The 'Lost' book

Here's an interesting twist: the hit television series "Lost" is spawning a book by one of the characters, ostensibly a manuscript from one of the passengers of the doomed flight featured in the show.

Product tie-ins are old hat. This one, announced last week, has an interesting twist in that its author is supposed to be a character in the show--and a dead one, at that, and one that fans of the show have never met. In addition, the book's plot ties into some of the show's subtext, and mirrors the storylines of several characters on the series.

Given the rabid following and genre "Lost" holds, publishing a book is not much of a stretch. After all, the original "Star Wars" trilogy spawned 45 books in the 1970s and 1980s. Leave it to "Lost," though, to push a book written by a nonexistent and deceased character. Not even "Star Wars" sold books by Yoda's dad.

Saks Fifth Avenue, Book Underwriter

A few years ago, author Fay Weldon struck what many saw as a deal with the devil, agreeing to include references to the luxury retailer Bulgari in a work of fiction. Weldon gleefully included Bulgari in the plot and the book's title. The publishing industry created a small uproar; some authors demanded that the book be treated as advertising and the book was released under heavy suspicion.

Attitudes have apparently softened in the four years since "The Bulgari Connection" was published. Today's news is Saks Fifth Avenue's involvement in "Cashmere If You Can," a children's book about goats who live on the roof of Saks' flagship Manhattan store. As the New York Times report states, "A Saks Fifth Avenue marketing executive came up with the idea, and the department store chain owns the text copyright. It is as if the Plaza Hotel had underwritten 'Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown-ups.'" And indeed, Saks Senior VP of Marketing Terron Schaefer readily admits that Eloise was the inspiration for the project (bottom box in link).

What's most fascinating, however, is not just that the book was made--on a fundamental level, buying a book about Saks in Saks is not all that different from buying an Old Navy t-shirt that says "Old Navy" on it--but where it's going next: HarperCollins is going to publish the book this fall and sell it in mass retail outlets. And while it is being printed with Saks' full marketing glory, it is being handled as if it were an ordinary children's book, further blurring the lines between art and commerce. Publishing companies are excited for this development.

So: a retailer has a marketing concept, which begets a book that merrily references the retailer behind the project, which the retailer sells as part of an intergrated marketing campaign, which is then discovered and distributed by an outside publisher and outside retail outlets, which are in turn (however unwittingly) promoting the retailer to a completely different audience.

It's a fabulous example of retail media convergence, and a signal to other retailers that the landscape is continuing to evolve.

Nordstrom Silverscreen

This is the item that got me thinking: what exactly is a retailer these days?

In one sense, retailers have been publishers for centuries. The Sears catalog became popular reading in the late 19th century, as rural home shoppers fantasized about the spectacular products that could one day be theirs. The works of today all derive from earlier forays into clever merchandising and marketing.

In the 21st century, society is moving ever faster toward full media convergence, and that is creating all manner of synergies that would have been far more radical a generation ago. Example: Nordstrom Silverscreen, a downloadable application that promises, "See great '80s videos, remixed." This promise of reworked Go-Go's and Culture Club videos--no purchase required--is coupled with the Mixing Room, where "paper doll" avatars can be outfitted with clothing and accessories sold on nordstrom.com.

It's interesting to note the positioning Nordstrom is using in its promo. "It's totally free," says the site, "and you're not obligated to purchase the outfit you build. Just a little thank you for being a Nordstrom customer." The tone is almost apologetic, as though the people behind Silverscreen want to make sure their program is downloaded and enjoyed by all, no purchase necessary. But that's not the point: the point is to increase brand penetration for nordstrom.com and ultimately boost sales.

Nordstrom Silverscreen is but one example of retail media--a service that simultaneously acts as both halves of the equation. It's a nice effort on Nordstrom's part, and a great place to start our contemplation.

Introduction

Welcome to Retail Media! This site will explore the continuing convergence of the "sellers" and the "sayers" in today's world--that is, the retailers, brands, and companies that use media communication for more than just selling statements. Blogs, advertorials, catazines, product placements, interactive features: companies are not just marketing anymore. They're becoming part of the conversation. And as a store becomes a publisher and a consumer goods maker becomes a media producer, the question of what is being said--and how, and to whom--must be assessed and observed.