Not Just Books—HBO Books

After nearly eight years releasing distinctive and often bestselling tie-in books for its hit TV series, HBO is working to unify its marketing efforts and to highlight its book publishing program.

HBO v-p of licensing and retail James Costos, who joined the company in July 2006, said he has a mandate to “raise awareness for all of our licensed merchandise, which certainly includes books.” Costos said the cable channel is looking to highlight the HBO book line by taking advantage of its midtown New York retail store, Web site and newsletters, as well as through its broadcasts.

While HBO tie-in titles like Sex & the City: Kiss and Tell (500,000 copies sold worldwide) or Six Feet Under (150,000 copies sold) are published by a variety of licensees, the books are mostly produced by the same packager, Melcher Media, noted for distinctive design concepts—Kiss and Tell comes in a faux alligator shoe box—and high-end production values.

Melcher Media president Charles Melcher contends that HBO titles “reinvented the TV tie-in, which used to be priced under $20 and mostly filled with old scripts.” HBO titles like Deadwood: Stories of the Black Hills or Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Book, said Melcher, can sometimes feature scholarly research but, most importantly, they all have the complete involvement of the shows' casts of actors. “HBO wants the books to be more than just a way to make money,” Melcher said. “They want their creative people to be happy. Like the TV shows, these aren't just books; they're HBO books.”

HBO publishing licensees include Time Inc. Home Entertainment, S&S, Rodale, Grand Central and Bloomsbury USA. Costos said that quality and “added value from the shows” unifies the many HBO tie-ins, and he has instituted a number of initiatives to promote and market the books. Costos noted that the HBO Web site features a books category and the site is developing a “flip-thru-the pages application, so consumers can peek inside the book.” HBO uses its midtown Manhattan retail store (“We always dedicate a window in the store to the launch of new books”) for signings with cast members, “events that are taped and aired on the network, either before or after the associated shows, and then posted on HBO.com and turned into podcasts for iTunes.”

HBO has three big books coming up in the fall—Time Inc.'s The Sopranos: The Complete Book, with an essay by producer David Chase on the final episode; Pocket Books' Entourage: A Lifestyle Is a Terrible Thing to Waste; and DK's Rome, with essays on the show's historical accuracy and cross-promotions with the Rome DVD release—all produced by Melcher. “The books are an extension of the shows and a natural must-have for fans and viewers. The revenue will follow if we continue to deliver quality books,” said Costos.