InPublishing recently featured articles highlighting the benefits of observing digital markets and planning digital strategies before ‘jumping in’ to new digital initiatives [Bilton, 2014; Foster, 2014]. But whilst strategising and trials certainly have their merits in many cases, digital technology is continually developing and fast. Therefore planning and forecasting digital publishing strategies sometimes has to be circumvented and risks have to be taken in order to capitalise on new markets.
Independent UK publisher Nosy Crow (NC) produces print and digital books for children of all ages and is an interesting example of a company who jumped in and faced high risk head-on. NC was founded in 2011 and produced their first book-app for Apple iOS that same year (Nosy Crow, 2014a). At this time data regarding tablet and app use, particularly amongst children, would have been limited (the first Apple iPad came to market in 2010 [BBC,2010]) and NC jumped straight into an unknown market. Founder and MD Kate Wilson [cited by Dredge, 2014] describes their digital publishing strategy as ‘experimental’ and acknowledges that they’re still finding it hard to make a financial return on the app-by-app sales model but despite this, their risk-taking seems to have paid off. Their efforts have earned them numerous awards and publicity, whilst raising their profile and helping them become the sixteenth largest children’s publisher in the UK, within just three years of trading [Nosy Crow, 2014a]. They have since built partnerships with companies such as The National Trust, and beaten off conglomerate publishing corporations to acquire world rights to the works of coveted authors [Eyre, 2014; Farrington, 2014].
NC builds their apps in-house and focus on producing a small number of optimum quality, all of which are exclusively available on Apple devices using iOS software [Dredge, 2014 & Nosy Crow, 2014b]. This is probably due to the fact that Apple have had a significantly higher share of the tablet market since 2010 (71% in 2011), and although this dropped to 43% in 2014, the overall market has grown exponentially and Apple still have a huge slice of the action [Mintel, 2014a]. IOS also has significantly higher app revenue than other operating systems and functions on a smaller range of devices, meaning the apps are cheaper to develop and bring to market, as there are fewer compatibility issues [Dredge, 2014; Ferrett, 2014].
NC’s most recent book-app, Jack and the Beanstalk, was released this year and retails at £2.99 [Nosy Crow, 2014c]. New devices, such as the tablet, provide the opportunity to blur the boundaries between different media and NC have been one of the first to obscure the lines between storytelling and gaming in children’s publishing [Phillips, 2014].
Despite feeling like a game with non-linear narrative, dynamic endings and user scoring, the story is at the core of the app. ‘Player’ success unlocks the story and reading along is encouraged through dialogue and highlighting text [Dredge, 2014; Nosy Crow, 2014c].
NC have taken their books to the new devices that their readers are using and have utilized the multi-dimensional storytelling opportunities that these new technologies bring. Following their example and using new, exciting ways to tell stories could open up new markets and broaden audience reach for other publishers, if they’re willing to take the risk.
Word count: 548
References:
BBC (2010) Apple iPad tablet gathers crowds for UK launch [online] 28/05/2010. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10176138 [accessed: 03/10/14].
Bilton, J. (2014) Planning for the Digital World. InPublishing. July/ August 2014 (65), pp. 17-18.
Dredge, S. (2013) If Android is so popular, why are so many apps still released for iOS first? The Guardian [online] 15/08/2013. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2013/aug/15/android-v-ios-apps-apple-google [accessed: 03/10/14].
Dredge, S. (2014) Nosy Crow talks fairytales, reluctant readers and game-like apps for kids. The Guardian [online] 30/01/2014. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/30/nosy-crow-fairytale-apps-kids#start-of-comments [accessed: 03/10/14].
Eyre, C. (2014) Nosy Crow signs two from Solomons. The Bookseller [online] 09/06/2014. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/nosy-crow-signs-two-solomons [accessed: 03/10/14].
Farrington, J. (2014) National Trust partners with Nosy Crow and Faber. The Bookseller [online] 18/09/2014. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/national-trust-partners-nosy-crow-and-faber [accessed: 03/10/14].
Ferrett, A. (2014) Why are most apps releases on iOS first, before Android? [online] 14/02/2014. Available at: http://www.brightec.co.uk/blog/why-are-most-apps-released-ios-first-android [accessed: 03/10/14].
Foster, J. (2014) InDigital: Jim Foster on the world of e-publishing. InPublishing. July/August 2014 (65), p. 28.
Mintel, (2014a). Digital Trends Autumn – UK – November 2014. [online] Available at: http://academic.mintel.com [Accessed: 03/10/2014]
Mintel (2014b) Tablets: a child’s best friend – 18th September 2014. [online] Available at: http://academic.mintel.com [Accessed: 03/10/2014]
Nosy Crow (2014a) About and Contact. [online] available at: http://nosycrow.com/about-and-contact/ [accessed: 03/10/14].
Nosy Crow (2014b) Apps. [online] available at: http://nosycrow.com/apps/ [accessed: 03/10/14].
Nosy Crow (2014c) Jack and the Beanstalk by Nosy Crow [app] version 1.0.2, Nosy Crow, available at: Apple iPad app store [accessed: 03/10/14].
Phillips, A. (2014) Turning the page: the evolution of the book. 1st ed. (London:Routledge)
Independent UK publisher Nosy Crow (NC) produces print and digital books for children of all ages and is an interesting example of a company who jumped in and faced high risk head-on. NC was founded in 2011 and produced their first book-app for Apple iOS that same year (Nosy Crow, 2014a). At this time data regarding tablet and app use, particularly amongst children, would have been limited (the first Apple iPad came to market in 2010 [BBC,2010]) and NC jumped straight into an unknown market. Founder and MD Kate Wilson [cited by Dredge, 2014] describes their digital publishing strategy as ‘experimental’ and acknowledges that they’re still finding it hard to make a financial return on the app-by-app sales model but despite this, their risk-taking seems to have paid off. Their efforts have earned them numerous awards and publicity, whilst raising their profile and helping them become the sixteenth largest children’s publisher in the UK, within just three years of trading [Nosy Crow, 2014a]. They have since built partnerships with companies such as The National Trust, and beaten off conglomerate publishing corporations to acquire world rights to the works of coveted authors [Eyre, 2014; Farrington, 2014].
NC builds their apps in-house and focus on producing a small number of optimum quality, all of which are exclusively available on Apple devices using iOS software [Dredge, 2014 & Nosy Crow, 2014b]. This is probably due to the fact that Apple have had a significantly higher share of the tablet market since 2010 (71% in 2011), and although this dropped to 43% in 2014, the overall market has grown exponentially and Apple still have a huge slice of the action [Mintel, 2014a]. IOS also has significantly higher app revenue than other operating systems and functions on a smaller range of devices, meaning the apps are cheaper to develop and bring to market, as there are fewer compatibility issues [Dredge, 2014; Ferrett, 2014].
NC’s most recent book-app, Jack and the Beanstalk, was released this year and retails at £2.99 [Nosy Crow, 2014c]. New devices, such as the tablet, provide the opportunity to blur the boundaries between different media and NC have been one of the first to obscure the lines between storytelling and gaming in children’s publishing [Phillips, 2014].
Despite feeling like a game with non-linear narrative, dynamic endings and user scoring, the story is at the core of the app. ‘Player’ success unlocks the story and reading along is encouraged through dialogue and highlighting text [Dredge, 2014; Nosy Crow, 2014c].
NC have taken their books to the new devices that their readers are using and have utilized the multi-dimensional storytelling opportunities that these new technologies bring. Following their example and using new, exciting ways to tell stories could open up new markets and broaden audience reach for other publishers, if they’re willing to take the risk.
Word count: 548
References:
BBC (2010) Apple iPad tablet gathers crowds for UK launch [online] 28/05/2010. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10176138 [accessed: 03/10/14].
Bilton, J. (2014) Planning for the Digital World. InPublishing. July/ August 2014 (65), pp. 17-18.
Dredge, S. (2013) If Android is so popular, why are so many apps still released for iOS first? The Guardian [online] 15/08/2013. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/appsblog/2013/aug/15/android-v-ios-apps-apple-google [accessed: 03/10/14].
Dredge, S. (2014) Nosy Crow talks fairytales, reluctant readers and game-like apps for kids. The Guardian [online] 30/01/2014. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/30/nosy-crow-fairytale-apps-kids#start-of-comments [accessed: 03/10/14].
Eyre, C. (2014) Nosy Crow signs two from Solomons. The Bookseller [online] 09/06/2014. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/nosy-crow-signs-two-solomons [accessed: 03/10/14].
Farrington, J. (2014) National Trust partners with Nosy Crow and Faber. The Bookseller [online] 18/09/2014. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/national-trust-partners-nosy-crow-and-faber [accessed: 03/10/14].
Ferrett, A. (2014) Why are most apps releases on iOS first, before Android? [online] 14/02/2014. Available at: http://www.brightec.co.uk/blog/why-are-most-apps-released-ios-first-android [accessed: 03/10/14].
Foster, J. (2014) InDigital: Jim Foster on the world of e-publishing. InPublishing. July/August 2014 (65), p. 28.
Mintel, (2014a). Digital Trends Autumn – UK – November 2014. [online] Available at: http://academic.mintel.com [Accessed: 03/10/2014]
Mintel (2014b) Tablets: a child’s best friend – 18th September 2014. [online] Available at: http://academic.mintel.com [Accessed: 03/10/2014]
Nosy Crow (2014a) About and Contact. [online] available at: http://nosycrow.com/about-and-contact/ [accessed: 03/10/14].
Nosy Crow (2014b) Apps. [online] available at: http://nosycrow.com/apps/ [accessed: 03/10/14].
Nosy Crow (2014c) Jack and the Beanstalk by Nosy Crow [app] version 1.0.2, Nosy Crow, available at: Apple iPad app store [accessed: 03/10/14].
Phillips, A. (2014) Turning the page: the evolution of the book. 1st ed. (London:Routledge)