advertising and literature

Although this is a fine opportunity to let you know that my novel Instinct is out tomorrow (consider the cover price to be some kind of payment for all the times you’ve read this blog; that way the book is sort of free), this post is really about another ad/lit clusterfuck.

The Meerkat has released a book, and it’s selling like cakes that are so hot they’d burn right though your stomach lining to the centre of the earth. Sales of 100,000 would be a great success for a novel, or any book for that matter. This book could well reach half a million by Christmas.

Now, I quite like the ads, but I’m somewhat surprised at the number of people who want to buy the autobiography of a fictional meerkat. I guess no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the British public, but this is a hit beyond even the less intelligent of these isles.

And I take my hat right off to that. Three cheers to everyone behind it.

And a few questions: how involved were the agency? Who gets the profits? Who wrote the book? Is this all helping Compare the Market, or has everyone forgotten about all that?

If anyone from VCCP can add some insight, please do so in the comments section.

Inquiring minds want to know.

UPDATE: All is here.