Fergus Edmondson

Fergus Edmondson – Marketer

I'm an award-winning book marketing expert with a passion for helping authors grow their audiences and sell more books.

Overview

I’m a freelance book marketing consultant and award-winning publishing expert with over 14 years of experience working with a wide range of authors - from global brands and prize-winning novelists to up-and-coming debuts and self-published stars. Before turning freelance I was Marketing Director at Headline/Hachette and before that I held various marketing roles at Penguin Random House and Pan Macmillan.


I offer services across the entire book marketing mix, including positioning, strategy, campaign planning and execution, digital marketing, social media, advertising, copywriting, asset creation, consumer insight, conference planning and much more.


Over the years I’ve worked on campaigns for Maggie O’Farrell, Robert Harris, Michael Palin, James Patterson, Clare Mackintosh, Billy Connolly, Stormzy, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Damien Lewis, Mark Billingham, Jon Ronson, Oasis, Matthew McConaughey, Victoria Hislop and many more. My campaigns have been nominated for Marketing Strategy of the Year at the British Book Awards twice and I’ve won a number of Book Marketing Society awards. Recent publishing clients include Faber, Little, Brown, Octopus, John Murray Press and Penguin Random House, as well as lots of self-published authors.


If you have any questions or would like to discuss a project then please do get in touch.

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Entertainment
Fiction
Historical Fiction Humor & Comedy Literary Fiction Mystery & Crime Science Fiction Thriller & Suspense
Awards
  • Book Marketing Society - Winner: Marketing Campaign of the Season (2015)
  • Book Marketing Society - Winner: Debut Campaign of the Season (2022)
  • Book Marketing Society - Highly Commended Campaign of the Season (2016, 2017, 2021)
  • British Book Awards - Shortlisted for Marketing Strategy of the Year (2015)
  • British Book Awards - Winner of the Highly Commended Award for Marketing Strategy of the Year (2017)
  • Book Marketing Society - Winner: Spotlight Award for Innovation (2023)
Certifications
  • Postgraduate Masters in Publishing

Work experience

Self-employed

Jul, 2022 — Present

I offer services across the entire book marketing mix, including positioning, strategy, campaign planning and execution, digital marketing, social media, advertising, copywriting, asset creation, consumer insight, conference planning and much more.

Headline (Hachette UK)

Feb, 2020 — Jul, 2022 (over 2 years)

I was responsible for the marketing strategy across all Headline imprints and managed a team of six talented book marketers.

Cornerstone (Penguin Random House)

Sep, 2016 — Feb, 2022 (over 5 years)

I developed, planned an implemented industry-leading book marketing campaigns from acquisition through to publication and beyond for numerous fiction brands and celebrity non-fiction projects.

Pan Macmillan

Sep, 2011 — Oct, 2016 (about 5 years)

I held several marketing roles at Pan Macmillan and delivered numerous award-winning and effective campaigns.

Projects

Marr's Guitars by Johnny Marr

In 2024 I have been working with Thames & Hudson on their ongoing promotion of Marr's Guitars across various advertising platforms, including:

- Out of home: digital ad vans
- YouTube (117K video views)
- Google Search
- Meta advertising
- Organic social media

The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey

I helped the publisher (Hutchinson Heinemann) on their book blogger, reading group and influencer outreach strategy as well as their retailer POS offering. This resulted in blanket book influencer reviews and social media content coverage, numerous retailer window displays and a Sunday Times bestseller on publication.

Mother Country by Monique Charlesworth

I drafted a marketing plan to help Monique Charlesworth market her book and capitalise on its shortlisting for the TLS Ackerley Prize 2024. I offered consultancy and implemented the following for her:

- Amazon Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Products advertising campaigns
- Meta (Facebook and Instagram) campaigns
- Submission for a price promotion
- Amazon A+ page creation
- SEO consultancy for Moth Books (publisher) website

The results were strong:

- Increase in 5-star reviews on Amazon
- 5% CTR and £0.08 CPC on Meta advertising
- Positive uplift in sales for both ebook and paperback
- Positive uplift in traffic to Moth Books website as a result of SEO changes

Erebus by Michael Palin

I devised and implemented the marketing campaign strategy for Michael Palin's bestselling book Erebus which involved advertising on online and offline platforms, retail partnerships as well as the producing, writing and creation of a short-form documentary featuring Michael Palin which was promoted through a far-reaching digital marketing campaign and tens of thousands of views.

One August Night by Victoria Hislop

I oversaw the marketing campaign for the long-anticipated sequel to multi-million bestseller The Island which resulted in fantastic pre-orders and propelled the book to the top of the charts.

Isaac and the Egg by Bobby Palmer

I orchestrated the buzzy marketing campaign for #ThatEggBook which focussed on pre-awareness, social media coverage and securing word of mouth with early influencers. The campaign won a Book Marketing Society award and cemented Isaac and the Egg as one of the debuts of the year. The book went on to become a bestseller.

So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

My guerilla marketing campaign for So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson involved putting a person in a hashtag-shaped stocks and pillory to expose the dangers of public shaming on social media. The campaign won a Book Marketing Society award and helped the book become a bestseller.

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

I managed the hardback and paperback marketing campaigns for Hamnet in 2020 and 2021 which resulted in one of the biggest-selling literary fiction launches of the time period, and the author's bestselling novel to date. The marketing mix included TV advertising, a unique OOH stunt activation including a living billboard made of white flowers, retail partnerships, press and waves, and organic and paid social media.

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell

I devised the campaign strategy and creative execution for The Marriage Portrait hardback campaign which resulted in a Sunday Times bestselling chart position, and some of the best sales for a 2022 fiction hardback. My work involved copywriting, content creation including working with a designer to create a cinematic trailer, a calendar of social media across numerous platforms, retail partnerships and an in-store stunt activation with Waterstones Piccadilly.

Portfolio

Hamnet

Maggie O'Farrell

Headline

WINNER OF THE 2020 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION - THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER 2021'Richly sensuous... something special' The Sunday Times'A thing of shimmering wonder' David MitchellTWO EXTRAORDINARY PE... read more
Marketing Strategy Email Marketing Advertising Metadata & Blurb Optimization
One August Night

Victoria Hislop

Headline

*THE FIGURINE, the brand-new novel from Victoria Hislop, is available to order now.*'Excellent as ever. Victoria Hislop at her best.' Reader review'Within a few pages I was back in Greece and ... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Greenlights

Matthew McConaughey

Headline

From the Academy Award®-winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.I've been in... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Erebus: The Story of a Ship

Michael Palin

Random House

_______________THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER: the remarkable true story of the exploration ship featured in The Terror In the early years of Queen Victoria's reign, HMS Erebus undertook two of t... read more
Marketing Strategy Email Marketing Advertising Metadata & Blurb Optimization
Isaac and the Egg

Bobby Palmer

Headline

*THE INSTANT SATURDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER**A PANDORA SYKES/FANE BOOK CLUB PICK**AS FEATURED ON BBC R4 OPEN BOOK*'A tender story of love, grief and the transformative power of friendship' G... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Munich

Robert Harris

Random House

***PRE-ORDER THE SPECIAL COLLECTOR'S EDITION OF PRECIPICE, THE THRILLING NEW NOVEL FROM ROBERT HARRIS, NOW. PUBLISHING AUGUST 2024, AVAILABLE ONLY WHILE STOCK LASTS AND EXCLUSIVE TO THE FIRST ... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
The Second Sleep

Robert Harris

Random House

***PRE-ORDER THE SPECIAL COLLECTOR'S EDITION OF PRECIPICE, THE THRILLING NEW NOVEL FROM ROBERT HARRIS, NOW. PUBLISHING AUGUST 2024, AVAILABLE ONLY WHILE STOCK LASTS AND EXCLUSIVE TO THE FIRST ... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising Metadata & Blurb Optimization
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth

Chris Hadfield

Pan Macmillan

Back on the earth after three spaceflights, Chris Hadfield's captivating memoir An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth reveals extraordinary stories from his life as an astronaut, and shows how... read more
Marketing Strategy Email Marketing Advertising Metadata & Blurb Optimization
So You've Been Publicly Shamed

Jon Ronson

Pan Macmillan

Celebrating Fifty Years of Picador BooksJon Ronson's captivating and brilliant exploration of one of our world's most underappreciated forces: shame.‘It’s about the terror, isn’t it?’‘The terr... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising Metadata & Blurb Optimization
Flavour

Sabrina Ghayour

Octopus

'I am grateful to add Flavour, quite simply a gorgeous book, to my Sabrina Shelf. As ever, deliciousness abounds...' - Nigella Lawson'Sabrina Ghayour has a knack for colourful, intensely flavo... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Strong Female Character

Fern Brady

Octopus

BRITISH BOOK OF THE YEAR: AUDIOBOOK WINNER 2024NERO BOOK AWARDS WINNER 2023WINNER, NON FICTION BOOK 2023, BOOKS ARE MY BAG AWARDSSHORTLIST, BOOKSHOP.ORG INDIE CHAMPIONSSHORTLIST, AMAZON NON-FI... read more
Marketing Strategy
Scattershot

Bernie Taupin

Octopus

'This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had.' -Elton John'Orgasmic. Every page of Scattershot is a delight, a joy, a name-dropper fan's delight. Divine. ... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
The Last Dance

Mark Billingham

Little, Brown Book Group

THE FIRST NEW SERIES FROM #1 BESTSELLER MARK BILLINGHAM IN 20 YEARS.'Readers rejoice! A captivating new series from Mark Billingham, the very best in the business' --- RICHARD OSMANMeet Detect... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Deeper Mindfulness

Mark Williams

Little, Brown Book Group

Use the hidden foundations of mindfulness to rediscover calm and reclaim your life in our chaotic worldThere are moments in life that decide your fate. They ripple into the future and dictate ... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
The Last Party

Clare Mackintosh

Little, Brown Book Group

THE TWISTY THRILLER AND TOP 5 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERIN A VILLAGE WITH THIS MANY SECRETS, A MURDER IS JUST THE BEGINNING . . .On New Year's Eve, Rhys Lloyd has a house full of guests.He's cele... read more
Marketing Strategy Email Marketing Advertising
Camp Zero

Michelle Min Sterling

John Murray Press

**NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**'A page-turning feminist mystery thriller' Observer'Distinctive and involving' Daily Mail'Surprising and satisfying' GuardianRose wants a better life for herself a... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
We Will Not Be Saved

Nemonte Nenquimo

Headline

'Full of wisdom, sadness, flourishes of joy and psychedelic visions' GUARDIAN'Astonishing' IPAPER'Beautiful and gripping . . . a fascinating work of cultural anthropology, told from the inside... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
The Housekeepers

Alex Hay

Headline

PRE-ORDER ALEX HAY'S TWISTY AND SENSATIONAL NEW NOVEL - THE QUEEN OF FIVES, COMING JANUARY 2025 ----------A daring group of women risk it all in this irresistible heist drama. 'Delightfully mi... read more
Marketing Strategy Email Marketing Advertising Metadata & Blurb Optimization
Shadowlands

Matthew Green

Faber & Faber

THE TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER SHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE Drowned. Buried by sand. Decimated by plague. Plunged off a cliff. This is the forgotten history of Britain's lost cities, ghos... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Supersonic

Oasis

Headline

'An entertaining first-hand account of pure rock 'n' roll madness.' The Daily Telegraph'Hundreds of exclusive photos and brilliant one-liners make for a sensational read.' the Sun'We are the b... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
The Girl in the Castle

James Patterson

Cornerstone

'Thrill seekers will be absorbed by this exciting story' Kirkus'Nobody does it better.' Jeffery Deaver'James Patterson is The Boss. End of.' Ian Rankin____________________________ My Name is H... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Shattered

James Patterson

Cornerstone

The new novel in the globally bestselling Michael Bennett series.__________________________________After returning from his honeymoon, Detective Michael Bennett is greeted with the shocking ne... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Table For Two

Amor Towles

Cornerstone

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES and NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERFROM THE AUTHOR OF A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW, THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY AND RULES OF CIVILITY'A knockout . . . Table for Two is a winner'NEW YORK TI... read more
Marketing Strategy
3 Days to Live

James Patterson

Cornerstone

A collection of three gripping new stories from the world's bestselling thriller writer3 DAYS TO LIVEA CIA-agent bride is on her European honeymoon when she and her husband are poisoned - leav... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
The Knowledge

Dr Nighat Arif

Octopus

THE ESSENTIAL WOMEN'S HEALTH BIBLECelebrated GP Dr Nighat Arif brings women's health to the forefront in this extensive guidebook designed to help everyone better understand each of the three ... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
TAXTOPIA

The Rebel Accountant

Octopus

'A shocking, enraging, sometimes hilarious exposé of a tax system that lives down to all our worst fears of further enriching the wealthy at the expense of the little guys.' - Piers Morgan'Ver... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising Metadata & Blurb Optimization
The Marriage Portrait

Maggie O'Farrell

Headline

Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023A Reese's Bookclub December Pick (2022)An Instant Sunday Times, New York Times and Irish Times Bestseller (August 2022)A Guardian and LitHub B... read more
Marketing Strategy Email Marketing Advertising Metadata & Blurb Optimization
The List of Suspicious Things

Jennie Godfrey

Cornerstone

***THE NUMBER 3 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER***HAPPY PLACE BOOK CLUB FOR APRILA BEST DEBUT OF 2024 BY BBC, RED, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING‘Such a fresh and interesting voice. You'll cry and you won't be abl... read more
Marketing Strategy
Daisy Jones and The Six

Taylor Jenkins Reid

Random House

THE TIE-IN EDITION FOR THE AMAZON PRIME TV SERIES STARRING SAM CLAFLIN, RILEY KEOUGH AND CAMILA MORRONEFrom the author of CARRIE SOTO IS BACK, THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO and the bestsel... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Rise Up

Stormzy

Random House

*A 2018 BOOK OF THE YEAR*‘An inspirational must-read.’ Evening Standard‘A very important book.’ Will Gompertz, BBC‘A motivational, inspirational oral history.’ Nikesh Shukla, iNews‘Don’t sleep... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising
Private Beijing

James Patterson

Cornerstone

Private Beijing is ripped apart after an attack leaves three agents dead and the head of the team missing.With the Beijing branch in turmoil, Private's owner and global head, Jack Morgan, imme... read more
Marketing Strategy Advertising

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