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@saintmark the objective of this thread was to challenge the complete lack of marketing for the SOLO launch. Happily it has solicited a multiplicity of creative contributions and some thoroughly justified and well thought through criticisms from people that have a strong attachment to literary Bond and considerable knowledge of both Fleming and the work of the continuation authors.
@007InVT has been at the forefront of this exchange and his creative contribution has been an inspiration. For you to insinuate that he has made unjustified criticisms of JC and that perhaps he can "apply yourself to their company as know-it-better" is just rude and inappropriate.Furthermore, given that your own contribution to this thread has been a big fat zero one can only wonder as to your motive.
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Well said old chap. These Johnny come latelys would be a lot better off over on the film side talking about P&G's latest aftershave or some other such nonsense!
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I find that the aftershave had loads more PR than any of the books had in recent years. But was the product any good??- I am asking as I could not be bothered to buy it and did threaten the kids/wife to spend their money more wisely.
As to my contribution, was any needed as it was mostly complaining about a lack of any PR? Which there was only in a small amount probably due to the huge attention the movie asked and got. And generally the movie audience does not buy too much books.
I found the launch sparingly build up as to wet the appetite for the literary fans, which they did quite well. imho.
That said I would always buy the book, have as yet not preordered it as my experience with the last two were major price drops at the end. But have sofar bought most recent releases on the day of release as will happen now.
I only hope that this book is better than Deavers attempt (which is perhapsan odd thing to admit as Deavers books untill CB have been a blind buy, while I have not bought his last three books),
The cover does not entice me buying the thing as I would anyhow. But I will admit that the content of the book this time will make the difference if the next one will be bought as quickley.
And some of the artwork while lovely made by the fans lacked for me as much punch as the endresult by JC.
Specifically he says; "In SOLO Boyd returns to the classic, literary Bond: James Bond the human being, not James Bond the super-agent. Whilst naturally, there will be cocktails, cars and women, Boyd will reveal the man behind the icon, from his emotions, quirks and flaws,to his sartorial taste".
This seems to bode well for aficionados of the literary Bond but perhaps not so well for the movie buffs!
Looks great to me. I particularly look forward to him elaborating on Bond's sartorial taste. This was something Fleming only alluded to and it will be more than interesting to see how he fleshes it out.
A marketing opportunity with GQ maybe?
Sorry I forgot, IFP/JC don't actually do anything to assist sales!
Very Hawkeyesque. Shame the designer didn't give him a mention but it was such a dire interview.
Can you furnish a link to that?
@007InVT I'm not too good at this IT stuff but if you go to www.williamboyd.uk.com you will be able to find it.
Interestingly enough I was looking at this myself and thinking maybe IFP have found the literary equivalent of Sam Mendes - God knows, they need to!
As we get closer to the launch I have more and more the feeling that friend Boyd is going to hit one for six.
Curious that you mention GQ, I've just bought a ticket for the launch evening and note that the moderator is the literary editor of said magazine and damn glamorous she is too!
Are you going?
I hope we do not get any of this sissy man-baggage crap.
I like a good suit like the next Double-o agent. :)>-
Quite right old boy. We don't want our man sloping around in jeans and a hoody!
If he names his tailor my money will be on Anderson & Sheppard but getting back to the main point of the thread, I can't for the life of me understand why they haven't launched any cross merchandising deals.
Oh, @ Bentley - yes, I'm definitely going to the launch night in London. Hook up for a cocktail?
Oh, I just went to Boyd's site for the first time, before I came here. What I've highlighted in bold is the kind of thing that excites me.
I'm pretty confident that Boyd will write a decent book, certainly better than Deaver's, Faulks's and the last half of Gardner's Bond yarns but I don't want to get my hopes up too much in that he'll write something that is outstanding. If it is atleast on par with the first half of Gardner's books and Colonel Sun, I'll certainly be happy but not ecstatic. Anything better would be close to heaven.
All this however is solely based on Boyd's comments and what fans have said. I haven't even read any of Boyd's books. How relevant this even is though, I don't know. I had read a few of Faulks's books before DMC hit the shelves and I arrived at the conclusion that we were going to get something special which couldn't have been further from the truth. I did enjoy Lucy Fleming's little talk on publication day though. :)
The cover for SOLO has grown on me a little (the black background has made it more striking) but I still think it is only a relatively average effort. I'm one for pictures though. I like a good picture on a book or DVD case. One that fills up a good part of the jacket too. I have never been a fan of the original Thunderball and Moonraker covers.
I've read a couple of Boyd's books and I think he differs from Faulkes in that he's not a snob and has a genuine affection for the genre.
I always thought that Faulkes saying he was "writing as Ian Fleming" was his way of saying ' It's not really me doing this daft spy stuff - I'm too good for that and I'll be back writing serious literature soon.'
As we all know, the dire DMC was followed by that catastrophic belly flop; 'Carte Blanche' and it maybe that these two events explain 'The Mystery Of The Incompetent Marketing Campaign' insomuch as IFP/JC realise that spending upfront won't be effective because after the last debacle they can't secure merchandising deals and they are worried that readers will stay away because they won't want to be fooled thrice?
Maybe they'll start spending on advertising when the first reviews are in and they're sure that they are onto a winner. With books there is a longer window than with films as there are different bites of the cherry - paperback to hardback. Unfortunately this probably means there won't be any goodies that require long term planning (no leather edition for Bentley or the like) but who knows - we may get other things?
All said I continue to hold out great hope that SOLO will revive Bond's literary career.
Yes, if that's the case, then IFP and FC are probably doing the right thing.
What are the statistics regarding the sales of Deaver's CB? Were sales just average or rather poor..?
DMC was a huge seller. Penguin books announced at the time that it was their biggest selling novel of the year and their financial results were stella. As we know, the book was a let down and as a consequence I'm pretty sure that CB sold less but still was a best seller because of Deaverites who buy anything by Jeffrey. All in all I'm pretty sure that IFP/JC know that they are working with the law of diminishing returns and have calibrated their marketing budget accordingly.
http://www.mi6-hq.com/sections/articles/event_solo_dorchester.php3?t=&s=&id=03554
Not sure how I feel about Bond 'treating himself to a birthday breakfast'. It seems rather sentimental and not something that Flemings Bond would bother with.
I'm also not sure how brilliant an idea it is to actually pin down Bonds age like that.
Actually, I think it's a great idea that will probably generate a lot of press.
Regarding the age of Bond - I understand your reservation but as Boyd is respecting Fleming's time line I don't have a problem with it.
I don't know why (its probably down to "Waiting For Sunrise") but I'm getting a really good feeling about this. If it's great then his age thing will come into play because after 45 he'll start to morph into Smiley!
I was worried about the age factor too. I don't mind about Bond treating himself to a birthday breakfast as Fleming's Bond could be sentimental at times (although whether this is something he might have actually done, I'm not sure. Possibly not.) and it's something that I would do ;), but I don't think his exact age should be mentioned. It fits in with Boyd's desire for a realistic take on Bond but it doesn't really bode well with me. Since the announcement of DMC I always hoped that Bond's age would never be mentioned prior to the release of each new Bond book.
Nice little publicity stint but it's too bad they couldn't have remained loyal to the price of "nine pence" (well, I'm not sure what this price actually refers to") ;. The breakfast is incredibly overpriced. This literary inspired event is a whole lot better than merely employing the usual clichéd moves - cars, dames and the SAS dropping from the ceiling.
At last some decent marketing but I find it absolutely incredible that this wasn't notified from JC's micro site!
Nonetheless a fabulous idea. I love the Dorchester and I'm sure there are going to be some great photo ops with the cars and the other elements.
@TheWizardOflce raises an interesting point insomuch as would Fleming's Bond have recognised his own birthday?
My view — providing he's in a melancholy maybe PLUS there is more than the birthday at stake. Forty-five is the statutory retirement age from Universal Export so maybe he's reflecting on that.
As to the price of the breakfast — this is The Dorchester not the Little Chef but maybe Mi6 community members could have a special arrangement and attend as JC's guests?
The breakfast launch looks amazing - @ Bentley is correct. For this not to be notified via the JC micro site is a concrete testimony to the fact that they are the gang who can't shoot straight!
I'd love to know what the Bond cars going to be?
This a good thing? I like old George as much as the next man but I dont want Bond to spend his time romaing dour government corridors.
Agree with this. Not sure who theyre aiming this at. I dont mind spending a bit when it comes to the finer things but I am baulking at £32 for bacon and egg even if they do throw the book in. I only paid £50 for the SF premiere!
And if I go to the Dorchester she will want to come so that instantly doubles it. I could have got away with the premiere for about £100 all in but once the missus gets a sniff she wants the full Bond lifestyle experience so in the end I reckon I dropped close to £500 on premiere night when you add up tickets, dress, nails, hair, cocktails etc.
She'll be well up for anything at the Dorchester so I think I might just not mention this.
Wise thinking! :)
I only have to buy my partner a McDonald's breakfast to be well up for anything. Talk about easily pleased ;-)
Come on @TheWizardOflce we know you are a romantic at heart let the 007 in you surface and take the lady out.
What do you think Bond's SOLO car will be?
However, I just read the article about this event on MI6's front page, and I am questioning now the martini - NOT part of the breakfast; it is just mentioned later. It's been ages since I read all of the novels, so please someone tell me true: did Bond ever drink a gin martini? I only remember vodka martinis for him. I personally drink a gin martini (and was told by a bartender to never "bruise the gin" by shaking it), with big fat olives. But Solo has this in it apparently:
'Martini master classes are also provided at The Bar at The Dorchester by expert alchemist bar manager Giuliano Morandin, who joined the hotel over 30 years ago. During Solo, James Bond drinks his Martini to a particular recipe: “ice in the shaker, add a slurp of vermouth, pour out the vermouth, add the gin, shake well, strain into a chilled glass, and add a slice of lemon peel, no pith”.'
Can anyone enlighten me? Did Bond drink a gin martini in one of Fleming's stories and I simply don't remember it?
Although the famous "Vodka martini - shaken, not stirred" is the staple, he did drink gin martinis, notably in OHMSS.
Whoever goes, take some good pictures and let me know how the food is.