketing money behind Cross if we didn't have the market to ourselves-there's absolutely no point in doing it if it helps someone else."

Headline is now waiting to see what sell through of the books will be like. It is aiming for a 25% uplift overall in the former combined US and UK total sales of Patterson and is confident this is achievable.

From January Random House will published Patterson's new titles.

Todays Picks Hachette headline Random House James Patterson

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