Barnes & Noble's frontline booksellers are in the spotlight for the company's holiday season marketing campaign this year. Adweek reported that B&N "is recasting its booksellers as the all-knowing book lovers who can help you find the best gifts for everyone you need to shop for this year." The bookstore chain worked closely with Havas on the "Nobody Knows Books Like We Do" campaign, which includes several 15-second spots celebrating B&N's 23,000 booksellers across the country.
"One of the things that is unique about Barnes & Noble as a shopping experience is interacting with their booksellers," said Tim Maleeny, Havas chief strategy officer, North America. "They can not only help you navigate the store and find the perfect gift, but you know they are going to be totally passionate about whatever it is you are shopping for."
The campaign "aims to get people to brick-and-mortar Barnes & Noble stores to do their shopping rather than purely online. That way, the brand highlights, shoppers can benefit from speaking with an expert--not relying on an algorithm to find a gift for a friend or family member," Adweek wrote.
Echoing the words independent booksellers have been saying for years, Harry Bernstein, CCO of Havas New York, said, "When you go to the store, you are not being filtered by an algorithm--you are engaging with someone who understands those interests maybe even more than you do, and you actually get that better gift in the end."