In this new blog series, the P&C team will take you through a PR campaign, detailing everything from the client’s goals, our strategic planning, and creative pitch angles to the secured placements, overall campaign results, and the author’s perspective on the experience.
Book: The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook by Bridget Thoreson
Publication Date: September 7, 2021
Campaign Dates: August 16-December 3, 2021
Campaign Overview + Goals:
Timed for the spooky Halloween season, The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook was one of the lead fall 2021 titles for publisher Ulysses Press. An in-house project, this was the first cookbook from author Bridget Thoreson (who also wrote XOXO, A Cocktail Book).
Thoreson was game for any media opportunities, including making her TV debut through virtual live cooking demos on news talk shows in a variety of markets, including Sacramento, CA; Portland, OR; Harrisburg, PA; Grand Rapids, MI; and Tampa Bay, FL.
Prior to its release, the book had organic buzz and interest as people searched for products relating to the movie Hocus Pocus. Securing national coverage prior to its September publication date increased the already impressive pre-orders.
The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook debuted on two bestsellers lists in its first week, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly, and it was a repeat Publishers Weekly bestseller in September 2022.
In the book’s first year of publication, we secured more than 200 media placements, totaling more than 1.5 billion impressions.
Key Media:
P&C’s publicity strategy targeted both national and regional print, digital, and broadcast outlets covering everything from food, cookbooks, and family + parenting to pop culture, movies, and entertainment.
Sample Pitch Angles:
- Calling all Basic Witches: THE UNOFFICIAL HOCUS POCUS COOKBOOK is Here
- Timed to Freeform’s announcement about the “31 Nights of Halloween” schedule, which included 14 air dates of Hocus Pocus last October.
- COOKING DEMO: This Cookbook Will Put a Spell on You — THE UNOFFICIAL HOCUS POCUS COOKBOOK
- Follow Up: The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook by Bridget Thoreson
Media Hits:
From the Author:
“The publicity campaign for The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook was my first time doing radio or television and I was so nervous! Kourtney helped me so much at every stage of the campaign—she gave me a ton of information and context, coached me on doing live media, and was my biggest cheerleader through it all. Kourtney was able to secure more media and interest in my book than I ever thought possible, and I am so grateful for her hard work, her support and enthusiasm, and the opportunities she was able to get for my book!” – Bridget Thoreson
Interested in PR? Contact us today to find out what we can do for your book!
*DISCLAIMER: The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook was published by Ulysses Press, which is a sister company and client to Pacific & Court.