SOLO - 'The Mystery Of The Incompetent Marketing Campaign'

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  • O6GO6G
    Posts: 80
    007InVT wrote:
    I'm gonna do them a proper Solo cover, at least for a bit of fun.

    You're right, literary Bond has taken such a back seat to movie Bond. Real shame.
    Because the author died in the 60s maybe?

  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    O6G wrote:
    007InVT wrote:
    I'm gonna do them a proper Solo cover, at least for a bit of fun.

    You're right, literary Bond has taken such a back seat to movie Bond. Real shame.
    Because the author died in the 60s maybe?

    OK, so following that logic any of Conan Doyle, Dickens, Shakespeare, Austin, Fitzgerald, Hemingway etc must be modern adaptations?

    I hear the 'Bond Movies' category calling you back.
  • Posts: 267
    doubleoego wrote:
    You can't beat a greasy spoon cafe for eggs, bacon and sausages .

    This is Bond @doubleoego NOT Callan!
    I'm already booked in for the launch on Sept 26th but would still love to go to the breakfast - this is going to be the glamour day!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited August 2013 Posts: 28,694
    007InVT wrote:
    O6G wrote:
    007InVT wrote:
    I'm gonna do them a proper Solo cover, at least for a bit of fun.

    You're right, literary Bond has taken such a back seat to movie Bond. Real shame.
    Because the author died in the 60s maybe?

    OK, so following that logic any of Conan Doyle, Dickens, Shakespeare, Austin, Fitzgerald, Hemingway etc must be modern adaptations?

    I hear the 'Bond Movies' category calling you back.

    Quite right. Holmes and Watson are some the most timeless and recognizable characters around, and haven't staled for a moment since they were introduced in 1887.
  • Posts: 802
    Has anybody had any contact at all from the JC SOLO microsite yet?
    www.jamesbondsolo.co.uk
    They seem to have started a marketing data base and then left it completely dormant!
    Also, love or hate the new cover, it would be virtually a zero cost marketing option for them to send everybody a screen saver.
  • Not sure if I've posted this, but the cover looks a bit 'feminised' ie to appeal to women more than men, plus it has airport appeal. So it may not be to our tastes, but it's about broadening the market.
  • Posts: 267
    Villiers53 wrote:
    Has anybody had any contact at all from the JC SOLO microsite yet?
    www.jamesbondsolo.co.uk
    They seem to have started a marketing data base and then left it completely dormant!
    Also, love or hate the new cover, it would be virtually a zero cost marketing option for them to send everybody a screen saver.

    Not a sausage from www.jamesbondsolo.co.uk. It seems like JC are having a giraffe by obtaining our e-mail addresses under false pretences and then probably selling them on to GCHQ!
    Back to the cover - you are right, a screen saver would have been a nice touch and I must say, the more I look at the art, the more I like it. In fact I think the whole Vintage Fleming classic issue is very influenced by Raymond Hawkey's work for PAN.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2013 Posts: 18,281
    Bentley wrote:
    Villiers53 wrote:
    Has anybody had any contact at all from the JC SOLO microsite yet?
    www.jamesbondsolo.co.uk
    They seem to have started a marketing data base and then left it completely dormant!
    Also, love or hate the new cover, it would be virtually a zero cost marketing option for them to send everybody a screen saver.

    Not a sausage from www.jamesbondsolo.co.uk. It seems like JC are having a giraffe by obtaining our e-mail addresses under false pretences and then probably selling them on to GCHQ!
    Back to the cover - you are right, a screen saver would have been a nice touch and I must say, the more I look at the art, the more I like it. In fact I think the whole Vintage Fleming classic issue is very influenced by Raymond Hawkey's work for PAN.

    Yes, I just signed up to the email update on the micro site earlier today. I think the lack or real publicity for Solo from that direction has been rather disappointing to say the least. The other recent Bond novels seemed to have more of a push.
  • edited August 2013 Posts: 2,599
    I'm not going to bother to sign up seeing the book comes out in a month anyway and they've provided precious little news anyway.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Bentley wrote:
    doubleoego wrote:
    You can't beat a greasy spoon cafe for eggs, bacon and sausages .

    This is Bond @doubleoego NOT Callan!
    I'm already booked in for the launch on Sept 26th but would still love to go to the breakfast - this is going to be the glamour day!

    I'm all for luxury and opulence but when it comes to sausages, bacon and eggs, which isnt exactly the corner stone of fine dining i might add, I'll get a bigger bang for a more appropriate buck at the local greasy spoon.
  • Posts: 802
    doubleoego wrote:
    Bentley wrote:
    doubleoego wrote:
    You can't beat a greasy spoon cafe for eggs, bacon and sausages .

    This is Bond @doubleoego NOT Callan!
    I'm already booked in for the launch on Sept 26th but would still love to go to the breakfast — this is going to be the glamour day!

    I'm all for luxury and opulence but when it comes to sausages, bacon and eggs, which isnt exactly the corner stone of fine dining i might add, I'll get a bigger bang for a more appropriate buck at the local greasy spoon.

    @doubleoego, you must have an haute cuisine greasy spoon if a world famous author is going to read you the first chapter of his new James Bond book , have a bevy of Bond lovelies turn up for your entertainment and have a selection of '60s Bond vehicles turn up for your amusement and, oh I forgot give you a signed first edition of his book on the way-out!
    Where exactly is your Little Chef?
    Ps. If you don't want Bacon & Eggs the Dorchester is quite happy to provide an alternative.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2013 Posts: 18,281
    doubleoego wrote:
    Bentley wrote:
    doubleoego wrote:
    You can't beat a greasy spoon cafe for eggs, bacon and sausages .

    This is Bond @doubleoego NOT Callan!
    I'm already booked in for the launch on Sept 26th but would still love to go to the breakfast - this is going to be the glamour day!

    I'm all for luxury and opulence but when it comes to sausages, bacon and eggs, which isnt exactly the corner stone of fine dining i might add, I'll get a bigger bang for a more appropriate buck at the local greasy spoon.

    Indeed. Sensible diner there. This must be what goes for book promotion these days. You simply can't beat the old ways!
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2013 Posts: 18,281
    Villiers53 wrote:
    doubleoego wrote:
    Bentley wrote:
    doubleoego wrote:
    You can't beat a greasy spoon cafe for eggs, bacon and sausages .

    This is Bond @doubleoego NOT Callan!
    I'm already booked in for the launch on Sept 26th but would still love to go to the breakfast — this is going to be the glamour day!

    I'm all for luxury and opulence but when it comes to sausages, bacon and eggs, which isnt exactly the corner stone of fine dining i might add, I'll get a bigger bang for a more appropriate buck at the local greasy spoon.

    @doubleoego, you must have an haute cuisine greasy spoon if a world famous author is going to read you the first chapter of his new James Bond book , have a bevy of Bond lovelies turn up for your entertainment and have a selection of '60s Bond vehicles turn up for your amusement and, oh I forgot give you a signed first edition of his book on the way-out!
    Where exactly is your Little Chef?
    Ps. If you don't want Bacon & Eggs the Dorchester is quite happy to provide an alternative.

    Yes, but it's all too little, too late, is it not? Look at their virtually empty (and aptly named!) microsite and the damn thing's due out in a month!
  • Posts: 7,653
    I would have expected a big interview with the new continuation writer by now where he tells about the influence Fleming had on him and how he approuched the job, etc.

    And then have him ripped apart after the book has been read by folks who knew beforehand that it never would be anything to start with. ANd then laugh at his Fleming tales. ;)

    To be honest Carte Blanche and The burning wire did get Jeffrey Deaver of my list of blind buys when it comes to new releases. So I am somewhat critical towards this new book even if I have little expectations when it comes to new books in the 007-verse.
    I have all the Flemings (with the exception of that flying car) and Gardners, heck even Benson & Wood.

    These days I consider the Bondnovels a curiosity for between my normal reading which is currently The Book thief (Very impressive so far), Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series (very good), Jerusalem a biography.

    And to be honest my eyes a far more on Stephen King's Dr Sleep which gets released about the same time than on Solo. And that has little to do with marketing campaigns but much more with expectations.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    SaintMark wrote:
    I would have expected a big interview with the new continuation writer by now where he tells about the influence Fleming had on him and how he approuched the job, etc.

    And then have him ripped apart after the book has been read by folks who knew beforehand that it never would be anything to start with. ANd then laugh at his Fleming tales. ;)

    To be honest Carte Blanche and The burning wire did get Jeffrey Deaver of my list of blind buys when it comes to new releases. So I am somewhat critical towards this new book even if I have little expectations when it comes to new books in the 007-verse.
    I have all the Flemings (with the exception of that flying car) and Gardners, heck even Benson & Wood.

    These days I consider the Bondnovels a curiosity for between my normal reading which is currently The Book thief (Very impressive so far), Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series (very good), Jerusalem a biography.

    And to be honest my eyes a far more on Stephen King's Dr Sleep which gets released about the same time than on Solo. And that has little to do with marketing campaigns but much more with expectations.

    Yes, before the Bond newspapers in the UK - The Times and The Sunday Times supported the Faulks and Deaver titles much more, I found. Don't know what has happened this time around, but perhaps less hype will bring a much better Bond novel in what has been to date a slow and steady race.
  • Posts: 802
    Dragonpol wrote:

    Yes, before the Bond newspapers in the UK - The Times and The Sunday Times supported the Faulks and Deaver titles much more, I found. Don't know what has happened this time around, but perhaps less hype will bring a much better Bond novel in what has been to date a slow and steady race.

    Although "no marketing" is not a strategy, I think that IFP/JC know that independent of their financial performance, the last two have been literary stinkers that have been badly received by critics and fans.
    My hope is that Boyd has produced a gem and they want to release it and plough in the marketing bucks between the hardback and paperback launch. I want it to succeed because Benson/Faulkes/Deaver excluded, my first love has always been the books. It wasn't a coincidence that I was born in 1953!
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    Villiers53 wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:

    Yes, before the Bond newspapers in the UK - The Times and The Sunday Times supported the Faulks and Deaver titles much more, I found. Don't know what has happened this time around, but perhaps less hype will bring a much better Bond novel in what has been to date a slow and steady race.

    Although "no marketing" is not a strategy, I think that IFP/JC know that independent of their financial performance, the last two have been literary stinkers that have been badly received by critics and fans.
    My hope is that Boyd has produced a gem and they want to release it and plough in the marketing bucks between the hardback and paperback launch. I want it to succeed because Benson/Faulkes/Deaver excluded, my first love has always been the books. It wasn't a coincidence that I was born in 1953!

    I truly want it to succeed too, as a literary Bond fan primarily. And so your name is a true reflection of your era, @Villiers53. How fortuitous was your birth, kind sir.
  • Posts: 7,653
    I believe that the last two "literary stinkers" as somebody called them were undoubtely monetary hits and at the end of the day that is what publishing is all about, making money. Sure there should be some pride these days in publishing but as the likes of Amazon.com are pushing the life out of publishing the publishing of moneymaking novels is survival. I believe that the last two 007 books might not be considered art but they paid the bills.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    O6G wrote:
    007InVT wrote:
    I'm gonna do them a proper Solo cover, at least for a bit of fun.

    You're right, literary Bond has taken such a back seat to movie Bond. Real shame.
    Because the author died in the 60s maybe?

    Yes, and Sean Connery left the role that made him famous in the 1960s too, but they're still making films yet. So it's the same with the post-Fleming books that actually started as a response to plagiarism of James Bond by spy novelists from behind the Iron Curtain! Some things are endemic in a good way, and James Bond is one of them, my friend.
  • edited August 2013 Posts: 2,599
    I doesn't bother me personally that there has been very little promotion, but what is worrying is the fact that this book might incur low sales figures due to the lack of promotion, whereby the Fleming estate might put a temporary or even permanent halt on having future Bond books written because of it. It would be typical too if we finally got a great Bond book and IFP stopped commissioning authors to write Bond because of poor sales that may have been higher had they implemented more promotional campaigns.

    We can only hope that it's great and that it makes lots of money. :)
  • Posts: 267
    Bounine wrote:
    I doesn't bother me personally that there has been very little promotion, but what is worrying is the fact that this book might incur low sales figures due to the lack of promotion, whereby the Fleming estate might put a temporary or even permanent halt on having future Bond books written because of it. It would be typical too if we finally got a great Bond book and IFP stopped commissioning authors to write Bond because of poor sales that may have been higher had they implemented more promotional campaigns.

    We can only hope that it's great and that it makes lots of money. :)

    Well said @ Bounine - this is really the point. A commercial and literary success is in the interests of all Bond fans.

  • edited August 2013 Posts: 7,653
    A synopsis has come out on Amazon. Apart from the made up country it sounds good and may be something different for a Bond novel.


    Quote:
    It's 1969, and, having just celebrated his forty-fifth birthday, James Bond—British special agent 007—is summoned to headquarters to receive an unusual assignment. Zanzarim, a troubled West African nation, is being ravaged by a bitter civil war, and M directs Bond to quash the rebels threatening the established regime.

    Bond's arrival in Africa marks the start of a feverish mission to discover the forces behind this brutal war—and he soon realizes the situation is far from straightforward. Piece by piece, Bond uncovers the real cause of the violence in Zanzarim, revealing a twisting conspiracy that extends further than he ever imagined.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    They've sure made it sound exciting and that's great as long as the book is any good.
  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    Sounds great!Is Africa the only location that we know of?
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    It's the main one, if not the only one.
  • Posts: 72
    Didn't Boyd said that the book would be also set in America? I remember reading it somewhere.
  • Posts: 802
    It's the Amazon US site that has the detail. Not posted in the UK at the time of writing.
    Not sure about an "imaginary African State" but the other locations are UK and US (Washington).
    Looks exciting.
  • edited August 2013 Posts: 2,599
    thelion wrote:
    Didn't Boyd said that the book would be also set in America? I remember reading it somewhere.

    Yes, Bond sets off for America on his quest for revenge.

    This sounds like a genuinely, well written spy thriller reminiscent of many of the spy books I've read from the 60's and 70's from the likes of Forsythe, Bagley and the rest, whose names I can't remember (I'm terrible with names). I suppose the reason I'm referring to this era is because I buy novels from second hand book shops and fairs that have a lot of these older books. I seldom buy new novels.

    I just hope that it also has a protagonist who sounds and acts like Bond. When I read this I want to be invited into Bond's thought process as we are in Fleming's books. I want to be privy to his likes and dislikes etc...

    There are only two things I'm currently not happy although neither annoyed about: the fact that there is a direct reference to Bond's age and that he will be visiting a fictitious country. I don't like how Fleming invented Royale-le-Eaux and that Eon made up Isthmus City either.

  • doubleoegodoubleoego #LightWork
    Posts: 11,139
    EoN also invented Nabutu or whatever it's called in CR.
  • edited August 2013 Posts: 2,599
    doubleoego wrote:
    EoN also invented Nabutu or whatever it's called in CR.

    Nabutu? Which scenes are in this fictional place?

    Incidentally, Boyd was born in Ghana which is in West Africa so I'll probably think of this country when I read the part of the book that is set in Zanzarim.

    Look how many other books and DVD's are called 'Solo':

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=SOLO

    I wish Boyd had have come up with a more original title. IFP used to choose the titles didn't they? I think I can remember Benson saying that he wasn't allowed to choose the final title. It may have been the same for the Gardner era too.

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